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Tiramisu

Tiramisu

I have a confession to make. The first tiramisu I ever tried was while working at a high-end Italian restaurant in Sudbury, Ontario. It was made by Magdelena – an 80+ year-old grandmother who was a master of anything Italian – especially tiramisu. It was the absolute best, and to this day I search for a restaurant that can top hers. Although many have come close, her recipe stands and the undefeated champion.
I’m happy to report that this home recipe is almost as good as hers. We’ve served it on several occasions and all agree that it’s delicious. We hope you’ll agree.
I promise you that this dessert will be one of the lightest, refreshing, and delicious desserts that you will ever taste. The traditional Italian blend of Mascarpone custard filling, Kahlua-soaked ladyfingers, and light whipped cream can’t be beat and will leave your guests wanting more.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 1014
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 16 ladyfingers
  • 1/2 cup espresso (or coffee/cold brew)
  • 1/2 cup Kahlua (or equivalent coffee liqueur)
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 cups heavy cream + 2 additional tbsp
  • 1 cup Mascarpone cheese
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 2 tbsp dark chocolate
  • fresh berries for garnish

Equipment

  • medium saucepan
  • fine mesh sieve
  • medium mixing bowl
  • baking dish
  • whisk
  • stand mixer (or hand mixer)
  • piping bag
  • spatula
  • frosting knife
  • plastic wrap
  • measuring cups and spoons

Method
 

Mise en Place
  1. Assemble equipment. Shave chocolate, measure and divide all ingredients. Wash, trim, and dry berries for garnish.
Cooking + Assembly
  1. Combine the coffee and coffee liqueur and whisk lightly to combine. Place ladyfingers in a baking dish and drench with the coffee mixture, ensuring that all the cookies are coated as evenly as possible. Set aside to allow the coffee to soak into the ladyfingers.
  2. Add the egg yolks, sugar, and 2 tbsp of heavy cream to a medium saucepan and whisk to combine. Cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until all of the sugar has dissolved and the ingredients take on a custard consistency. Remove from heat, add to a medium mixing bowl, and allow to fully cool.
  3. Once the custard has cooled, add the Mascarpone cheese and whisk until smooth.
  4. Add the remaining 4 cups of heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixture and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks have formed. Fold half the whipped cream into the Mascarpone mixture with a spatula and stir until well combined. Reserve the remainder of the whipped cream for the top layer.
  5. Use a spoon to break the soaked ladyfingers into smaller pieces (no more than 1 inch). Add 3-4 pieces of ladyfinger to the bottom of the serving dish or cup.
  6. Add the Mascarpone mixture to a large piping bag and pipe a first layer of the custard on top of the ladyfingers. Add a second layer of ladyfinger pieces and repeat, leaving approximately 1/2 inch of room at the top of each cup.
  7. Finish the layering by adding the remaining whipped cream to the top of each cup using a frosting knife.
  8. Use a fine mesh sieve to dust each serving dish with cocoa. Top with shaved dark chocolate add fresh berries (e.g. strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) as garnish.
  9. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours (or overnight) before serving.

Notes

  • This will easily make six individual Tiramisu cups, but can be portioned out into 12-16 smaller serving glasses.
  • Always crack an egg against a flat surface, as opposed to against the rim of a dish. This will reduce overall shattering of the shell, reducing the chance of getting small pieces in your recipes.
  • Simply remove the Kahlua and double the amount of espresso if you prefer an non-alcoholic version of this dessert.