“Tiramisu, a coffee flavoured Italian dessert that is not uncommonly found in the cafes and bakeries in Singapore.”
Tiramisu is made of Italian airy biscuit sticks (called it the ladyfingers), soaked in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese, flavoured with alcohol, mostly… This popular sweet treat is not difficult to assemble. Many have been coming up with their own best version, and since it has been adapted and varied so much in order to blend into the culture and taste of the people in different countries, as for the homemade, we, too, make and try to achieve the best recipe that suits our very own tastebud.
Though the real aromatic Tiramisu is said to use expresso to soak the ladyfingers. Brewed one, especially. However, I used instant coffee powder which had left in my pantry for quite sometime. And, for that reason, I chose to add in the coffee emulco, or for liquor lover, use Kahlua (or any coffee liquor), to elevate the coffee aromas.
As for the choice of alcohol to be used in Tiramisu, it’s usually Marsala wine. However, don’t sweat about getting it just for this dessert making when you do not any other plan of using it soon, try rum, brandy, amaretto or Bailey’s Irish cream, instead. I used dark rum.
And for the good, this simple non bake dessert is allowed to make ahead, and to be stored in refrigerator for up to 2 days, yet, elevating the fullness in its flavour.
Summary in Q&A: The preparation time? Within an hour. Refrigeration time? 4-8 hours or overnight. Difficulty level? Easy. Taste? It will be a crowd pleaser.
And, this’s what I did here. Fast & simple. Most of all, light & less sweet that I liked. :)
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
15g of strong coffee powder in 300ml of hot water (or 300ml of brewed strong coffee), mixed in 1 tablespoon of sugar and cooled to room temperature
1 teaspoon of coffee emulco
30ml of dark rum
3 large egg yolks
80g of caster sugar (or more for sweeter taste)
250g of mascarpone cheese
160ml of whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
18 to 20 sticks of Savoiardi Italian ladyfingers
2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder (for dusting)
Utensil:
A balloon whisk or electrical beater
A spatula
A deep glass dish (preferred in rectangle dish which enough to line 6-7 sticks of ladyfingers)
Method
1) Prepare coffee. Brew, or dissolve instant coffee powder and sugar in hot water. Stir in coffee emulco. Let it cool to room temperature.
2) Whisk whipping cream and vanilla essence into stiff peaks form. Store in refrigerator for later.
3) Now, whisk egg yolks and sugar until yolks turn pale and light in texture as well as sugar completely dissolved. Then, fold in mascarpone, follow by whipped cream, till all well combined. The final texture should be smooth and creamy.
4) Dip each ladyfinger in coffee mixture, simply turn and dip on both sides. Remove and line bottom of the deep glass serving dish. Spread 1/3 portion of mascarpone cream evenly over the layer of coffee-soaked ladyfingers. Repeat steps for another layers of soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cream, alternately, until all ingredients used up. The last top layer on the surface should be mascarpone cream layer. Cover and chill for 4-8 hours.
5) To serve, cut out a serving portion. Dust generously with unsweetened cocoa powder.
A large portion of my Tiramisu counts about 500kcal.
Reminder: This recipe uses raw egg yolks.
Tips: My recipe calls for less sweet taste. If you like it sweeter, add more sugar, probably another 50-70g.
* For most aromatic result, use of expresso is strongly recommended.
* If you decide to add Kahlua (coffee liquor) in the coffee to soak the ladyfingers, I will suggest you to add your rum (or Marsala, etc) into the yolk, mascarpone and cream mixture instead. Just an option.
* Dip ladyfingers in coffee for 1-2 seconds will do. Do not soak and leave these airy finger sticks in the coffee as they are softened too easily and may break and disintegrate even before they are lined.
* Use a balloon whisk or electrical beater to blend the mixture.
* Use spatula to do the fold in.