Tiramisu

A cake that is easy to make, and no baking required! This recipe has no raw eggs, but is still full of flavor!

Tiramisu comes from Veneto, Italy. It is a cake that is made from mascarpone cheese, eggs, sugar, ladyfinger cookies (savoiardi) dipped in coffee, and topped with cocoa powder. The origin of tiramisu’s invention is often disputed, but most accounts date to the 1960s at a restaurant called Le Beccherie in Treviso, which is part of the Veneto region. Tiramisu became very popular in the United States during the 1980s. In 1985 it was on the menus of New York restaurants and was a huge fad in San Francisco by 1989.

I have always enjoyed the tasty treat that is tiramisu. It is my typical dessert of choice at Italian restaurants. My first time making this dessert was in college. My study partner and I wanted to celebrate the end of finals and I asked him what his favorite dessert was, he answered with tiramisu.

Tiramisu Recipe

Yields 6 servings

Specialty tools: 8×8 inch pan and rubber spatula.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 15 minutes

Inactive Time 4-8 hours

Wine Pairing Suggestion: Tawny Port

Coffee Pairing Suggestion: Espresso

Directions

Beat heavy whipping cream until it forms stiff peaks.

Add the mascarpone cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip all the ingredients until smooth. Set aside.

Quickly dip 12 ladyfinger cookies into the coffee, one at a time. The dipping should not exceed 1 to 2 seconds. Too much soaking will make the cookie disintegrate.

Line the 8×8 inch pan with the lady fingers.

Evenly spread half the cream/mascarpone cheese mixture over the cookies using a rubber spatula.

Dip the remaining 12 cookies and line the first layer in the 8×8 inch pan.

Evenly spread the remaining half of the cream/mascarpone cheese mixture.

Cover the pan and let the cake set for at least 4 hours, but preferably let it set for 8 hours (overnight).

Once the cake has set dust it with cocoa powder. Cut into slices and enjoy!

This dessert will impress family and guests! After dinner, slice up the tiramisu, sit around the coffee table, and talk for hours.

The beauty of tiramisu is that it is a make ahead dessert. Make it the night before or the morning of a dinner party and it will be perfect by the dessert time.

This dessert stores well! Tiramisu lasts for 4 days in the refrigerator. It can last for 2 months in the freezer.

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