Tiramisu is one of the most popular spoon desserts in Italy. It knows no geographical boundaries and is as popular in the north as it is in the south, to both adults and children. A soft layer of cream covered with bitter cocoa that wraps tender and crumbly cookies soaked in coffee: irresistible! To think that it’s a relatively recent dessert, it seems it was created in 1970 in the city of Treviso as an advancement of a cream base of whipped egg yolks and sugar, which used to be given to children for a burst of energy. Since then it has become the most sought-after spoon dessert and is amongst restaurant menus everywhere. It’s easy to prepare, you don't have to use the oven, and can be made in less than half an hour.
Savoiardi or Pavesini?
The debate is still relevant, whether a tiramisu is better with the classic Piedmont cookies, a flattened shape with rounded corners or with cookies from Novara, lighter and more fragrant. Starting with the assumption that everything pleasing to the eye is good, we prefer tiramisu with the classic Savoiardi cookies, which give more texture and better absorb the mascarpone cream. The choice is yours!
And now the Tiramisu Recipe
Ingredients
1 lb mascarpone, 6 eggs, 4 oz sugar, 1 tablespoon Marsala liqueur, 11 oz Savoiardi cookies, 4 cups of coffee, bitter cocoa.
Method
First break the eggs by placing the yolks in a large bowl. Leave the whites aside. Mix the sugar and yolks with a wooden spoon, or, if you prefer, with an electric whisk. Once the yolks are properly whipped, that is they have incorporated plenty of air and they become frothy, add the spoon of Marsala. Before continuing, to avoid any concerns related to the consumption of raw eggs heat the mixture of yolks, sugar, and Marsala in a bain-marie casserole by dipping the pot with the cream in a larger bowl filled with two fingers of water inside. This way the mixture will heat slowly and gently. Stir the cream until it covers the spoon: at this point it’s ready. Add the mascarpone and continue stirring.
In the meantime, prepare the coffee, lightly sweeten it, and then let it cool in a large bowl. Once it has cooled soak the cookies in it, one at a time on both sides. Place the cookies in a baking pan, one beside the other, until they form a homogeneous layer. Then cover them with the eggs and mascarpone cream and then repeat the operation.
Finish with a layer of cream, cover with cling film and leave to cool in the fridge for 2 hours before serving your tiramisu. Once removed from the fridge, take off the film and with the help of a sieve, cover the surface with a veil of bitter cocoa. Your tiramisu is ready to go!