30 mins plus chilling time
Not Too Tricky
serves 14
About the recipe
For me (and Italians would kill me for saying this!), tiramisù is the coolest trifle in the world. The Venetians don’t really have many desserts, but this is a classic. A super-traditional tiramisù recipe (literally translated as ‘pick me up’) is a killer combo of sponge, cream and coffee, and this one shows you exactly how to make tiramisù for maximum indulgence.
It’s usually dead simple and all about the sponge, the coffee and the cream, but I think chocolate and coffee are such good friends that dark chocolate should be considered one of your non-negotiable tiramisù ingredients. I’ve also used egg whites, which isn’t traditional either, but they make it lovely and light, and spread the mascarpone about so it’s not so rich.
This delicious dessert is a great one for making ahead – it actually tastes even better after a night in the fridge, making it perfect for your next gathering or special occasion with loved ones!
Ingredients
250g quality dark chocolate (70%)
50g butter, diced
sea salt
175g sponge fingers
400ml good hot sweetened coffee
vin santo or other sweet dessert wine
4 large eggs, preferably free-range or organic
100g caster sugar
750g mascarpone
2 oranges
a few fresh coffee beans, bashed up finely
Method
- Put a glass bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the water doesn’t touch the base of the bowl. Put 200g of the chocolate into the bowl, keeping the remaining 50g in one piece. Add the diced butter and a pinch of salt, and leave for 5 minutes or so until melted and combined. Help it along by giving it a stir every now and then.
- Meanwhile, line a large, deep bowl or round earthenware dish (about 30cm in diameter and 12cm deep) with the sponge fingers, then carefully pour over the hot sweetened coffee. Add a couple of swigs of vin santo to your melted chocolate, stir it through, then drizzle all over the sponge fingers. Use a spatula to carefully smooth it out to the edges so you’ve got a nice even layer. Put it to one side to cool.
- Separate your eggs, putting the whites into one bowl and the yolks into another. Add the sugar to the yolks with another swig of vin santo (if you’re feeling naughty!), and whisk with an electric whisk on the highest setting for about 5 minutes, or by hand, until all the sugar has dissolved and the yolks are pale and fluffy. Mix in the mascarpone and the zest of 1 orange.
- Clean and dry your whisk, and whisk the whites with a pinch of salt until they form stiff peaks – they should be a similar consistency to the yolk and mascarpone mixture, and should hold their shape when you lift the beaters from the bowl.
- Using a large metal spoon, add a spoonful of your whites to the yolk mixture and gently fold them in, then fold through the rest of the whites. Spoon and smooth this creamy mixture on top of your chocolate layer.
- Scatter the finely bashed-up coffee beans over the top. Using a sharp knife or a speed peeler, carefully shave over your remaining chocolate. Finely grate over the zest from half your remaining orange. Pop the tiramisù into the fridge for 2 hours to set.
Tags
