Italian chef Roberto Linguanotto, who has been credited with creating the popular coffee-flavoured dessert tiramisu, has passed away.

It’s thought Roberto created the dish in the Italian town of Treviso in the 1970s. At the time he was working as a pastry chef at the restaurant Le Beccherie when, in collaboration with the restaurant owner’s wife Alba Campeol, the recipe was developed.

As the story goes Liguantotto said he accidentally dropped mascarpone in a bowl of eggs and sugar and liked the taste. From there the pair worked together, adding coffee and ladyfingers.

Tiramisu was added to the Le Beccherie menu in 1972, soon spreading across Italy and eventually the world.

According to The Washington Post, Roberto passed away in late July aged 81 following a long battle with an unknown illness.

The news has been met with statements of condolence from both Veneto’s governor Luca Zaia, who said Roberto had made a significant impact in the world of pastry.

There has been some contention about the origins of tiramisu, with some reporting the recipe’s beginning could be found in Italian brothels from centuries past, while a Baltimore chef – Carminantonio Iannaccone – also claims the title belongs to him.

Now based in the US, Carminantonio formerly lived in Treviso and said he created tiramisu after wanting to create a dish that  celebrated the everyday flavours of the region. As the story goes, his brother, Giuseppe, then sold the recipe to Le Beccherie.