Tiramisú
Tiramisú
The most devious Italian dessert with rich flavors of cocoa, coffee, liquore, & a creamy, sweet mascarpone sauce
The first time I made Tiramisú, I was studying abroad in Florence Italy at the age of 19. The chef of our school was from Sicily, and we had a cooking class. I recently found a little paper cookbook of the recipes that we made from that class. I can’t believe I still have it! I have made Tiramisú many times over the years, and have made different variations of it. However; this is the first time I used the recipe from my little Italian cooking class many many years ago (twelve to be exact!)
Classic Tiramisú Recipe…
Serves 6-9.
*contains raw eggs
Ingredients…
Mascarpone Cheese- 2 1/4 Cups or 1 container
4 Eggs
Sugar- 3/4 Cup
20-30 Lady Fingers (Savoiardi)- sponge cake biscuits
4 Shots of Espresso
Cocoa Powder
*Italian Liquore such as Amaretto, Marsala Dessert Wine or a Rum- optional
Instructions…
Separate the Egg yolks and the Egg whites.
Make the Espresso. The Italians will use a stovetop Moka espresso maker. You can also use instant espresso with hot water. You could also use coffee- but make it strong! I used the Italian brand, Illy.
If you are adding a spirit, you can add Rum or Amaretto it to the espresso
In a bowl combine the Egg Yolks with Sugar, Slowly add in the Mascarpone Cheese.
Use a stand mixer or a hand mixer to whip the Egg White with a tiny pinch of Salt. Mix on high for several minutes until peaks form and the egg whites become a big fluffy cloud.
Add the bowl of Egg Yolks, Sugar, & Mascarpone. If using a hand mixer, use a clockwise string motion into a smooth, creamy mixture.
Dip the Lady Fingers into the Espresso, coating both sides. Be careful to not burn yourself, and don’t dip into the liquid too long because the cookies will fall apart. Set the drenched lady fingers in a medium size baking or glass dish.
Layer the Cream Mixture on top of the layer of lady fingers. Next layer the lady fingers the opposite direction.
Continue layering until the dish is full, and a layer of cream is on the top.
Generously cover in Cocoa Powder
Refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight for a more intense flavor.
I chilled the Tiramisú for 24 hours for a more intense flavor and boldness!
The Legend of Tiramisú
The origins of Tiramisú are mysterious and somewhat unknown. According to legend, the Tiramisú has aphrodisiac qualities with the high caloric ingredient combination of sugar, eggs, espresso, liquore, & cocoa. It was first served to customers in a brothel in the Northern region of Treviso, Italy in the 1800s. The recipe was passed down by word of mouth decade upon decade. It was until the 1960’s, a restaurant in Treviso put it on the menu. It eventually made it’s way to Little Italy, New York, and by the 80’s, the Tiramisú we all know and love was the most famous Italian dessert.
The literal translation of Tiramisú comes from the words Tirami Su which means…. “A pick me up”, “Lift me up” or “Cheer me up” ;)