Tiramisu
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I’ve been making this tiramisu for years now, and it’s earned its keep. One of my daughter’s friends once told me he’d marry me for it. Unfortunately for him, I’m already taken, so he’ll just have to settle for the recipe instead.
There’s a reason it’s stuck around this long. It’s the kind of dessert that looks impressive but doesn’t actually ask much of you, just a bit of patience while it sits in the fridge, working its magic. Make it the day before if you can. Trust me, it only gets better.
Servings
8
servingsPrep time
45
minutesChill/rest time
2
hoursIngredients
150 ml strong espresso
2 Tablespoons Amaretto
4 large eggs separated
110 grams caster sugar
300 ml double cream
250 Italian mascarpone cheese
1 Tablespoon vanilla essence
2 Tablespoons Dutch cocoa powder
Directions
- You’ll need a 9 x 12 inch casserole dish or baking tin for this — something with a bit of depth so your layers have room to build.
- Combine the espresso and Amaretto in a shallow dish. Working quickly, dip each sponge finger into the mixture — just a second or two per side, you don’t want them soggy — and lay them side by side to build your first layer.
- Set a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (make sure the bottom doesn’t touch the water) and whisk the eggs and caster sugar together until pale, thick, and roughly doubled in volume — this’ll take a few minutes of steady whisking.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the double cream until it’s thick and holds soft peaks.
- In a third bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Gradually fold the mascarpone into the beaten egg mixture, then stir through the vanilla. Fold in the whipped double cream, and lastly, fold in the egg whites — carefully, in two or three batches, so you keep all that lovely air in.
- Spoon half the mascarpone mixture over the sponge fingers, spreading it evenly. Dip the remaining sponge fingers in the coffee mixture and lay them on top for a second layer, then cover with the rest of the mascarpone mixture, smoothing it out to the edges.
- Cover with cling film and chill for at least 2 hours — though if you can leave it for up to 2 days, even better, it only gets better with time. Remove the cling film just before serving and dust generously with cocoa powder.
