Tiramisu
I first tasted tiramisu at Filippo’s, an eatery in Oakland, California. Until its closure in 2022, Filippos served family style meals to a devoted clientele. For two years we lived within walking distance of the restaurant, and dined there weekly. Filippo’s served other desserts, but our meals invariably concluded with a shared square of their tiramisu.
Until Filippo’s closed I never considered making tiramisu at home. Eating it at the restaurant while watching Oakland’s elite parade past on a Saturday night was one of life’s great pleasures. Afterward John and I would walk down to Pegasus Books, where we would happily overspend.
I don’t know whether Filippo’s fell victim to the pandemic or the owners simply got tired. Either way, I if want tiramisu now, I am left to my own devices.
I consulted my cookbooks.
Joy Of Cooking gives a complex recipe calling for whisking eggs over a bowl of simmering water. This water is set over a burner, which cook must watch carefully, thermometer ready for the moment the eggs reach 160F/70C.
Doubtless the result is delicious, but we’re looking for cheap simplicity here. Besides, I am not remotely coordinated enough to whisk egg yolks over a flame while juggling a bowl and a thermometer. I don’t even want to think about it.
The Gourmet Cookbook and Nigella Kitchen give nearly identical recipes for tiramisu, using raw eggs and building the dessert in layers, which are then chilled. While Sweet Marsala is the classic liqueur choice for tiramisu, there’s a great deal of leeway here. Nigella Lawson uses Frangelico. Joy calls for rum. An internet friend sent me a recipe using blood orange juice. Ultimately, choice of liqueur depends on your palate and pocketbook.
Tiramisu keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for up the six days. It also freezes well: if possible, prepare the dessert in a freezer-safe dish, to save yourself the hassle of transferring it. Then again, I seriously doubt it’ll last that long.
Tiramisu
prep time: about 20 minutes active time. The tiramisu needs to chill for at least 4 hours.
You will need an 8×8/20cmx20cm deep square dish, or a dish of comparable size, to make tiramisu. I used a Pyrex baker. Glass is nice so you can see the layers, but not necessary.
If you plan to freeze the tiramisu, it’s best to make it in a freezer safe dish, as removing it is a messy proposition.
You will also need a large bowl, a medium bowl, a large measuring cup (about 4 cups/900ml), 1/4 cup /60 ml measure and a wide bowl, for dipping the ladyfingers. I use a pasta bowl for this.
You will also need two sturdy whisks, or large sturdy forks, for mixing. A couple spatulas will also come in handy.
This recipe uses a lot of bowls and dishes. I’m sorry.
Serves: 4-6
Please read notes, below, before starting the recipe.
To dunk the ladyfingers:
8 teaspoons instant espresso powder or strong, hot coffee made with 1 cup/227ml hot water
1 cup/221ml Kahlua
1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
For the Marscapone Filling:
2 eggs
1/3 cup/70 grams baker’s sugar/superfine sugar
1/4 cup/60ml Kahlua
16 ounces/500 grams marscapone cheese, at room temperature
25-30 Italian Ladyfinger cookies
3-5 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
If you are using hot coffee, you won’t need the hot water.
If you are not using hot coffee, heat the water to boiling in a large measuring cup (you’ll be adding the cup of Kahlua to it shortly.) I do this in the microwave. Add the instant coffee or espresso and dissolve. Let cool at bit, then, add the cup of Kahlua.
If you are using the optional almond extract, add that to the coffee/Kahlua.
Turn to the eggs. Separate them so the yolks go into the large bowl: it will be holding the sugar, marscapone, and yolks later. Place the egg whites in a medium bowl.
Whisk the egg whites until foamy.
Now pour the sugar into the large bowl holding the yolks. Add the 1/4 cup of Kahlua. Using another whisk or fork, stir briskly to blend.
Add the marscapone cheese to the big bowl holding the egg yolk/sugar mixture. I do this gradually. Blend using a large spoon, fork, or whisk. The cheese will seem like it’s fighting you at first. Keep at it; it will eventually soften and blend.
(This is a good point to stop and do a little washing up.)
Once the cheese is integrated into the egg yolk/sugar mix, fold in the egg whites.
Pour some of the coffee/Kahula mixture into the wide bowl and soak a few ladyfingers in it. As the cookies soak up the coffee/Kahlua, add more. You want the ladyfingers damp, but not dissolving. A few may fall apart; don’t worry. Layer the cookies down in the baking dish. You might need to break one or two to fit them around the edges of the dish.
Spoon half the marscapone cheese mixture over the ladyfingers.
Continue soaking, layering, and adding the marscapone until the dish is full and the cheese is used up. If there is any coffee/Kahlua left over, pour it into the dish.
Don’t worry if the top layer gets a little messy. The final scattering of cocoa powder will hide anything.
Scatter the cocoa powder over. The recipe calls for three teaspoons, but you can always use more if necessary.
Cover the dish lightly with foil and chill for at least four hours.
Tiramisu will keep, refrigerated, up to six days. It can also be frozen, in a covered container, up to two months.
Notes:
Sweet Marsala is the traditional liqueur used to make Tiramisu. Feel free to use another sweet liqueur like Kahlua, Frangelico, or Amaretto.
Baker’s or superfine sugar can be made at home by grinding regular sugar in a spice grinder or food processor.
Some recipes call for bittersweet chocolate shavings instead of cocoa powder, if you prefer.
Tiramisu is prepared with raw eggs, making it unsafe for the immunocompromised, the elderly, and small children. It also calls for lots of strong coffee or espresso, so if you or your guests are sensitive to caffeine, consider using decaffeinated coffee or espresso. Or taking a smaller portion.
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