Try this Tiramisu recipe
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) brewed espresso or very strong coffee at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) dry marsala wine divided
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar divided
- 8 ounces (225 g) mascarpone cheese (1 1/4 cups)
- 3/4 cup (175 ml) heavy cream
- 18 to 20 savoiardi italian ladyfingers (from 7-ounce pac
- 1 ounce (30 g) bittersweet chocolate or cocoa powder for d
- Carbohydrate 5.00046666666667 g
- Cholesterol 1678.24 mg
- Fat 36.09496 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 21.57016 g
- Saturated Fat 12.9894533333333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 -inch square dish, 6 serving (165g)
- Sodium 65.364 mg
- Sugar 5.00046666666667 g
- Trans Fat 1.42425599999999 g
- Calories 434 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine espresso (or coffee), 2 tablespoons Marsala wine, vanilla extract and a tablespoon of sugar in a wide, small bowl.
- Beat egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of Marsala, and 3 tablespoons of sugar in a bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water until tripled in volume, 5 to 8 minutes. Use a whisk or, to make things easier, a handheld electric mixer at medium speed. (Do not stop beating until removed from the heat).
- Remove bowl from heat then beat in mascarpone cheese until just combined.
- Whip cream in a bowl until it holds stiff peaks. Once the yolk-mascarpone mixture has cooled a little, gently fold in half of the whipped cream into the yolk-mascarpone mixture, then the remaining half just until fully incorporated (the whipped cream will deflate a little).
- Dip half of the ladyfingers very quickly into the coffee, and line the bottom of a 9-inch (23 cm) square dish. (You might find that you need to break a few into pieces to fit them in the dish).
- Spoon half of the mascarpone filling over the lady fingers and spread into an even layer. Grate half of the bittersweet chocolate over filling (optional). Then dip the remaining ladyfingers very quickly into the coffee and arrange a second layer over filling.
- Spoon remaining mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers. Grate more chocolate on top or dust with cocoa powder. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours.
- When ready to serve, dust with extra grated chocolate or cocoa powder. Leave out at room temperature about 20 minutes before serving. (Tiramisu can be chilled up to 2 days, but no longer or else the ladyfingers will break down too much).
Standard measurements on a recipe card rarely reveal how structural components interact over hours of refrigeration. The transformation relies entirely on moisture migration between dry biscuits and dairy fats.
- Dip the ladyfingers rapidly. Submerging them for longer than a second will saturate the sponge and turn the base watery rather than cake-like.
- Heat the egg yolks and sugar over simmering water until the mixture triples in volume. This thermal cooking step destroys potential pathogens while building the necessary emulsion.
- Allow the assembled dessert to rest in the refrigerator for at least six hours. This chilling window permits the savoiardi to soften uniformly against the mascarpone cream.
- Keep the finished dessert chilled for no longer than two days. Extended storage causes the structural integrity of the biscuits to collapse completely.
- Temper the dessert at room temperature for twenty minutes before slicing. This short pause softens the butterfat in the mascarpone and restores the intended velvety mouthfeel.
Leftovers maintain their structural integrity for up to 48 hours when sealed tightly. Beyond that window, the coffee infusion breaks down the sponge matrix entirely.
