The Italians often eat just fruit and cheese as their dessert. Rich, succulent desserts like this are reserved for special occasions. They also often buy their desserts from the local baker. There are bakeries in just about every Italian city I’ve ever visited.
I’ve noticed that as baby boomers are beginning to find themselves and start new careers, there are some bakeries starting to pop up in the US that offer desserts like this. But it can be expensive to buy. To make it yourself is much better from that standpoint. AND it’s not hard.
Tiramisu is a layered cream dessert with a coffee flavored cake type layer and grated chocolate used for a topping. If you’d rather not take the time and effort to grate the chocolate, I have found that Semi-sweet chocolate “mini” chocolate chips work well, though it won’t look as authentic. But then who cares if the result is an easier and just as flavorful dessert for you?? I’ll leave that to your option.
The other thing you need to know is that Italians use Mascarpone Cheese rather than cream cheese in their desserts. However, it can be difficult to find depending on where you live. It’s easier to find in the north than in the south, for instance. Cream cheese is a substitute that is not as light as Mascarpone, but you can use it. I often mix 1/4-1/3 cup cream in with an 8 oz block of cream cheese to lighten the consistency.
If you have access to expresso, that works best for this dessert. However, I try hard to use common ingredients that anybody might have at home. So, you can use very strong coffee. Dunk the lady fingers very quickly though because coffee is less condensed and will make them too soggy otherwise. I think the flavor is just a good, though, if you use coffee in place of expresso. Hope you enjoy!
TIRAMISU RECIPE
12-14 oz. soft ladyfingers
1 ½ cup espresso or 1 ½ cup VERY strong coffee (your choice)
4 egg whites
6 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
3 cups mascarpone cheese or 2 ½ cups cream cheese mixed with ½ cup cream
4 tablespoons Marsala wine (optional)
4 oz of Bakers or other brand bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
You will need a deep glass casserole dish, large glass bowl or trifle dish to show off the layers. If you don’t care about showing off the layers you can use any 3 inch deep dish.
Grate chocolate into a bowl or put in a baggie and pound with a hammer to break up into small chunks. Grated is a bit pretty, but the other is easier and you’ll relieve stress at the same time! Set aside.
Separate the eggs, saving only 4 of the egg whites but all 6 yolks. You can use the extra 2 egg whites for breakfast casserole or add to scrambled eggs.
Beat the egg whites with 2 tablespoon sugar until soft peaks form. Do not beat until it becomes stiff and glossy as that is too much for this recipe. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until thick, with a pudding like consistency).
Blend the marsala wine with the mascarpone or cream cheese until thoroughly mixed.
Dip 1/3 of the ladyfingers into the expresso or coffee, one at a time, and place in the bottom of the serving dish. Just a quick dip is all that is needed because you don’t want them to get too soggy.
Then cover the ladyfingers with a layer of 1/3 of the mascarpone or cream cheese mixture. Suggestion: Drop spoonfuls of the mixture in spots all over the ladyfinger mixture, then use a spreader to spread together. It will be easier to do this way.
Repeat two more times, finishing with the cheese mixture. Sprinkle grated or chopped chocolate all over the top. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours and I’d even suggest that it be overnight to let all the flavors blend.
This is a great dessert for making on the day ahead of a party. Either cut into squares to serve on individual dishes or let everyone spoon out their own.
Serves 10-12
NOTE: This recipe includes the use of raw eggs. The American Egg Board estimates there is a .05% chance (1 in 20,000 eggs) of it having Salmonella.
But if you are concerned about the risk please refer to this web page for
more information Egg Handling and Safety
Oh, one last note! I heard from one of our dessert lovers, Rita Venturino, who happens to have an Italian Cooking School in Pennsylvania! If you live in her area or want to travel, I'm sure she'd love to have you join her classes. Take a look at her Easter Cassata! Beautiful!
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