Tiramisu

The first time I had this delectable dessert was at Olive Garden; the first restaurant my husband took me to when I first came to the US…too many firsts eh? :) I am not a big fan of coffee or coffee flavoured stuff, but this one had me hooked from the very first bite.

The name Tiramisu is Italian and means "pull-me-up" (Tirami su), a reference to the effects of the sugar and espresso, and can be translated figuratively as "pick-me-up". Source: Wikipedia

It is typically made with Savoiardi - Italian Ladyfingers, which are light small sponge cakes and layered with Mascarpone, which is an Italian cheese. Mascarpone is pretty expensive so I made a substitute for it, which tastes just as good.

You will need:

4 egg yolks

2 tablespoons milk

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 cups Mascarpone cheese(or substitute, recipe follows)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream

20-24 ladyfingers

1/2 cup cold espresso

1/4 cup Kahlua

2 teaspoons cocoa powder

Fill a medium pan halfway with water and bring it to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat so that the water is simmering.Whisk egg yolks, milk and sugar together in a medium metal bowl, then place the bowl on top of the pan.

Stir the mixture often for 8 to 10 minutes or until the mixture becomes light yellow and opaque. Remove the bowl from the heat and cool to room temperature. Add the 2 cups of mascarpone cheese and the vanilla to the egg mixture and whisk till its smooth.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream with an electric mixer until thick. Slowly fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until it's completely incorporated, but don't over mix or it will lose volume and flatten out. Combine the espresso and Kahlua in a large, shallow bowl.

One-by-one, quickly dip each ladyfinger in the espresso or you can arrange the ladyfingers in the dish and brush each ladyfinger with the espresso kahlua mix with the help of a pastry brush. Ladyfingers are very light and quickly absorb any liquid like a sponge, so they may get very soggy if you dip them. I brushed them instead, the flavour was good enough.

Arrange half of the dipped ladyfingers side-by-side on the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch serving dish or baking pan.

Spoon about half of the cheese mixture over the ladyfingers, then add another layer of soaked ladyfingers on top of the cheese mixture. Spoon the remaining cheese mixture over the second layer of ladyfingers and spread it evenly.

Put two teaspoons of cocoa powder in a tight-mesh strainer and gently tap the side of the strainer to add an even dusting of cocoa powder over the top of the dessert.

Cover and chill for several hours. To serve, slice into equal portions with a clean, serrated knife wiping the knife clean, between cuts.

Substitution for Mascarpone:

2 Cups Creme cheese, at room temp

1/3 cup Sour cream

1/4 Heavy whipping cream

Blend all three ingredients till smooth and creamy. Use as required.

The next time you eat at an Italian restaurant, don't forget to make room for dessert and order the Tiramisu. Trust me, you won't regret it! :)