Tiramisù For Two
If your eggs come from a chicken you know, or a farmer you know, tiramisu is an awesome place for those eggs.
Another in my “Cooking for Two” series.
Tiramisù is one of those desserts people love or really dislike.
What’s tiramisù?
Tiramisù is a no bake, coffee-flavoured Italian dessert.
It is made of ladyfingers (which are very delicate sponge cookies shaped like a finger) dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of raw eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese, flavoured with cocoa and chocolate shavings.
The word “tiramisù” is Italian: tiramisù [tiramiˈsu], from tirami su, which means "pick me up" or "cheer me up".
People get funny about raw eggs.
If your eggs come from a mega-farm through a mega-grocery chain, being funny (about eggs) is justified, in my opinion.
However, if your eggs come from a chicken you know, or a farmer you know (eggs in the country here range from $2.50-$3.50 a dozen these days), tiramisù is an awesome place for those eggs.
You can get ladyfingers at an Italian or international market and some mega-grocery chains carry them.
I use a Ghirardelli chocolate bar and Hershey’s cocoa powder. A potato peeler makes fun chocolate shavings.
My original recipe for tiramisù was for two, 9x13x2 baking pans. This recipe uses a 6x8x2 baking pan (it’s a glass pyrex pan with a plastic lid) and makes 3 servings for 2 people (that’s how we do it) or 6 individual servings (for a small dinner party). Though I have been known to eat the whole thing with a spoon right out of the pan…
Ingredients
6 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 pound mascarpone cheese (8oz)
1 cup strong espresso, cooled with 3 tablespoons dark rum (optional but good) added
18 packaged ladyfingers
Cocoa for layering, about 3 tablespoons
Chocolate shavings to taste, for garnish
Instructions
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg yolks and sugar until pale and doubled, about 5 minutes.
Add mascarpone cheese and beat until smooth.
Add 1 tablespoon of espresso and mix until thoroughly combined.
In a small shallow dish, one where a one your ladyfingers will fit, combine remaining espresso and rum.
Dip each ladyfinger into espresso for only 5 seconds. Letting the ladyfingers soak too long will cause them to fall apart.
Place the soaked ladyfinger on the bottom of a 6x8x2 inch baking dish, breaking them in half if necessary in order to fit.
Spread evenly 1/2 of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers.
Sprinkle some of the cocoa powder, to taste, over the mascarpone mixture.
Arrange another layer of soaked ladyfingers and top with remaining mascarpone mixture and cocoa powder.
Sprinkle the chocolate shavings on the top layer.
Cover tiramisù with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 8 hours.
I like pairing my slice of tiramisù with a Ruby Port wine, but that’s me.
Enjoy!
Oh boy, nothing better! I’m going to have to try it, even with our inflated egg prices: $5+ a dozen at our roadside stands (less at the grocery, but not as fun)
I have never tried tiramisu, but it definitely looks scrumptious. A friend of mine recently made it for company and she had trouble finding the lady fingers. My mom used to buy them and I can't remember if she used them in a dessert or we just ate them.