ChatterRecipe of the Month May 2011
Tiramisu
Last month I teased you all by talking about Easter and chocolate, and then gave you a savory “egg” recipe! Fear not, this month we are going sweet, because Taurus is ruled by the Planet Venus, and Venus is connected to sugar and sweets. Taurus not only loves sweet things, but also things of beauty, so after considering what makes a “beautiful” desert, we settled on this Italian classic. I mean, who doesn’t love a good Tiramisu, eh? But did you know what the name means? The word Tiramisu literally translates as “pick me up” and with the espresso, alcohol and sugar in there, who wouldn’t feel somewhat “elevated” after a good taste of this sumptuous desert! Now although there may be more than a few variations of Tiramisu recipes out there, with some preferring Marsala wine or brandy over rum, and some cholesterol addicts like to add in heavy cream as well – but I have it on good authority that as long as it contains mascarpone cheese, ladyfinger biscuits, and strong espresso coffee, you’re in the ball park. And most recipes insist that for the best results go authentic and use high-quality ingredients found in an Italian specialty grocery store or a good supermarket, otherwise you will be disappointed!
Ingredients
6 Egg Yolks (extra-large & preferably farm-fresh or organic)
¼ cup Sugar (granulated is fine, castor sugar is even better)
½ cup Dark Rum (good quality) or Brandy or Marsala Wine
1 ½ cups Espresso Coffee (strong & fresh-brewed)
16-17 oz Mascarpone Cheese
30 Savoiardi or Italian Ladyfinger Biscuits
Bittersweet Chocolate (shaved) or Cocoa Powder (good quality)
Recipe
Whisk the Egg Yolks and Sugar in a bowl until the Sugar is no longer grainy and the mixture is very thick and light yellow in color (approx. 5-8 minutes). If you have an electric mixer, use the whisk attachment on high speed for about 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium (or continue to whisk the mixture by hand) and add in ¼ cup Dark Rum, ¼ cup of the Espresso Coffee and the Mascarpone Cheese, and whisk until the mixture is smooth. In a shallow bowl combine the remaining ¼ cup Dark Rum and the 1 ¼ cups Espresso Coffee. Quickly dip one side of about half of the Ladyfinger Biscuits into the Coffee/Rum mixture one at a time and then line the bottom (dipped side down) of a 9x12x2 dish with them. You can adjust the number of Ladyfingers if you have a round or a different size dish. Once the bottom of the dish is covered with a layer of the dipped Ladyfingers, then pour about half of the creamy Mascarpone mixture on top and spread evenly. Repeat this process with the remaining Ladyfingers, Coffee/Rum, and Mascarpone cream, and if you do use a slightly smaller or a different shape dish, then you might end up with 3 layers, instead of the 2. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Before serving, sprinkle the top with a generous layer of shaved Bittersweet Chocolate or a layer of Cocoa Powder. You could always put a layer of shaved Chocolate in between your 2 layers of Ladyfingersand Mascarpone and then have the Cocoa on top – feel free to express yourself and indulge!