Very difficult indeed. This is the best I can do… However it was really good!
Besides, it’s very simple to do and it’s sure. Sure in all senses: it has baked eggs inside rather than raw ones. Consider that the traditional Italian recipe relates only about raw eggs, but generally I don’t rely in eggs from common supermarket stores, so here you are this simple yet very delicious variant Tiramisù! Let’s start (and throw away from the window any slimming diet, please)!
Ingredients:
- 500 g (2,1 cups) Mascarpone cheese
- about 250 g (8,7 oz) Ladyfingers best known as Savoiardi in Italy (here is a good and… funny explanation)
- 150 g (0,6 cups) white sugar
- 6 egg yolks
- 400 ml (1,6 cups) semi-skimmed milk
- bitter cocoa powder to taste
- strong espresso coffè to taste, about 8 little cups (you can add a bit of sugar in the coffee to taste. Personally I prefer a bitter Tiramisù but it’s up to you)
- a bit of a liqueur of your choice (I’ve used Egg Marsala but Rum or Maraschino Liqueur are fine too)
Instructions
1- In order to prepare this variant Tiramisù you need first to cook a Creme Anglaise, and this is the only difficult part of this recipe because this is a very delicate kind of custard: it’s likely to curdle and it’s no good, trust me! So if you have a family one or a trusted recipe, I advise you to use it. If this is the first time, follow my directions and cross your fingers.
- Add the sugar to the yolks and beat them with an electric whisk until they become frothy and white.
- Bring nearly to a boil the milk. I repeat NEARLY to a boil. Remove it from the stove and add, very slowly and always stirring, the beated sugar/yolks mix.
- Put again the mix on the stove, very low heat, and always stirring to avoid lumps, cook it until it becomes velvety and softer. It needs few minutes.
Don’t overcook! If the cream curdles, and believe me it can easily happens, remove it fast from the stove, then filter the cream with a colander, add a spoon of wheat or corn flour, and, always stirring, put it back on the stove cooking for few minutes. At least it is usable for the Tiramisù!
When you’ve done with the creme, put in the fridge at least for one hour.
2- Make the espresso coffee. Add a bit of sugar if you like it (it depends on how sweet do you prefer Tiramisù) and a bit of liqueur. Let it cool completely in the fridge. An hour at least.
3- When the cream is completely cold, take it from the fridge and add the mascarpone. With an electric whisk or simply with a spoon incorporate into the cream. In this way you obtain a dense and solid cream.
4- Now it’s time to arrange the Tiramisù! First, take a rectangular glass tray (the same used for Lasagna… look a this one for example!). You have to set about 2 layers of the various elements of the Tiramisù.
- First dip the savoiardi into the coffee, then put in the tray, one beside the other, creating a layer of dipped coffee savoiardi (actually about half of the savoiardi’s pack). Remember: dip a little and don’t soak them! Otherwise you’ll have a soggy Tiramisù!
- Now create a layer with the Mascarpone cream with a spoon spreading as evenly as possible. You need about half of the cream at your disposal.
- Then sift the bitter cocoa powder and sprinkle it on the top of the cream layer.
- Repeat the operation another time: dip and assemble the savoiardi, add the cream, and sprinkle the cocoa.
Oh, we’ve almost done. At this point you cannot wait to put your spoon into this delicious Tiramisù but sadly you have too wait a little more… Keep it in fridge for at least 3 hours then enojoy it! Ah, one last tip. Before serving, if you think that the cocoa powder atop has been absorbed by the cream, simply add a little more!
Buon appetito!
I love tiramisu… one year for my birthday, my mom made me one in a tall trifle dish… it was great! (probably the only way to get a good photo!) 🙂
I love the exchange over the sponge finger conversation… HEE !!
The good thing about tiramisu is that you can flavour it in many ways, not only coffee! Strawberries, bluberries and so on, depending on the season.
But tell me, is it true that the sponge finger are shorter that savoiardi? Isn’t it? 😛
Yes, take a picture of tiramisu is difficult, even though it is still building it (XD). I must admit that the taste was veeeery good, but I wonder how it would be with the strawberries. Or blueberries. You redo it (my balance is about to commit suicide, jumping from windows), dont’you?
Of course, I will do it again! 😀 Just writing the recipe made me hungry! XD
I wanna try to do the strawberry one but I’d like to wait the proper season! During this winter, I’ll re-do the coffee version at least another time!
And about a lemon creme? What do you think?
Lemon creme sounds pretty good! Ok, we have a deal: the next one will be a Lemon Tiramisù! 😀
Yummy! I love your deal! May I join the cause?
The fire is slowly dying,
And, my dear, we’re still good-bye-ing,
But as long as you love me so.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
The tiramisu sounds delectable but I mostly enjoyed the link to the sponge finger explanation!
It’s too funny 🙂