Tiramisu

This post was written almost as soon as we returned from our vacation, yet it has taken me 2 weeks just to upload the picture and finally publish the post. If this is not the absolute height of laziness and lethargy, I wonder what is!


Now, I would love to claim that this recipe was shared by an Italian chef or that it is the authentic recipe of making the tiramisu.


But having gone to the country where the tiramisu was invented and having eaten it almost every single day, I can definitely aver that this recipe results in a tiramisu that is as good as if not better (yes, I actually said that!) than the ones we ate in Italy.

I have tried numerous recipes for making tiramisu but the one I made from Cooking for Engineers makes the most fantastic tiramisu I've ever eaten. First of all, it doesn't use raw eggs, instead the egg yolks are cooked into a custard.


Light yet delectably creamy, it is has a perfect melt in your mouth feel. But most importantly, it is not cloyingly sweet and the balance of flavour between the coffee and the alcohol is just right.


I have made a few modifications to the original recipe; here's my version.


Ingredients:


for the zabaglione:
Egg yolks: 4
Sugar: 1/2 cup + 2 tbsps
Marsala wine: 1/2 cup

Mascarpone cheese: 500 gms

Heavy cream: 250 ml


for the dipping mixture
Espresso: 1 1/4 cup
Marsala wine: 3 tbsps




Ladyfinger/savoiardi cookies
Cocoa powder: 1/4 cup


Method:

Whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar till pale and lemony in colour. Add in the Marsala wine and whisk a few minutes more.




While you are whisking the yolks, bring some water to boil in a saucepan (this saucepan should be a size smaller than the one you are whisking the egg yolks in. I fill the saucepan halfway through with water).





Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the flame so that the water is barely simmering and then set the bowl containing the whisked yolks on top and stir continuously till the mixture starts to thicken and bubble around the edges. Set aside and let it cool completely.



(the first time I did this, I ended up with something that looked like crumbed paneer - which meant that my egg mixture had started to cook. So now, whenever I make the egg custard, I keep a deep plate filled with chilled water - the minute I think the mixture is starting to overheat, I plonk the bowl into the chilled water to prevent the eggs from cooking).

Next, whip the cream to get stiff peaks. Also, beat the mascarpone cheese till it is smooth. Then pour the zabaglione into the cheese and beat to get a homogenous mixture. Fold in the whipped cream into the cheese mixture in 3 quick additions.


Assembling the tiramisu:

Mix together the espresso and the marsala. (If you find the espresso too strong for your liking, dilute it with some warm water but don't use sugar to counter the bitterness. Sugar in the espresso is an absolute no - no).

I use my 9" springform pan for assembling the tiramisu.


Working quickly, dip the ladyfinger cookies in the espesso mixture and lay them in a single layer over the bottom of the pan. I dip only one side - the plain side - of the cookies in the espresso and place them sugar side up in the pan. These cookies are very delicate and so don't dip them for longer than a second in the espresso mixture.


Spoon half the cream mixture over the cookies. Prepare another layer in a similar fashion, cover the pan with a cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours (preferably, refrigerate overnight).


Just before unmolding and serving, dust the top with cocoa powder.