This Tiramisu Recipe Will Change Your Life! (or At Least Your Mood)

Being a big fan of desserts, with a wife who is a professional baker, I have the luck of being able to try many different types of sweets throughout the year.

Yet upon reflection, I have come to believe that there are three dessert staples every home chef needs to have in their repertoire. One of course is a basic apple pie. The other, a perfect spiced pumpkin pie, and finally, for special occasions, a stunning tiramisu.

A classic tiramisu is transcendental. Creamy, flavorful, sweet, and rich, there is no other dessert quite like it and yet it really does not require a whole lot of skill. If you choose to make it in a big pan, it is easy to carry and cut and really has no downside other than there is never enough.

So let me share with you my recipe for a traditional Italian Tiramisu. If you decide to make it for your Mother, this upcoming Mother’s Day, it will be even sweeter.

First, a decision. I have made homemade ladyfingers a few times, but generally speaking, if you are able to buy high-quality premade ladyfingers, it makes the whole process much easier. So, you are going to need to decide at the start whether you are going to make your own or buy. If you decide to make your own, here is the recipe I use. If you decide to buy, these are my favorite pre-baked ladyfingers. 


This is what you will need:

8in x 11.5in glass or ceramic baking dish

24-30 ladyfingers

1 lb mascarpone cheese

4 medium eggs

½ cup granulated sugar

1.25 cups Greenwell Farms Espresso Coffee

2 tablespoons amaretto

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder


Instructions:

First make the espresso, add the amaretto and set it aside to cool.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks.

Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, whip the egg whites into stiff peaks and set them aside.

In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the sugar until creamy and smooth.

Slowly add the room temperature mascarpone little by little to the egg yolk mixture and stir until creamy. Take your time here and make sure it is well mixed. Then begin to add your stiffened egg whites and fold them into the cream with a wooden spoon. Set aside.

One by one, dip each ladyfinger in the coffee amaretto mix and begin to assemble in a layer on the bottom of the baking dish. You will need about 12-15 cookies per layer. Don’t soak your ladyfinger for more than 1-2 seconds each as they will get soggy.

Once the first layer of cookies is down, spread a layer of mascarpone cream (½ inch or so) on top of the ladyfingers.

Now, lay down another layer of dipped cookies on the cream and spread the rest of the cream on top.

Sprinkle the unsweetened cocoa powder through a strainer on the top layer.

Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3-4 hours and enjoy!

Take your time and enjoy cold with your favorite 100% Kona Coffee!


About the Author
Matt Carter is a retired teacher (1989-2018), a part-time musician, farmer, and currently manages Greenwell Farms Tour and Retail Store Operations.