Although I’ve often been critical of the French trend towards putting food in silly little glasses, called verrines, once again, I find myself eating my words around here.
On a recent trip to Ikea (I know…I know what I said…) I saw these great little glass candle holders and thought they’d be perfect for servings of something…like, say…individual portions of Tiramisu. Which are great for those of you, if you’re anything like me, who will forage around their apartment all all hours, desperately searching for something to eat. I am like an aspirateur for food and will eat anything, but have a strong preference lately for this chocolate spread I bought in Nice with bits of caramelized pears in it, crunchy organic peanut butter, and Chex party mix.
(Oh great, another thing I need to add to my ever-expanding shopping list for my trip to the states next week…)
But if something is individually-portioned, it keeps how much I’m going to eat in check.
The other great thing about individual portions is that there are no serving “issues”.
No messy digging around in the pan trying to get neat servings: everyone gets their own pre-set, pre-determined portion, so there’s no bitching about something getting gypped since everyone’s getting one that’s exactly the same size.
And in France, that’s really part of our rights, anyways. Liberté, Egalité, and Fraternité is the motto. And the dining table should be no exception.
I have no idea what the Italian motto is (from what I hear, things are a bit less-organized over there) but I think they’re a bit less-restrained when it comes to Tiramisu, which they invented. So I guess they can do whatever they want with it, which I do (even though I’m not even a bit Italian) by sneaking some shaved chocolate between the layers.
Since they invented Tiramisu, I’m in no position to tell the Italians what to do. But if they’re looking for a motto, as far as I’m concerned, they might want to consider: Mascarpone, Espresso, and Chocolate.
And these are a pretty good argument in favor of that.
Tiramisù
This recipe uses raw eggs, which is the traditional way of making Tiramisu. If you have concerns, be sure to use very fresh eggs, ones they that you practically stuck your hand in the chicken and plucked out for yourself. If you don’t have chickens, get your eggs from a trusted source.Depending on your ladyfingers, you might need a bit more espresso. But mine were super-dry and this was just the right amount. My glass containers hold roughly 1/2 cup (4 ounces, 125ml) each. Feel free to use regular custard cups or ramekins, in which case you may get four servings.
- 1/2 cup (125ml) espresso, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons dark rum
- 1 tablespoon cognac
- 2 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
- pinch of salt
- 7 tablespoons (90g) sugar, divided
- 1 cup (250g) mascarpone
- twelve 3½-inch ladyfingers, (70g, or 3 ounces)
- optional: 1 ounce (30g) bittersweet chocolate
- unsweetened cocoa powder, for serving
Mix together the espresso, rum, and cognac. The mixture should taste strongly of alcohol. If not, add more until it does. (That flavor will tone down when mixed with the other ingredients, but feel free to adjust to taste.)
In the bowl of an electric mixer, or by hand, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they begin to get stiff. Beat in half of the sugar until stiff. Scrape the egg whites into a small bowl.
In the same bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until stiff and light-colored, about three minutes. (If using a standing electric mixer, you may need to stop and scrape down the sides.) By hand, beat in the mascarpone with a spatula or whisk, until lump-free.
Fold in half of the beaten egg whites, then the remaining half, just until fully incorporated.
Put a splat, a heaping soup spoon, of the mascarpone cream into each vessel.
Submerge each ladyfinger in the espresso mixture for 5-10 seconds, until completely, utterly soaked. (Dried ladyfingers will take longer to saturate than softer ones.) Break the ladyfinger in half to be sure; they should be dropping wet, and can’t be saturated enough. Then layer them over the mascarpone cream in each vessel. Use two ladyfingers per.
Grate a generous amount of chocolate over each.
Top with remaining mascarpone cream, cover, and refrigerate at least four hours, but preferably overnight.
Right before serving, shake powdered cocoa generously on top.
Note: I used store-bought ladyfingers, which, if you find a decent brand (one with the fewest ingredients listed), work well here. Especially when saturated and buried underneath all the other ingredients, you can save yourself a bit of effort. If you want to try your hand at making your own ladyfingers, you can find recipes at La Tartine Gourmand and Tartlette.
FAQs
Roberto Lestani, who for the occasion revealed to us the 3 mistakes not to make to prepare a stunning tiramisu!
- 1: excessively whipping the mascarpone! ...
- 2: once together, don't immediately mix the yolks and sugar! ...
- 3: Neglect stratification!
