Hassan’s Famous Tiramisu

Having grown up in Italy, I’ve always had a love for Italian food. As a dessert, Tiramisu is not just one of my favorite Italian but also all-time favorite desserts. When I got tired of having subpar Tiramisus, I decided to learn how to make it myself and over time worked on technique and more recently ‘variations’. I’ll always maintain the classic is the best.

Ingredients:

Espresso Mixture
- 10-12 ounces of strong espresso, cooled to room temperature. I prefer using medium bodied beans.
- 2 tablespoons marsala wine (or vanilla essence for non-alcoholic variation)
Cream Mixture
- 6 large egg yolks
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar (divided: 3 tablespoons for yolks, 3 tablespoons for whites)
- 8 oz (225g) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 3 large egg whites
Other Ingredients
- 2 packets of ladyfingers (make sure to get the crisp ones)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Instructions:

1. Make the Espresso Mixture:

Brew 10-12 oz strong espresso and let it cool to room temperature.
For added flavor, stir in 2 tablespoons of marsala wine. If you don’t want to add alcohol, you can add vanilla essence instead.

2. Beat the Egg Whites:

In a medium size bowl, beat 3 large egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
Gradually add 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar while continuing to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Getting the right thick consistency is crucial. Be careful not to over beat the egg white, but you will have 3 egg whites left over from the egg yolks if you need a do-over.

3. Prepare the Egg Yolk Cream:

In a separate bowl, beat 6 large egg yolks with 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar until pale and creamy.
Gently whisk in 8 oz (225g) mascarpone cheese until the mixture is smooth and well combined.

4. Fold in the Egg Whites:

Carefully fold the beaten egg whites into the mascarpone mixture in three additions, using a spatula to gently combine. This helps maintain a light and airy texture.

5. Dip the Ladyfingers:

Quickly dip each ladyfinger into the espresso mixture for 1-2 seconds per side. Avoid soaking them, as they can become too soggy. Don’t worry if they are still tough, they will soften over time as the tiramisu sets.

6. Layer the Tiramisu:

Arrange a layer of dipped ladyfingers in the bottom of an 8×8-inch dish or individual serving cups. I’ve also used 9×13 dishes which work but the cream will just be a little less dense.
Spread slightly less than half of the mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers, smoothing the surface evenly.
Add another layer of dipped ladyfingers.
Spread the remaining mascarpone cream on top, smoothing it out with a spatula.

7. Chill and Serve:

Cover the tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the dessert to set properly.
Before serving, dust the top generously with unsweetened cocoa powder.

Tips:

Use fresh eggs and high-quality mascarpone and espresso coffee for the best results. Don’t use brewed/drip coffee.
Be careful when dipping the ladyfingers—too much soaking will make them overly mushy.
Chilling the tiramisu overnight enhances the flavor and texture.

Variations

For any variations, I think it’s crucial to keep the basics of cream making and lady fingers the same. Here are the variations I’ve tried so far:

Chai and Pistachio Tiramisu

Instead of coffee, brew very strong traditional Indian masala chai without milk (using extra chai patti) for dipping lady fingers (Step 1)
Add 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom powder after adding in mascarpone cheese (Step 3)
Instead of cocoa powder, crush up pistachios for sprinkle on top. In addition, sprinkle a pinch of cardamom powder as well (Step 7)

Hassan and Manya