My life was changed after eating my first bite of tiramisu. Most people want cake or cookies for their birthdays. Not me. I want a giant pan of tiramisu. Sometimes I even share it with my family 😉. Tiramisu, which means “pick-me-up” in Italian, is exactly that. You’ll find a creamy, sugary, boost of expresso in every bite. Umm, what can be better than that?
While most credit Le Beccherie in Treviso, Italy for the creation of this yummy goodness, there is still a heated controversy to this day. One rumor credits the owner, Ada Campeo, who needed an energy boost after her son was born in the 1960s. I totally get that! However, many Italians remember it from their childhoods by many different names: ladyfinger torte, coppa imeriale, ladyfinger custard, and tira me su. Most remember this dessert being given to friends or family who were sick or after just having a baby. My youngest is four and I could still use a pan.
There are tons of recipes for this yummy piece of Heaven as well as many shapes it can take. The best tiramisu I’ve ever eaten was at Café Napoli in New York City (don’t even get me started on their bruschetta…I could have died happy after eating it). Their tiramisu was so good that we forgot to take a picture until after we finished. Oops. Tiramisu is surprisingly quick and easy to make, or else I wouldn’t have even attempted it. This is one of those recipes that you can add or tweak to make it just right for you. After writing this, I foresee a shopping trip for mascarpone in my future. I hope you enjoy it!
Tiramisu
Ingredients:
4 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp vanilla extract
¾ cups heavy cream
2 cups mascarpone
20-24 ladyfingers (Savoiardi are the best)
4 cups expresso or strong coffee
3 TBS coffee liqueur
Cocoa powder for sprinkling
Instructions:
1. Beat egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla until thick like mousse.
2. Mix the heavy cream and mascarpone together then add to the egg mixture and set aside.
3. Mix expresso and liqueur in a shallow dish and dip ladyfingers into the mixture one at a time.
4. Begin layering 8X8 baking dish with ladyfingers. Covering the bottom with half the ladyfingers in a single layer.
5. Spread half of mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers until covered evenly.
6. Repeat layering ladyfingers and mascarpone in a second layer
7. Generously sprinkle top with cocoa powder
8. Refrigerate until chilled (longer if you enjoy it colder).
*Can also be made in individual cups, glasses, or a large rectangular pan with only one layer