Alcohol: Tiramisu can be made with or without alcohol. This recipe calls for coffee flavored liqueur because I like that it enhances the coffee flavor, but other options are marsala wine or brandy. Make Ahead Instructions: Tiramisu is even better when made in advance, allowing the flavors to blend!
Why is my tiramisu not creamy? ›
The right biscuits
The choice is yours, even though connoisseurs of this dessert will always tell you to choose savoiardi. In fact, the result is completely different if you use these biscuits, which are tall and spongy and absorb less coffee. As a result, the consistency will be less creamy and slightly more compact.
How long should tiramisu sit before serving? ›
Chill the tiramisu: Cover the tiramisu and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours to give the tiramisu time to firm up and for the ladyfingers to soften. Serve: Dust with cocoa before serving.
Is it better to leave tiramisu overnight? ›
Tiramisu is often best overnight, but can last for multiple days in the fridge. From experience, the quality of the flavor starts to noticeably deteriorate around day 4.
What is a substitute for Kahlua in tiramisu? ›
Alcohol: I prefer Kahlua, but use any of the following: Marsala wine, rum (dark is best!), brandy, or Amaretto. Make it Alcohol-Free: Omit the Kahlua entirely from the coffee mixture and replacing it with coffee in the mascarpone mixture.
What can I use instead of Marsala wine in tiramisu? ›
Substitutes for wine: Try dark rum, brandy, or coffee-flavored liqueur. These are stronger than Marsala, so consider increasing the coffee and using less alcohol. Try the coffee mixture before dipping the ladyfingers and adjust to your taste. Tiramisu without alcohol: Leave the Marsala out of the recipe completely.
Is it better to use soft or hard ladyfingers for tiramisu? ›
Wondering if you should use soft or hard ladyfingers for tiramisu? They come in both forms, but we tend to use the soft variety. Espresso powder: We use instant espresso coffee powder found in the coffee aisle at your grocery store.
Are the ladyfingers in tiramisu supposed to be soggy? ›
Moist ladyfingers will soak up too much liquid and the tiramisù will be mushy. To dry them out, arrange them on a baking sheet and place in a 250°F oven for about 20 minutes, until brittle, flipping each one over halfway through. 5. To make chocolate shavings, you'll need a block of chocolate and a vegetable peeler.
What if I don't have enough mascarpone for tiramisu? ›
However you could try beating together 225g (8 ounces) full fat cream cheese with 60ml (4 tablespoons/1/4 cup) double or whipping cream and 30g (1 ounce/2 tablespoons) softened unsalted butter until just blended. This will give the equivalent of around 300g (10 ounces/1 1/4 cups) mascarpone.
Traditional tiramisu contains ladyfingers (savoiardi), egg yolks, sugar, coffee, mascarpone and cocoa powder. A common variant involves soaking the savoiardi in alcohol, such as Marsala wine, amaretto or a coffee-based liqueur.
What kind of rum for tiramisu? ›
Dark rum is best, but you can use brandy or your favorite coffee liqueur. Egg whites or whipped cream? Most tiramisu recipes use whipped egg whites OR whipped cream in the mascarpone cream layers. Egg whites contribute a more airy texture, while whipped cream makes the filling a bit more rich.
What is Costco tiramisu made of? ›
While a tiramisu is normally made with soaked lady fingers, this cake mostly uses coffee-soaked sponge cake with creamy mascarpone filling. It is then topped off with a sprinkle of chocolate powder, chocolate shavings or espresso beans.
How to prevent tiramisu from getting soggy? ›
Tips For Making The Best Tiramisu
Don't soak! Quickly dip the cookies into your coffee or liquor. Try not to leave them in the liquid too long—a quick dip will do. Overly soggy cookies make for a wet texture and a messy dessert.
Why did my tiramisu curdle? ›
Unfortunately it sounds as if the mascarpone curdled because it was whisked too much. Mascarpone has a very high fat content and so will split more easily than double/whipping cream or cream cheese.
What are the guidelines to be followed in storing tiramisu? ›
Tiramisu is made with fresh eggs that are not cooked, should always be kept refrigerated, and should be consumed within a maximum of 48 hours from its preparation (taking into account that this maximum time decreases each time the tiramisu is taken out of the refrigerator to serve an order).
Why did my tiramisu collapse? ›
The cream may not have whipped the cream enough to get firm peaks. It needs to be enough to hold it together, without so much it will curdle. If the cream mix it to thin by the time you've mixed in the mascarpone it may run and collapse as you try to cut it.
