Tiramisu
“All the ingredients of our childhood”
Is not easy write about Tiramisu, since it has always been in our memory. The smell of moka coffee, which we all grew up with in Italy, beaten eggs with sugar, which was the afternoon snack, or breakfast, with some drops of coffee (or Marsala) in it, and for who was really hungry, two cookies to soak in the cream. Isn’t this already a Tiramisu? By the way, if you want to know the meaning of this word, you can translate it as Pick-me-up or Pull-me-up.
In the 70’s we spent a lot of time with our grandparents, they’ve taken care of us with the simplicity of ingredients they prepared our food, which were the same they had grown up with. No prepackaged cakes, but only homemade ones.
Perhaps because of these memories, the recipe I propose has an original ingredients peculiarity… just these and nothing more: no liquor, no chocolate, no cream.
Mascarpone cheese
For those who never tried Mascarpone cheese, it is white (or light yellow), more or less thick (it depends on the brand) as beaten butter. Its taste is milky and neutral, in between milk and butter. Its taste perfectly matches with many ingredients, sweet or sour. Mascarpone is one of the most important ingredients in Tiramisu, it enriches the egg and sugar cream, giving a tiny acid note. If you are curious buy some! First taste a bit as it is, then try to mix it with some chocolate cream, or make a snack with some whole grain bread, mascarpone cheese and smoked salmon: you will be surprised of its perfect versatility.
Tips depending on the brand Mascarpone cheese can be more or less thick. To make Tiramisu you will need the thicker one as in the picture, I mean that you will need a spoon to transfer it in a bowl. So that the cream you are going to make, will have the right consistence to make a perfect TiramisuLadyfingers or others?
The perfect biscuits for the job are the Ladyfingers. In all recipes you find for Tiramisu they are always the most advised ones. They have the right height to absorb a lot of coffee, very crumbly and spongy consistency, and the grainy sugar all around is perfect to balance the bitter coffee. It doesn’t mean that you cannot choose other types you prefer. Some make Tiramisu with Pavesini (equally crumbly biscuits and with a coat of sugar around but very thin) or sponge cake, or shortbread biscuits… it’s up to your taste!
Tips the best for Tiramisu is to make it the day before, so that the ingredients have time to settle down and merge together. Especially biscuits that must absorb the humidity and the flavor of the cream. If you need to serve Tiramisu in few hours, soak biscuits generously in the coffee and squeeze them a bit to expel excess coffee, before building your cake in layers.Black bitter coffee
You cannot make Tiramisu without this ingredient, those who love it also love coffee. Many changes have recently appeared on the scene, replacing it with other liquid such as milk, barley or even with the juice of some fruit. But without coffee it cannot be called Tiramisu. Coffee must be strong and bitter. Obviously, if necessary, for example for children, you can use decaffeinated coffee
Tips If you make tiramisu in singular portions you will need a reduced amount of coffee and biscuits (about 2 biscuits for portion and 1 Italian coffee cup, about 50ml)![](https://www.kitchencheznous.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/tiramisu-300x300.jpg)
Tiramisu
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 egg white
- 125 gr icing sugar
- 500 gr mascarpone cheese
- Coffee (about 450ml)
- Ladyfingersabout 18
- Bitter Cocoa powder
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk sugar with the egg yolks until thick, foamy and pale.
- Pour the mascarpone into themixture and starting with a fork, whisk until all lumps are completely melted.
- Add egg whites heavy whipped, and gently pour it into the mascarpone cream.
- In a rectangular dish spread the mascarpone cream (1/3of the entire quantity). Line with all of the ladyfingers previously soaked in coffee, one by one. Transfer the rest of the cream spreading it over the ladyfingers.
- Sprinkle the whole surfacewith cocoa powder (just before you serve it, if you like dusty effect). Refrigerate for a day or at least 3 hours (following the tips as mentioned above, in the paragraph about Ladyfingers).
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