Italy's 'Tiramisù couple' Alba and Ado Campeol die within days of each other.

Alba Di Pillo, who is credited with inventing tiramisù, has died just days after her husband, Ado Campeol.

Together the couple marketed the hugely popular dessert at their restaurant, Alle Beccherie, in the north Italian city of Treviso.

News of Alba's death was announced in a statement by Italy's Veneto Region which described her as "La Mamma del Tiramisù."

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“For a lifetime they had been inseparable at work in their restaurant as well as in their private life. Death separated them only for a few days" - said Veneto governor Luca Zaia.

"Today Alba and Ado are reunited in that chemistry that characterised that temple of hospitality and the Venetian gastronomic tradition that is Le Beccherie in Treviso."

Tiramisù was "born from the imagination and passion of satisfying the palate of Alba's customers", said Zia, who expressed his gratitude to the husband-and-wife team for helping to make Veneto "appreciated internationally".

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The creation of the dessert, whose name translates as "pick me up", is said to have came about by chance in 1969.

Alba was making vanilla ice cream when she accidentally added mascarpone cheese to the egg and sugar mixture.

She realised something magical had happened when she tasted the concoction on coffee-soaked savoiardi or 'lady finger' biscuits, and she perfected the recipe with the help of chef Roberto Linguanotto.

The dish was added to the restaurant's menu formally in 1972 before going on to achieve global stardom.