Recipe — Tiramisu For Two
Well, not really.
This recipe definitely feeds more than that (approx 8) but if you love Tiramisu as much as I do, then I promise you will have no problem with the amount.
I’ve been on a bit of a mission to perfect the consistency because I like my tiramisu extra light and fluffy. It’s probably also worth noting that while there are many ways to make tiramisu, this one is an authentic Italian version made with eggs and mascarpone cheese. So, I’ll share the few little tricks I’ve learned along my tiramisu-making journey but more on that later. First, let’s get into the ingredients.
Ingredients —
Savoiardi Ladyfingers (about 30)
500g mascarpone cheese
4 medium eggs
100g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
300ml Espresso
Unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of Rum or Marsala (optional — I actually don’t include this)
Note * As with all ingredients, it really is important to use quality produce where possible. It makes a difference in the end product! I like to go to my local deli for authentic ladyfingers, cocoa and cheeses.
Method —
First, make some coffee (espresso) and set aside in a bowl to cool.
Then separate your egg yolks and egg whites in two separate bowls.
In the yolk bowl, whisk your eggs then add your sugar and whisk together until smooth. Then add your Marscapone cheese and whisk again until it’s light, creamy and smooth.
In the egg white bowl, add a pinch of salt and get whisking. Tip * It REALLY helps to have an electric mixer but since I don’t have one yet (this one’s on my wishlist), I make my partner do the heavy whisking. The egg whites are done when you can flip the bowl upside down and they don’t move.
Once they’re ready, pop the egg whites into the yolk mixture. Using a spatula, very slowly and gently mix the two together from the bottom up. The key here is to do this gently and don’t overwork the mixture. You want to keep that beautifully fluffy texture!
Now you’re ready to assemble.
Grab the dish you want to serve your tiramisu in, the cooled espresso, cream mixture and ladyfingers. I like having something deep enough for 2 layers of ladyfingers.
Next, take a ladyfinger, dip only the bottom half quickly into your espresso and place it in your dish. Repeat until the bottom layer is full. Tip * Using a tong to hold your ladyfinger helps to make dipping easier and more controlled. You don’t want to dip the whole thing in and you don’t want to leave it in the espresso for too long otherwise you’ll have soggy tiramisu. Also, it’s worth noting that you can break them in half or to the size desired to fill the little corners of the dish if they don’t all fit perfectly.
Now take your cream mixture and pour some of it over the ladyfingers to create your first layer. I like it to be about a centimetre deep.
Repeat the steps and add another layer of ladyfingers and then cream. If this is your top layer, you can spread the cream generously. You might have some leftover cream depending on the size of your dish. I usually do so not to worry.
Lastly, you’ll want to take your high-quality cocoa powder and sprinkle it all over the top covering it completely. You can add dark chocolate shavings to the top as well if you’d like!
Into the fridge —
Once you’ve completely covered your tiramisu with cocoa powder, cover the top with aluminium foil and stick it in the fridge for at least 3 hours. I personally think slightly longer is better so if you can, aim for 6 hours.
When it’s ready, you can add a bit more fresh cocoa to the top just before you serve and that’s it!
As a side note, it’s taken me about 3 times to get it exactly how I want it. So have fun, try it out and let me know how you go.
Buon Appetito!