Tiramisu

The name Tiramisu means "pick me up" in Italian. It became popular in Italian-American restaurants in the 1980's and now it is widely popular throughout America and in Italy. Once you have tried this Italian dessert you will quickly understand why. It is very easy to make, and requires no cooking.

You do want to gently heat the egg yolks over a bath of hot water, similar to zabaglione , which creates a better texture and flavor as well as protection from salmonella. If that is a concern, you can also substitute whipped cream for the egg white meringue in the mascarpone as well.

I have found Ladyfingers are becoming harder to find, and you may want to try making your own. They are actually quite easy to make.

Ingredients:

Separate the eggs and mix the eggs yolk and sugar in a double boiler over simmering water. Whisk the eggs yolks until they are light and form soft peaks, being careful not to use high heat or you may scramble the eggs. Remove double boiler from the hot water and fold in the mascarpone cheese.

Beat the egg whites until the form stiff peaks when you pick up the mixer. Fold the egg whites into the mascarpone.

Dip the ladyfingers into the espresso just enough to absorb some liquid but be careful because they disintegrate quickly. The place the lady finger in the bottom of your serving dish. Top your layer of ladyfinger with a couple of spoonfuls of the mascarpone mixture, then form another layer of ladyfingers. Finish making layers while making sure your top layer is the mascarpone. Sprinkle cocoa powder through a sifter or strainer on top of the tiramisu, then place in your refrigerator for 2 – 3 hours before serving.

This can also be made in advance and kept refrigerated overnight, making it a great dessert for dinner parties.

If you liked Tiramisu, try the other easy Italian dessert recipes

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