Espresso Tiramisu

  • Espresso TiramisuTiramisu is more than just a little bit glorious.  Take cookies soaked with espresso, and layer with a goopy filling of mascarpone cheese & whipping cream.  Sprinkle bittersweet chocolate in between the layers, and not only do you have an amplified mocha situation going on, but you have the finishing touch to the dessert that Italians have indulged in for years.

    I was given a challenge this past week to put a massive package of ladyfingers to use (thank you, Gina- I love being put to the test), so other than using a dozen to make Rum Balls 3 Ways, I knew that tiramisu was in the cards for the weekend.  (That and Irish Cream brownies and shamrock shortbread cookies for St. Patty’s, and oatmeal muffins, banana muffins, and tarts.  Just a bit obsessed?)

    After scouring the internet, I modified the four recipes that looked the best to me (epicurious- always delightful… Giada De Laurentiis- too cute to ignore… Allrecipes- who can ignore those helpful reader ratings?… and the recipe on the bag of the ladyfingers I had to work with).  Normally I’d be a control freak and bake the ladyfingers myself, but hey- sometimes one has to chill out a bit.  So take the easy road and take the extra hour you saved by using the store-bought cookies to bake something else, like the Fudgy Orange Brownie Cake.  Just a suggestion.

    1 1/2 cups strongly brewed espresso (or coffee), cooled to room temperature

    4 egg yolks

    1/2 cup + plus 3 tablespoons sugar

    2 (8-oz) containers mascarpone cheese (1 lb or 2 cups)

    2 egg whites

    1/4 cup chilled heavy cream

    2 tablespoons Kahlua liqueur (or other coffee liqueur, or rum)

    36 – 40 crisp Italian ladyfingers

    1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate shavings (or 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder)

    1. Make 1 1/2 cups of espresso (like a strong Americano), or strong coffee.  Pour into a shallow bowl and place in fridge to cool.
    2. Beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar for 3 – 5 minutes, until thickened and plae yellow.  Beat in mascarpone cheese, and set aside.
    3. Beat whipping cream (in a clean bowl) until soft peaks form, then fold into cheese mixture.
    4. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt (in a clean bowl) until light peaks form, then add 3 tablespoons of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.  Fold gently into cheese mixture.
    5. Add Kahlua to espresso, and dip both sides of each ladyfinger cookie into espresso for 1 second per side.  Place in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, and layer entire bottom of dish with cookies.
    6. Spread half of the cheese mixture over the cookie layer, and sprinkle with half of the bittersweet chocolate shavings.  Add another layer of espresso-soaked cookies on top of the cheese, and spread remaining cheese over top of cookies.  Sprinkle the rest of the bittersweet chocoalte shavings on the top of the cake, and chill for at least a few hours before serving.

    Tips:

    • Ladyfingers… should be the hard ones, not soft.  So if you only have the soft ones, just bake at 250 for 10 minutes or so (until cripsed).
    • Not into Kahlua or rum?  No problemo.  Just skip, or use rum flavoring if you’re so inspired.
    • Be careful not to soak the cookies in the espresso…!  They’ll turn into mush- not exactly what you’re looking for in a tiramisu.
    • Sprinkling cocoa powder looks best if you pour it into a fine-mesh sieve and then gently tap the edge over your cake.  (Chocolate shavings just have to be sprinkled by hand, and I haven’t found a consistently pretty way to do this.  If you have, let me know.)  By the way- semi-sweet chocolate can be used instead of bittersweet, if you prefer.
    • Raw eggs aren’t for everyone, so you might not want to serve this at a baby shower :).
    • Creative servings… why not make in a glass pie dish, and cut like a pie (instead of the traditional square slice)?  Or make in little parfait cups, so everyone has their own serving.  If on the go, make individual portions in little glass jars.  They’ll have their own screw-topped lids- how easy and portable is that?
    • When to eat?  They say this dessert is best the next day… after having a chance to marinade in its own lovely juices. :)

     

     

    Print Friendly, PDF & EmailClick Here to PRINT This Recipe Now!

    Related Recipes & Posts:


    March 18th, 2012 | More Sweets Please | No Comments | Tags: ,

Leave a Reply

* Name, Email, and Comment are Required