Tiramisu
There are traditional recipes for tiramisu and quick recipes for tiramisu, this is somewhere in the middle.
Creamy, soft with hints of coffee and a thick layer of cocoa across the top, each spoonful is packed with Italian flavour making it perfect for a party with a theme or like me, just because I want to make and eat it.
When I make this, I usually double the ingredients to make it a more family sharing size, because, as with most of my favourite recipes, it’s really great for get togethers.
Delicious eaten after a few hours and even better if made the day before after it’s been sitting in the fridge for a day, letting everything meld together so the taste becomes blended into one delicious dish.
Making it ahead also gives me more time to devote to other dishes I want to make, but more importantly more time to just be out of the house in the sunshine with family or friends.
Alcohol, your choice!
Depending on who my audience is, kids or pregnant guests, dictates if I add a little bit of alcohol, if I do its usually some sherry rather than sweet wine.
With or without, what’s left is a deep flavoured slightly sweet, creamy and rich dessert.
Go on, give it a go and enjoy your sweet life!
If I dint add the sherry, an my preferred tipple is Pedro Ximenez
A nice thick layer of deep cocoa powder over the top
What You Need
3 Large Egg Yolks
120g Icing Sugar – Sifted
27-36 Ladies Fingers
120ml Cooled Brewed Coffee – See Tip Box
600ml Double Cream
500ml Full Fat Mascarpone
11g Cocoa Powder
2 Tbsp Pedro Ximenez Sherry – Optional – See Tip Box
Layers of creamy, smooth sweetness
How It’s Done
Make the coffee, pour it into a shallow bowl and let it cool completely
Add the egg yolks and the icing sugar to a bowl and using an electric mixer, whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick, creamy, very pale and increased in volume.
Be patient, this could take several minutes.
Be patient, let the mixture increase in volume and become really pale
Once creamy, pale and increased in volume, add the mascarpone cheese and sherry (if using) and whisk until the mascarpone is really well combined and what’s left is a pale creamy slightly runny mixture - a few minutes
Find a dish around 9’ x 7’ x 3’
Take one of the lady fingers and dip it very quickly in the cooled coffee - See Tip Box
Lay it on the bottom of the dish
Repeat this until there is a layer of coffee dipped lady fingers on the bottom of the dish
Put 1/3rd of the mixture on top of the lady fingers and smooth it out
Add another layer of the coffee-soaked lady fingers on top of the cream mixture.
Then a layer of the cream mixture, layer of lady fingers, finishing with a layer of the cream mixture.
Layers of the dipped lady fingers and the creamy mascarpone mixture
Pour the double cream into a clean bowl, and using a clean whisk beat the cream until its thick, forms peaks and is pipeable. – See Tip Box
Put the whipped cream into a piping bag, cut the tip off and pipe mounds all over the top of the last layer of the mascarpone egg mixture – See Tip Box
Put the cocoa powder into a sieve and dust the entire top of the tiramisu so there is a thick layer of cocoa powder covering the piped cream.
Lots of deep cocoa powder over the top of the piped cream.
Tip Box
Electric Whisk – This is much easier to make if an electric whisk is used. The eggs need to be beaten quite vigorously so that they increase in volume.
Coffee – Traditionally the coffee used is espresso but I often use strong granulated coffee and let it cool completely before using.
Dipping the lady fingers – Don’t let the lady fingers stay in the coffee too long. The objective is just to get flavour on them not to get soggy.
Cream – The cream should be able to hold soft peaks
Piping – If you don’t want to pipe the cream on top of the tiramisu just pour it over the top and smooth it over the top.
Alcohol – This is certainly optional for me, but if I do add it, Pedro Ximenez Sherry is my preferred addition.
A great dessert that is easy to share
