Tiramisu Recipe with Homemade Mascarpone
This alcohol-free version of Tiramisu is made by dipping ladyfingers in strong coffee, layering them with a creamy mascarpone cheese mixture and whipped cream, and topping all with cocoa powder. This should be done a day ahead of time or you can use store bought mascarpone instead.Allow time for chilling the tiramisu b…
- 12 oz. ladyfingers ((approximately))
- 1 1/2 cups rich pastry cream ((recipe below))
- 18 oz. mascarpone cheese ((2.25 cups))
- 1 1/4 cup whipping cream ((to make 2.5 cups whipped))
- 2 cups very strong coffee or espresso, (cooled)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder, (unsweetened)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 vanilla bean, (split and seeds removed)
- 6 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- Bring the heavy cream almost to a boil. Simmer gently for 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice then continue simmering gently for another 3 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Line a strainer with 3 layers of cheesecloth and place over a deep bowl. Pour the cooled cream mixture through the strainer. Cover and leave to strain overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, when the cheese is very thick, transfer it to a covered container and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and flour. Set aside.
- In a small sauce pan, heat the milk with the vanilla bean just until scalding. (A skin will start to form; tiny bubbles will begin appearing at the edges.) Discard the vanilla bean and any skin on the surface of the milk.
- Little by little, whisk the milk into the egg yolk mixture. Do this slowly to avoid heating the eggs too rapidly or they will begin to cook in the hot liquid.
- Strain the milk and egg mixture back into the sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.
- Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream and set aside to cool to room temperature. Once completely cooled, you can proceed to assembly of the tiramisu, or refrigerate the pastry cream until needed.
- Make the cheese filling. By hand or with a mixer, beat the mascarpone for a minute to soften and lighten it. Add the cooled or chilled pastry cream and mix until well combined. Set aside.
- Make the whipped cream. Beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer (or food processor with whipping attachment) until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Gather ingredients and assemble the tiramisu. Set out a deep 11 x 7-inch (or 9 x 9-inch) pan. Have the cheese mixture, whipped cream, ladyfingers and bowl of coffee nearby.
- One by one, dip ladyfingers into the coffee (long enough to absorb some coffee but not so long that they fall apart) and arrange them snugly into the dish in a single layer. Spread half of the cheese mixture over the ladyfingers and then top with half of the whipped cream. Repeat to make a second layer.
- Generously dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder (this is easiest done by sifting the cocoa through a small strainer). Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
- The tiramisu will keep for several days. You can garnish it with a fresh layer of cocoa powder to freshen its appearance at later servings.
Stir in the lemon juice then continue simmering gently for another 3 minutes. Line a strainer with 3 layers of cheesecloth and place over a deep bowl.
Pour the cooled cream mixture through the strainer. Cover and leave to strain overnight in the refrigerator.
The next day, when the cheese is very thick, transfer it to a covered container and keep refrigerated until ready to use. In a small sauce pan, heat the milk with the vanilla bean just until scalding. (A skin will start to form; tiny bubbles will begin appearing at the edges.) Discard the vanilla bean and any skin on the surface of the milk. Little by little, whisk the milk into the egg yolk mixture.
Do this slowly to avoid heating the eggs too rapidly or they will begin to cook in the hot liquid. Strain the milk and egg mixture back into the sauce pan.
Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream and set aside to cool to room temperature. Once completely cooled, you can proceed to assembly of the tiramisu, or refrigerate the pastry cream until needed.
By hand or with a mixer, beat the mascarpone for a minute to soften and lighten it. Add the cooled or chilled pastry cream and mix until well combined. Beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer (or food processor with whipping attachment) until stiff peaks form.
Have the cheese mixture, whipped cream, ladyfingers and bowl of coffee nearby. One by one, dip ladyfingers into the coffee (long enough to absorb some coffee but not so long that they fall apart) and arrange them snugly into the dish in a single layer. Spread half of the cheese mixture over the ladyfingers and then top with half of the whipped cream.
Generously dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder (this is easiest done by sifting the cocoa through a small strainer). Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. You can garnish it with a fresh layer of cocoa powder to freshen its appearance at later servings.
