Sunday, August 3, 2008
Tiramisu
Ingredients
4 eggs, separated
250g mascarpone
200g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed, extra strong coffee (or 1 cup worth of espresso), cooled
2 tbsp liquer (I like using either Kahlua or Marsala)
enough sponge fingers to line the base of your dish in two layers
A small block of semi-sweet chocolate (about 1 oz should do)
How to make Tiramisu
Tiramisu is probably my favourite dessert, and it's ridiculously easy to make. Seriously. A nice way to posh it up is to bake sponge cake and use that instead of sponge fingers, and then make it really neatly in a round or square cake tin, then slice it up, but I like it this way. More rustic. :) This recipe made 10 ramekins worth, so it'll serve 10 as a really small dessert, or probably make 4-6 generous helpings.
Combine the liquer into the espresso. Resist the urge to add more, since you really just want a hint of it - you don't want to get drunk on your dessert. Or maybe you do, in which case add the whole bottle. :)
Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and frothy. It should form ribbons when you pull the whisk through the mixture. Whisk in the mascarpone.
Use an electric mixer or standing mixer to whisk up the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold this into the egg yolk and mascarpone mixture.
Dip a sponge finger briefly (they fall apart if you soak them for too long) into the coffee and liquer mixture, then place it in the base of your dish. Repeat until the base is covered in one layer.
Spoon over the egg-and-cheese mix, using about half. Grate over some chocolate, then make another layer of sponge fingers, and another layer of egg-and-cheese. Grate the rest of the chocolate over, or dust with cocoa powder.
Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or for up to one day, then serve! Easy peasy, just like I told you.
Note: If you want, you can use a smaller, higher-sided dish and make many layers. I chose to do simple two-layered ones in ramekins for easy serving.
