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? ›
Cooled Coffee then Dunk 'em
Ensure the coffee is cool as it can cause the sponge fingers to absorb too much liquid and it will disintegrate. Also… Be quick, submerge for 3- seconds total. Any longer and it will go too soggy and fall apart.
How long to leave tiramisu in fridge before eating? ›
Wrap tiramisù with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator at least 6 hours before serving. If you want to get fancy, finish the Tiramisù with a layer of whipped cream piped on top and dust with more cocoa powder.
Is tiramisu better with whipped cream or egg whites? ›
However, the most important pastry chefs in Italy use whipped cream in their tiramisù. It is not just a matter of taste but of texture, too. Even if you beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, they release some water after a few hours, which make the tiramisù too liquid. Using whipped cream keeps it stable.
Is it OK to use raw eggs in tiramisu? ›
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.
Is it better to use soft or hard ladyfingers for tiramisu? ›
You can make your own ladyfingers or purchase two 3-ounce packages. 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 ($7, Target) found in the coffee aisle at your grocery store.
What can you substitute for heavy cream in tiramisu? ›
Using Egg Whites Instead of Cream: Simply replace the heavy cream with 3 egg whites. Beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks then gently fold in half of the beaten egg whites into the yolk-mascarpone mixture, then the remaining half just until fully incorporated.
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.
Do you rest tiramisu in the fridge uncovered? ›
Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then refrigerate for at least 8-9 more hours and up to 1 day. Using a sharp knife, slice chilled tiramisu into servings.
I always worry that I will make my tiramisù either too wet or too dry but I think it is pretty much foolproof. Make sure the biscuits get wet but not soaked through: if they start to turn to mush before you get them out of the coffee they are too wet so take them out more quickly.
How do you replace ladyfingers in tiramisu? ›
Graham Crackers: Graham crackers can be used as a substitute for ladyfingers in tiramisu.
What is the best alcohol for tiramisu? ›
Tiramisu can have a variety of different types of alcohol inside, however the most common alcohol in tiramisu is dark rum. Other common types of alcohol used in tiramisu is marsala wine, amaretto, or coffee liquor.
What is a substitute for Marsala wine in tiramisu? ›
Marsala wine can be added to the recipe, but other liquors are frequently substituted for it in both the coffee and the cheese mixture, including dark rum, Madeira , port , brandy , Malibu , or Irish cream and especially coffee-flavoured liqueurs such as Tia Maria and Kahlúa .
Can I eat 2 week old tiramisu? ›
You most certainly can if it's been in the refrigerator. My Dad always brings tiramisu home from work, and we keep it in the fridge for a week or so and it's always fine.
Should tiramisu sit overnight? ›
Tiramisu is quite possibly the best make-ahead dessert.
Since those hard ladyfingers need time to absorb all the flavors and moisture of the espresso and creamy layers, it's crucial to wait at least six hours before serving. In fact, homemade tiramisu can be kept refrigerated for one to two days!
Should coffee be cold for tiramisu? ›
The most important thing to note when preparing the coffee for the tiramisu is that you don't pour it over the lady fingers hot, it has to cool to room temperature. If it is too hot it will dissolve the cake texture of the lady fingers and cause the other ingredients to melt.
Should tiramisu be made the day before? ›
The best part is that tiramisu can be made two days before or even the night before and it is so delicious. The combination of the espresso and the creamy sweet Italian cream cheese mascarpone is what makes this an unbeatable classic dessert to whip up during the holiday season!
What happens if you don't chill tiramisu? ›
In addition to taste, there's a texture component with tiramisu, as well. The fatty, dairy-rich elements of the dish — heavy whipping cream, mascarpone cheese, even the egg yolks used in the custard — are prone to being runny and, well, flip-floppy when they're not adequately chilled.
