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!
The right biscuits
As a result, the consistency will be less creamy and slightly more compact. Whichever biscuits you choose, make sure not to soak them too much, otherwise the excess coffee will make the mascarpone cream runny.
Why is my tiramisu falling apart? ›
Tips for the best authentic tiramisu
Dip the lady fingers in the coffee quickly — Lady fingers are highly absorbent little buggers, so if you soak them too long they tend to fall apart. Dip them quickly in the coffee and then layer them to make sure they hold their shape!
How long should tiramisu sit before serving? ›
Chill your tiramisu for at least 6 hours.
As it sits, the ladyfingers soften and absorb the moisture and flavor from the cream. When ready to serve, grate more chocolate over the top (because why not), and then enjoy!
Is tiramisu better with whipped cream or egg whites? ›
In most tiramisus, you would be able to find the use of either heavy whipping cream or whipped egg whites. I've tried both and they worked well for me. However, my family and friends tend to prefer the whipped egg white version as they're less fattening, and has a lighter aftertaste.
Do you use hard or soft ladyfingers for tiramisu? ›
4. The best ladyfingers for this recipe are very dry and crisp. They're often called savioardi and are imported from Italy. If you can't find these and your supermarket only has soft, cakelike ladyfingers, you'll need to let them dry out in the oven first.
How do you fix curdled mascarpone for tiramisu? ›
To fix it once it has already curdled, generally you would gently heat it over a double boiler (or microwave it a few seconds at a time) while whipping it until you've whipped the lumps out. Once it's smooth, let it cool back to room temperature, stirring regularly, and rewhip it once it's cool.
Is heavy cream the same as heavy whipping cream for tiramisu? ›
If the product contains between 30-36 percent fat, it's whipping cream. If it contains 36-40 percent fat, it is a heavy cream. For fillings, they both work and can be substituted interchangeably, as in Chef Eddy's Tiramisu, Pumpkin Pie and Candy Corn Fudge.
Is it better to leave tiramisu overnight? ›
Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. Will keep in the fridge for up to two days. To serve, dust with the cocoa powder and grate over the remainder of the chocolate.
What is traditional tiramisu made of? ›
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.
The perfect tiramisu is a balance between soft elements and fluffy elements, but be careful. The base must be wet but the biscuits must not crush for too much coffee; place the cold coffee in a small bowl and pass the ladyfingers for 2 seconds, the right time for them to get wet without getting too soaked and crushed.
Do you rest tiramisu in the fridge uncovered? ›
Make-Ahead Instructions for Tiramisu:
This Tiramisu needs to sit in the fridge for at least 8 hours, so it's the ideal make-ahead dessert! Simply cover well with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate overnight, then dust all over with cocoa powder just before serving.
Which alcohol is used in tiramisu? ›
Most recipes use Marsala wine in tiramisu, however, I have always loved Kahlua since it pairs so well with the espresso that's already in the recipe. Use any of these or your favorite liquor: Marsala wine. Rum (dark rum would be best!)
What is the best cocoa powder for tiramisu? ›
Rather than grocery store brands, which are often low in fat and quite astringent, look for full-fat cocoa powders from brands like Valrhona, which can offer a deep, rich flavor instead. After dusting, add another layer of coffee-soaked ladyfingers.
What coffee should I use for tiramisu? ›
With that in mind many tiramisu recipes will feature a good espresso or espresso blend coffee. A medium to dark roast coffee will be the best option as you will get the most prominent coffee flavours rather than a light roast which doesn't have that same bite and will have lighter, fruitier notes.
How do you keep lady fingers from getting soggy in 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 don't you cook the eggs in tiramisu? ›
In most traditional tiramisu recipes, you'll find egg yolks. This adds richness and a decadent flavor to the mascarpone filling. While true classic tiramisu recipes use raw egg yolks, I prefer to cook them to eliminate the risk of salmonella, so that's what this recipe calls for.
Should tiramisu sit overnight? ›
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. Serve in wedges directly from the pan.
