Tiramisú

Tiramisú is one of my all time favorite desserts, but not the kind of oversweetened tiramisú with whipped cream. I'm very picky and purist when it comes to tiramisú, I like it 100% traditional and italian, without the cream, please.

Since I haven't had tiramisú in a long while (for the sake of my cholesterol levels) I decided to add it to my Christmas' bakery list. Even thought I've been out of practice on tiramisú, it came out pretty tasty and everybody loved it. But, like I've said before, being the picky tiramisú eater/maker that I am, I'd have loved it to be more firm. There's still plenty of mascarpone cheese in my fridge so I'll try a different recipe sooner rather than later! ;-)

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Tiramisú

Ingredients (serves 10)
500g mascarpone cheese.
20 ladyfingers biscuits/cookies.
250ml espresso or double-strength coffee.
2 1/2 tbsp. Marsala wine (or rum).
6 eggs.
125g granulated sugar.
30g (pure) unsweetened cocoa powder.
a pinch of salt.

Directions

Make the espresso coffee and let it cool completely.

Separate egg yolks and whites.

In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until creamy white (with an electric mixer) and they triple in volume.

Add in mascarpone and one tablespoon of marsala wine (rum or cognac also works) and mix until blended. Fold in carefully.

In a large bowl, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form (add a few drops of lemon juice to stabilize the foam and help keep the bubbles from bursting when you stop beating).

Fold in beaten egg whites into mascarpone mixture with a spatula, mix only until blended.

Pour the coffee and the rest of the marsala into a wide bowl.

Quickly dip each ladyfinger biscuit in the coffee bowl and start lining the minicocottes/ramequins with the soaked biscuits, they should be dump but not too soggy.

Put half the mascarpone mixture on top of the soaked biscuits and spread evenly. Make another layer of ladyfingers and mascarpone.

Dust with a bit of cocoa powder (not too much, just a bit!) and leave overnight in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before serving.

Tiramisú should be made the night before cause this way the ladyfingers will absorb the coffee and become moist.

When you are ready to serve, dust with a fine layer of cocoa powder. Serve chilled and enjoy!