Tiramisu is probably my favorite favorite dessert . It always order it in a restaurant if it’s on the menu. That is, unless I’m at a kosher steakhouse. Pareve tiramisu isn’t even worth it. So, as a Kosher Foodie, why don’t I ever make it myself? We make all sorts of complicated recipes (see: cronuts), and tiramisu is actually quite simple.
There are so many recipes out there, but I chose a straightforward one from David Lebovitz. The first time I made it, I put it in one big bowl, but i think it’s prettier if you serve it individually. I also skipped the alcohol, since I didn’t have it on hand, and I made this for the first time during a holiday; I had to whip the eggs by hand; it was nothing compared to my Passover cake, though!
Next step: homemade ladyfingers!
Tiramisu
Makes 6 individual servings
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup strong coffee, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons dark rum
- 1 tablespoon cognac
- 2 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
- pinch of salt
- 7 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 1 cup mascarpone
- twelve 3½-inch ladyfingers
- optional: 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate
- unsweetened cocoa powder, for serving
Directions:
1. Mix together the coffee, 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.)
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Fold in half of the beaten egg whites, then the remaining half, just until fully incorporated.
5. Put a heaping scoop of the mascarpone cream into each vessel.
6. 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.
7. Grate a generous amount of chocolate over each.
8. Top with remaining mascarpone cream, cover, and refrigerate at least four hours, but preferably overnight.
9. Right before serving, shake powdered cocoa generously on top.
