Tiramisu

 

Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert known for its layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers, creamy mascarpone filling, and a dusting of cocoa powder. It’s rich, flavorful, and surprisingly simple to make at home. Here’s a traditional recipe for making Tiramisu:

Ingredients

For the Mascarpone Cream:

• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
• 8 oz (227g) mascarpone cheese, softened

For the Assembly:

• 1 3/4 cups (420ml) brewed espresso or strong coffee, cooled
• 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 24-30 ladyfingers (savoiardi)
• Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
• Chocolate shavings or grated dark chocolate (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Mascarpone Cream:

• In a large heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and slightly thickened.
• Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water) and whisk constantly for about 5-7 minutes until the mixture becomes thicker and increases in volume. This step gently cooks the egg yolks and dissolves the sugar.
• Remove the bowl from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
• In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold the mascarpone cheese into the egg yolk mixture until smooth and well combined.
• Finally, fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture, being careful not to deflate the cream. The result should be a light, airy mascarpone cream.

2. Prepare the Coffee Mixture:

• In a shallow dish, combine the cooled espresso or strong coffee with the coffee liqueur (if using) and vanilla extract.

3. Assemble the Tiramisu:

• Dip each ladyfinger into the coffee mixture for about 2 seconds, making sure they are soaked but not soggy. Arrange them in a single layer in the bottom of a 9x9-inch (23x23 cm) dish or similar-sized container.
• Spread half of the mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers, smoothing it into an even layer.
• Add another layer of coffee-soaked ladyfingers on top of the mascarpone cream.
• Spread the remaining mascarpone cream over the second layer of ladyfingers.
• Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the dessert to set.

4. Finish and Serve:

• Just before serving, dust the top of the tiramisu generously with unsweetened cocoa powder using a fine-mesh sieve.
• For an extra touch, you can add chocolate shavings or grated dark chocolate on top of the cocoa powder.

5. Serve:

• Cut the tiramisu into squares and serve chilled.

Tips:

• Make sure the espresso or coffee is cooled before dipping the ladyfingers to prevent them from becoming too soft.
• For a stronger flavor, you can add more coffee liqueur to the coffee mixture.
• Tiramisu is best served the day after it’s made, as the flavors will have had time to meld together.

Enjoy your homemade tiramisu.