Tiramisu Dessert Recipe
A Classic Italian Dessert Enhanced with Cinnamon and Cocoa
About Tiramisu
Tiramisu means “pick-me-up” in Italian. This dessert will certainly put a smile on the face of even the most discriminating dessert connoisseur.
Tiramisu, AKA Tuscan Trifle, is a traditional Italian dessert which may have originated in Siena, a north west Italian province located in Tuscany. Although many stories abound regarding the history of this dessert, research suggests that tiramisu only came into existence as early as the 1970's. Chef Roberto Linguanotto is credited with creating the recipe for tiramisu while working at the Beccherie restaurant in the city of Treviso, Italy.
Visitors to Italy can find tiramisu offered in most restaurants. Each town in Italy has its own variation of this incredible dessert. Here is a recipe for tiramisu that can be made with ingredients which can be found at grocery stores and/or Italian specialty food shops.
If the mascarpone cheese can’t be found, cream cheese can be substituted. Classic tiramisu is made with lady fingers, a sponge cake-like cookie, which are not always available in local grocery stores. This tiramisu recipe calls for Margherite cookies, which are made by Stella d’oro, to be used in place of the lady fingers.
Ingredients for the Tiramisu Recipe
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
- 1 cup coffee liqueur
- One (14 ounce) package Stella D’oro margherite cookies
- 6 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Two (8 ounce) packages mascarpone cheese - room temperature
- 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur
- 2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Directions for the Tiramisu Recipe
- In a small bowl mix together the water, instant coffee powder and 1 cup coffee liqueur.
- Layer the cookies onto the bottom of a 13x9x2 inch baking dish.
- Pour the coffee mixture over the cookies.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the egg yolks and sugar using an electric mixer.
- Add the vanilla extract, mascarpone cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons of coffee liqueur.
- Beat the mixture until it is smooth and creamy.
- In another mixing bowl whip the heavy cream until soft peaks are formed.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone cheese mixture.
- Spoon the whipped cream/mascarpone cheese mixture on top of the prepared cookies.
- Mix together the cocoa powder and cinnamon in a small bowl. Evenly dust the top of the tiramisu with the cocoa cinnamon mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours prior to serving.
Additional Tips
Raw egg yolks are used in this recipe. If salmonella is a concern, purchase pasteurized eggs. Davidson’s Safest Choice eggs, which can be found in most grocery stores, have been pasteurized to eliminate salmonella.
Tiramisu is an incredibly sweet and rich dessert. A small portion is all that is needed to satisfy even the most demanding of sweet tooths.
