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(Experiment 69) Tiramisu

Ingredients

Main

  • 5 eggs yolks
  • 425 gr mascarpone you can use the whole container if its slightly more
  • 350 ml cold strong coffee or americano
  • 24-30 ladyfinger cookies best if you can get an Italian one
  • ~1-2 tbs cocoa powder
  • 50 gr 70% dark chocolate Optional
  • 125 gr sugar
  • dash vanilla extract

Whipped Cream

  • 250 gr heavy cream 35%
  • 25 gr sugar
  • dash vanilla extract

Instructions

    Take the mascarpone out of the fridge, it will be easier to mix if it’s not super cold.
  • First, prepare the coffee and let it cool
  • For the next step you need to do a bain marie ( double boiler) . I use a 4qt pot and a metal mixing bowl, works really well. You fill the pot with ~1 inch of water and put the mixing bowl on top. Water should NOT touch the mixing bowl
  • In the mixing bowl, put the egg yolks + 125gr sugar and whisk . Put on the pot and turn the heat to medium . Keep mixing every minute or so . You will notice the mixture going from grainy to smooth, and as it indirectly heat , it will get a bit thicker.
    To know when it has heated enough , put your finger ( clean) in the egg mixture. Once its a bit warm, its done. Remove from heat.
  • *Traditionally in Italy, they do not heat the egg and just whisk it. I cannot get “fresh” eggs and want to play on the safer side, I prefer to do it this way.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the mascarpone, egg mixture and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
  • Use a stand mixer to make the whipped cream by dumping the cream**, add the remaining 25g of sugar, dash of vanilla and whip it. Don’t make the whipped cream too “thick”.
  • **Traditionally in Italy, they use the whites of the egg to make this. It creates a more “airy” texture, but again, those are raw eggs and you better have some very fresh ones to do this. I prefer to use whipped cream.
  • Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture and mix it using a spatula. This will “loosen” the mixture. Add the remaining whipped cream and fold it in gently. Folding is to gently add an airy ingredient ( in this case the whipped cream) to a heavier one ( mascarpone mixture); use a spatula to combine the 2 very gently. You don’t want to mix, instead using your spatula bring ingredients from the bottom of the bowl to the top and repeat a few times.
  • Dip the ladyfinger biscuit in coffee for 1 second (no more or it will be mushy) and create the first layer in a square or rectangular container. If needed break some of them to make sure the layer is covering all of it.
  • Put half the mascarpone mix on top of the biscuit. Optional, dust with cacao powder and optionally grated chocolate
  • Do a second layer of biscuits then cover with the remaining mascarpone mixture.
  • Tightly cover with plastic film ( you don’t want the film to touch the top layer) and put in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, the best is to wait at least overnight.
  • Tip: I recommend not dusting cacao powder now. The contrast in temperature, it makes the cacao powder “wet” and is not pleasing aesthetically.
  • When ready to eat, take it out of the fridge, dust it with cacao powder (optionally grate chocolate) and enjoy

Notes

So this is too classic for you? Have fun and explore with different ingredients!
Add some hazelnuts, roast them, chop them and sprinkle them on top 
Wanna add some alchool ? From my testing , I recommend adding ~5ounce of Dark Rhum. Add 3 ounce to the coffee and 2 ounce to the marsarpone mixture .