Classic Tiramisu: New Year's little pick me ups

 Tiramisu with celebration bubbles, a sweet dreamy pleasure to welcome the new year. Dark and rich flavors, an amalgamation of spiked espresso, cheese, cream and chocolate; so light and almost runny custard on top of the soaked decadent sponge, all the lovely flavors mingling together with each spoon. 

I hadn't had any intentions of making anything elaborate for new years eve's dinner until lunch the day before when we spotted little tiramisu cups sitting beautifully in the chiller. I used to make hundreds of those little cups. I thought what better way to celebrate the new year with some pretty, heavily spiked pick-me-ups. Tiramisu are such simple classics and is one of the nicest, easiest and most popular desserts of the party season with the least effect. Serving in little individual cups with layers of sponge and custard, whatsoever is the event, tiramisu recipes are forever favorites.

There are many variations of tiramisu, mine is the classic version that use raw eggs. 

Ingredients

Serving six pretty party cups

3 large egg yolks

2 large egg whites

⅓ cup whipping cream

60g icing sugar

250g/ ½ pound mascarpone

10-12 sponge fingers, savoiardi

250ml strong coffee

3 tablespoon marsala (or you can substitute with rum or kahlua)

2 tablespoon brandy

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup cocoa powder

Method

Firstly, In a bowl, whip the heavy cream until it is firm and refrigerate. Next, put the egg yolks and half the sugar into a medium-sized bowl together with the sugar and beat until the mixture is light, pale and thick. Fold in the soften mascarpone cheese with the vanilla extract, then the whipped cream until they are smooth. Then, in a another bowl, whisk the egg whites with the remaining sugar and salt until they form soft peaks. Finally fold in the egg whites to the mascarpone yolk mixture.

To assemble the tiramisu, break the biscuits in half, then pour the coffee and marsala and brandy into a shallow dish and then dip the sponge fingers briefly as you built the layers – they will absorb the liquid very quickly. 

Now simply layer the desserts by putting 2 of the soaked sponge halves into each glass, followed by 2 tablespoons of mascarpone mixture and a layer of dusted cocoa powder. Repeat the layers once more. Spreading the final layer of mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers in a smooth, even layer. Dust generously with cocoa powder. Cover and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight. Serve them straight out of the fridge.

-till next post, ss.