Italian Tiramisu Recipes

ITALIAN TIRAMISU

Steps:

• In a medium bowl beat together the egg yolks and 1/3 cup of sugar. Using a wooden spoon stir in mascarpone cheese, beaten egg whites, cream and kirschwasser; stir until smooth. Set aside.
• Dissolve remaining 2/3 cup sugar in coffee. Quickly, to avoid complete saturation, dip ends of ladyfingers in coffee mixture. Place ladyfingers in a single layer in a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish. Spread a layer of cheese mixture over the ladyfingers; repeat layers, ending with cheese mixture.
• Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Sprinkle with cocoa just before serving.

CLASSIC TIRAMISù

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer in a medium bowl, whip together egg yolks and 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar until very pale yellow and about tripled in volume. A slight ribbon should fall from the beaters (or whisk attachment) when lifted from the bowl. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, wiping out the medium bowl used to whip the yolks and set aside.
• In the medium bowl, whip cream and remaining 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar until it creates soft-medium peaks. Add mascarpone and continue to whip until it creates a soft, spreadable mixture with medium peaks. Gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the sweetened egg yolks until combined.
• Combine espresso and rum in a shallow bowl and set aside.
• Using a sifter, dust the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish (an 8x8-inch dish, or a 9-inch round cake pan would also work here) with 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.
• Working one at a time, quickly dip each ladyfinger into the espresso mixture -- they are quite porous and will fall apart if left in the liquid too long -- and place them rounded side up at the bottom of the baking dish. Repeat, using half the ladyfingers, until you've got an even layer, breaking the ladyfingers in half as needed to fill in any obvious gaps (a little space in between is O.K.). Spread half the mascarpone mixture onto the ladyfingers in one even layer. Repeat with remaining espresso-dipped ladyfingers and mascarpone mixture.
• Dust top layer with remaining tablespoon of cocoa powder. Top with shaved or finely grated chocolate, if desired.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (if you can wait 24 hours, all the better) before slicing or scooping to serve.

CLASSIC ITALIAN TIRAMISU

Steps:

• Combine egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add mascarpone cheese and 2 tablespoons amaretto. Beat well.
• Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl with clean beaters until stiff peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites into the mascarpone mixture.
• Pour espresso and remaining 2 tablespoons amaretto into a shallow dish. Stir well. Working one at a time, quickly dip each ladyfinger into the espresso mixture and line the bottom of an 8-inch glass dish.
• Once the bottom of the dish is covered in an even layer of espresso-soaked ladyfingers, top with 1/2 the mascarpone mixture. Repeat with another ladyfinger layer, followed by the remaining mascarpone mixture. Chill in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.
• Dust with cocoa powder before serving.

AUTHENTIC TIRAMISU

Steps:

• Beat 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, brandy, and 1 tablespoon espresso together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mascarpone cheese to sugar-egg mixture and beat until well blended, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Beat egg whites and a pinch sugar in a bowl using an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into mascarpone mixture.
• Pour remaining espresso into a shallow dish. Dip 1 side of each ladyfinger into the espresso and arrange on a serving platter in 2 horizontal rows of 6 with 2 1/2 ladyfingers in opposite direction on both ends to form a rectangular shape.
• Spread 1/2 of the mascarpone mixture onto the ladyfinger layer and dust with 1/2 of the cocoa powder. Repeat with remaining ladyfingers dipped in espresso, mascarpone mixture, and cocoa powder. Refrigerate tiramisu until ladyfingers have softened from the espresso and mascarpone mixture, 2 to 3 hours.