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Nigella Lawson once described Tiramisu as a “comfortable cliche”. If this is true, then the same can be said of many of the nations favourite “adopted” desserts- Banoffee Pie, Pavlova, Pana cotta, Roulade, Tarte au Citron, to name but a few. I think we should remember the reasons we love(d) them though- they simply do the job, they always impress and should be easy- peasy to make. Cliche maybe, but there is nothing comfortable about a proper Tiramisu, other than how easy it is to make.
I think the real issue is not with the dessert itself, but with the deluge of awful recipes- especially those that look to “put a new twist on a classic dish”. I have seen Tiramisu recipes using chocolate sponge instead of sponge fingers, copious volumes of whipped cream and even one that contained fruit. Tiramisu is often served in restaurants as a gloopy sludge or a solid, striped brick of a pudding. At it’s best, Tiramisu is a decadent balance of sophisticated flavours. It is filling but not cloying, simple and yet beautiful.
I could be accused of being a “dessert snob”. I can’t wholly deny it. The thing is, I adore pudding but if its not any good, I would rather do without and avoid “wasted calories”. Tiramisu that isn’t the “real thing”, that isn’t gloriously perfect, is just that- wasted calories.
So, all you need is a wonderful, traditional Italian recipe, good quality ingredients and a little planning. This dessert is ideally made the night before and refrigerated until needed. The flavours blend and balance and the layers become more defined given a few hours of chilling.
Last weekend we went to a friends barbecue at her stunning family home in West Sussex. The gardens were glorious, the sun shone, countless children ran feral and the food………… the food was just incredible. So many stunningly colourful, fresh salads, expertly barbecued, quality meats and a table covered in a multitude of mouth- watering desserts. My Tiramisu stood humbly amongst them. I watched as the first dessert- takers opted for the summer pudding, the profiteroles, the fruit salad and I started to fret a little. Would my Tiramisu be the “last one standing”? I loitered. I wanted to take a quick snap of the lovely internal layers after the first couple of portions had gone. A “child vs paddling pool and refusal to remove clothes situation” distracted me for about 10 minutes. I returned to the table to take said photo and…………..it was GONE! Literally devoured but for one small portion which you see in a somewhat non- pretty photo above.
I have honestly tried many, many Tiramisu recipes. This is my absolute favourite to make and to eat. And, it’s the quickest and easiest! The recipe is adapted from an old book called “Italian Country Cooking” by Susanna Gelmetti. My method is tweaked in places but please don’t be tempted to tweak the proportions- Susanna’s are perfect. It is such a useful entertaining recipe all year round but lends itself wonderfully to outdoor, summery gatherings.
Ingredients
600mls strong coffee (preferably filter coffee)
75g golden caster sugar plus 2 tbsp to sweeten the coffee
150mls dry Marsala/ medium sherry
4 large egg yolks
2 x 500g tubs of mascarpone
2 packets of sponge-finger biscuits (ladyfingers)
Unsweetened cocoa powder for sprinkling
Dish
A rectangular shallow dish approximately 20cm x 30cm
Method
1. Make the coffee in a large jug and stir in the 2tbsp of golden caster sugar and 2tbsp (30 mls) of the Marsala.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and remaining caster sugar until pale.
3. To the eggs and sugar, add the mascarpone 1 large spoonful at a time, whisking gently until all the mascarpone is combined and the mixture is light and airy. Add the remaining marsala and whisk gently to incorporate.
4. Using one of the packets of sponge-fingers, dip each one into the coffee mixture which should still be hot but not too uncomfortable to use your hands to do this. The aim is to dip the sponge finger into the coffee long enough to absorb lots of the coffee but to still maintain its shape and not disintegrate. Dip them one at a time and arrange snugly in the bottom of the dish to make a layer.
5. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over this first layer of sponge fingers. Sprinkle this with some cocoa powder (I use a mini sieve to do this).
6. Add a second layer of sponge-fingers with the second packet, repeating step 4.
7. Spread the remaining mascarpone mixture on top and finish with a final sprinkling of cocoa powder.
8. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
9. Warn your guests not to eat to much for their main course!
ScrummyWalks 