A few months ago, I taught a class at local community college on how to make authentic Italian tiramisu, and it was a huge success! The best part of the class was at the end when we all ate the delicious dessert together! Although this recipe is super easy, be ready to first make some real Espresso Coffee.

INGREDIENTS for an 8′ x 8′ pan

2 boxes lady finger cookies

8 oz. container mascarpone cheese

2 egg whites

3 egg yolks

3 and 1/2 tbs sugar

1 and 1/2 cups of Italian Espresso Coffee, cooled

a few drops vanilla extract

cocoa powder to dust the top

DIRECTIONS   

Quickly dip the cookies into the coffee and lay them neatly on the bottom of the pan. The consistency of the dipped cookies should be wet enough to catch the coffee’s taste, without causing it to crumble.

Then, whip the egg whites until stiff.  In another bowl, combine the yolks with the sugar and vanilla flavoring, and whip them, too. The reason of whipping the yolks with sugar is to allow them to incorporate air, and obtain a more fluffy mascarpone cream.

Gently fold the mascarpone cheese into the whipped yolks.  Then fold in the whipped whites, being careful not to make the cream turn to liquid.

Next, spoon half of the cream mixture over the cookies.

Then make another layer of cookies dipped in coffee,

and cover with the remaining cream.

Refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Before serving, dust the top with cocoa powder.

LEARNT IT, MADE IT, LOVED IT !

Tips:  – You can freeze the tiramisu and thaw it a couple of hours before serving it. 

            – In Italy, the typical brand of cookies used to make tiramisu are called “SAVOIARDI”.  If you would like to make a tiramisu 100% Italian style, you can easily buy them online, or make them at home.

           – If you need to make a larger quantity of tiramisu, consider that for each 3.5 oz. of Mascarpone cheese, you need one egg (yolk + white) and 1 and 1/2 tbs. of sugar.

           – As a fun variation on this recipe, you can substitute fruit for the espresso.  Just thaw some frozen strawberries, separate the juice from the fruits.  Sweeten the juice to taste, and dip the lady fingers in it.  Then spoon half of the mascarpone cream mixture over the lady fingers, and then some strawberries.  After the second layer of cookie and mascarpone cheese, decorate the top with the remaining strawberries, or even more fun, with colored sprinkles.  This is always a big hit with kids, and is a perfect summer treat! And.. for a “grown up choice”, try this amaretti and rum tiramisu, but be carefu!