Description
When it’s too hot to bake, it’s nice to be able to make something simple like this easy tiramisu in less than 30 minutes of active time. Filled with luscious mascarpone and rich custard spiked with sweet marsala and coffee, this is a great ending to a good family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups strong coffee or 1 1/2 tsp instant espresso in 1 1/2 cups of boiling water (see note)
- 4 eggs, separated
- 1/2 cup sugar (divided into two 1/4 cup portions)
- 4 tablespoons sweet marsala wine (divided into two 2 tablespoon portions)
- 8 oz of mascarpone cheese
- 2 packages Italian ladyfingers (7 oz each)
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- Dark chocolate bar (optional)
Instructions
- Brew your coffee (or use leftovers from your morning pot), then set aside to cool. If using instant espresso, bring 1 1/2 cups of water to the boil, then mix with 1 1/2 tsp of espresso powder. Mix in 2 tablespoons of the marsala.
- Bring about 1 inch of water to a boil in a small pot. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Whisk the egg whites and 1/4 cup of sugar in the bottom of a stand mixer bowl. Keep whisking until the eggs come up to 160 F (71 C). Check this with an instant read thermometer. You’ll notice that the egg whites will be quite warm and all of the sugar will have dissolved.
- Whip the egg whites on the mixer until they hold soft peaks. This should take just about a minute. Transfer the egg whites to a large bowl.
- Meanwhile, mix the egg yolks with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in another heatproof bowl over the simmering water. Keep whisking until the egg yolks are at 160 F (71 C). Again, check this with an instant read thermometer.
- In the same bowl you mixed the egg whites, whip the egg yolks until they are lighter and noticeably thicker. At this point, add the remaining marsala wine and whip for a few more seconds.
- Whip the mascarpone into the egg yolks until smooth.
- Place a generous scoop of the egg whites on top of the egg yolks, then stir to lighten the mixture.
- Fold the remaining egg whites into the egg/cheese mixture. At the end, you should have a light, creamy, fluffy custard.
- Pour the coffee into a shallow dish.
- Working quickly, dip the tops and bottoms of 2 ladyfingers at a time into the coffee, then set them into a serving dish in one layer.
Keep soaking the cookies and laying them in the dish until you have covered the bottom. - Scoop out a portion of the cream over the tops of the coffee soaked ladyfingers, then smooth to cover.
- Sift some cocoa powder all over the top of your ladyfingers.
- Repeat layering the ladyfingers with cream until you either run out of cookies or coffee. Finish with the cream on top, then generously dust with cocoa.
- Cover and chill the serving dish for at least 2 hours before serving.
- Before serving, grate some chocolate over the top if you’d like.
Notes
- Use your favorite coffee here, though I love Medaglia d’Oro instant espresso. I keep it specifically for baking because it’s so handy for recipes with coffee when you may not have leftover coffee from the morning.
- Look for ladyfingers in the cookie aisle at your supermarket. Savoirardi or Vincenzovo are my favorite here as they both soak up the coffee well.
- You can whip the whole eggs together, though the mix is lighter when you keep the egg parts separate.
- Use whatever serving dish you have: a glass bowl is nice so that you can see the layers, but a rectangular glass baking dish or other casserole pan is good too.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Additional Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Family favorites
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous scoop
- Calories: 269
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 80
- Fat: 13
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 29
- Fiber: .64
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 146