Foods That Seem Hard But Aren't: Tiramisu

January 28, 2010 4:44 pm

Foods That Seem Hard But Aren't: Tiramisu

$Behind the Burner: Foods That Seem Hard But Aren\'t: Tiramisu$

Coffee just happens to be one of my favorite flavors. In an ice cream battle between chocolate and coffee, coffee would win every time because of its chocolate-like quality without the overwhelming sweetness. Add in some rum and cream, and I'm in heaven. Pick-me-up heaven, to be exact. The land of tiramisu.

This delicate Italian confection has always been a favorite, but it was definitely something I was intimidated to try myself. So for New Years Eve, the man and I threw caution to the wind, deciding that tiramisu would be a perfect end to our Italian feast. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to make, and more so by how delicious it turned out to be.

For the recipe, we relied on Cooks Illustrated, which has proved to be consistently reliable. Follow this step-by-step adaptation and sample this heavenly dessert for yourself:

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee, room temperature
1 1/2 tbsp. instant espresso granules
9 tbsp. dark rum
6 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 lbs. marscapone
3/4 cup heavy cream
14 oz. ladyfingers (try Savoiardi)
3 1/2 tbsp. cocoa, preferably Dutch-processed

Tip: Dutch-processed cocoa is treated to make it less acidic than regular cocoa powder. The resulting flavor is a bit mellower; every bit as chocolaty, but without any bitterness that sometimes accompanies cocoa powders. We found ours at Williams Sonoma.

Tip: Be sure you buy DRIED ladyfingers so you don't have to make any repeat runs to the store (like I did).

1. Combine coffee, espresso, and 5 tbsp. of the rum in a wide bowl or dish and set aside.

2. Beat egg yolks with a mixer on low speed until just combined. Add the sugar and salt and beat at a medium-high speed until the mixture turns pale yellow (about 2 minutes).

3. Add the remaining rum and mix until just combined, then add the marscapone and beat until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and set aside.

4. Using a mixer again, beat cream at medium speed until stiff peaks begin to form.

5. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the marscapone mixture until combined.

The hardest part is over! Have a 13 by 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish standing by for this next part.

6. One at a time, quickly dip and roll the ladyfingers into the coffee mixture and arrange in a single layer in a baking dish. Technique: Don't soak the ladyfingers in the coffee for more than 2-3 seconds (otherwise they become soggy).

7. Spread half the marscapone mixture over the ladyfingers, then dust with cocoa power using a mesh strainer. Your fingers will also work in a pinch (no pun intended).

8. Repeat this process again with the ladyfingers, making a new layer over the marscapone. Spread the remaining cream mixture on top, and dust with cocoa.

9. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or up to 24.

And that's it! Okay, it has 9 steps, but I promise it's not that hard. You don't even need your oven! And the result is sooo worth it. Enjoy!