By Aruj Sipra

 

Trying out a new recipe can be exciting and daunting. If you’re a slight perfectionist like me, it leans more towards daunting because I get anxious if even a sprinkle looks out of place.

Tiramisu is a popular coffee-flavoured Italian dessert which means ‘pick me up’ or ‘lift me up’.  It is made of ladyfingers (Savoiardi), dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of egg yolks, egg whites, sugar and mascarpone cheese, then sprinkled with cocoa to give a finished look.

The first time I had tiramisu was at a friend’s house and I fell in love with this delicacy. The silky delicate cream overflowing with flavour simply melts in your mouth and offers a Taste of Heaven and has you begging for another serving.

After enjoying this delicious dessert, I was given a challenge to make this at home by my husband and  I accepted it without any hesitation. The only hitch was that I did not know the recipe but thanks to YouTube, I found not one but too many recipes. This has been my go-to recipe now, I have been making this dessert for the past two years and it’s always hit with the guests.

Ingredients

  • 5 Eggs ( I prefer omega-3)
  • 18 to 20 Savoiardi Italian ladyfingers (from 7-ounce package)
  • 1 tub of Halal Mascarpone cheese
  • 2 cups of sugar (one in the egg white mixture and the other in egg yolk mixture)
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) espresso or very strong coffee, at room temperature
  • 1 ounce (30 g) bittersweet chocolate or cocoa powder for dusting

 Method

Prepare the coffee first by combining espresso and a tablespoon of sugar in a wide, small bowl. Let it cool.

Now prepare the custard.

Separate egg whites from the yolks.  In a stand mixture or with a hand electric mixer, whisk together the egg whites and a cup of sugar until stiff peaks form.

In another bowl, beat yolks with sugar until smooth and light yellow. Fold mascarpone into the yolk mixture and then slowly add the egg white mixture. Make sure there are no lumps in the custard.

Time to assemble Tiramisu. Dip half of the ladyfingers very quickly into the coffee (not too much as it becomes soggy) and line the bottom of a dish. You might find that you need to break a few into pieces to fit them in the dish.

Spoon half of the mascarpone filling over the lady fingers and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle half of the bittersweet cocoa over filling.

Repeat the process again in the following order: biscuits, cream mixture and cocoa powder)

Final presentation

When ready to serve, dust with extra grated chocolate or cocoa powder. Leave out at room temperature about 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Always make tiramisu a day before you intend to serve it.
  • It is important that you wait at least 6 hours before serving. In fact, it can be kept refrigerated for 1 to 2 days and still be delicious.
  • Tiramisu can be chilled up to 2 days, but no longer or else the ladyfingers will break down too much.

Should I use egg whites or cream?

This is the tricky part. The original recipe has double boiler method in which egg whites are cooked. If you are not comfortable with the raw eggs, then I suggest use the double boiler method or use cream instead. Tiramisu made with egg whites is a little lighter than one made with cream. I never had a problem with this, but if you’re concerned, make sure you use the freshest (and highest quality) eggs possible.

Have you ever tried Tiramisu, or made one at home? What do you love about this decadent treat?