Tiramisu is the most iconic italian dessert. Infact, the word Tiramisu is one of the 5 italian kitchen words mostly known abroad. It was invented to be an aphrodisiac basically because it is prepared with hypercaloric ingredients: egg, sugar, lady finger biscuits, mascarpone cheese, coffee and cocoa.
There has been many dispute about where it was born. Some say that it is from Friuli, others from Veneto. But after two years of research, food writers Clara and Gigi Padovani conferms that this spectacular dessert originated in Friuli, specifically in Pieris di San Canzian d’Isonzo and Tolmezzo.
I think that this dessert is one of the most versatile dish in the italian kitchen. That’s why today I will be sharing with you 5 of my favourite tiramisu alternatives.
Classic Tiramisu
Ingredients for 8 people: 300 g (11 oz) Lady finger biscuits (best if you can get the glazed ones, or let me know in the comments below if you want to know the recipe to make them better)
220 g (around 4) Fresh medium sized eggs
500 g (18 oz) Mascarpone cheese
100 g (4 oz) Sugar
300 g (11 oz) Coffee (sugared or not, it’s up to you)
Bitter cocoa powder to garnish
First separate the egg whites from the yolk. Whip the yolk with half the dose of sugar. It should become white and spongy. Start adding the mascarpone cheese a bit at a time. The result should be a nice dense cream.
Now in another bowl, whip the egg whites adding the rest of the sugar bit by bit. Whip until dense and solid. Add one spoonful of the egg whites into the mascarpone cream mixing the first spoonful energetically. Add the rest of the egg whites incorporating it from top to bottom delicately.
Now you can start layering your tiramisu. Get your Pyrex tray. Place a layer of your cream. Soak the biscuits in coffee and place them on top of the cream. Do this until you finish your biscuits and cream. Then garnish with cocoa powder. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours then serve.
Mango Tiramisu
Ingredients for 8 people:
300 g (11 oz) Lady finger biscuits
300 g (11 oz) Mango juice
250 g (9 oz) Mascarpone cream
250 g (9 oz) Heavy cream
3 Egg yolks
100 g (4 oz) Sugar
500 g (18 oz) Mango
25 g (1 oz) Water
1 Lemon
First, whip the egg yolks with half the dose of the sugar until you get a white dense cream. In a small sauce pan boil the water and the remaining sugar until you reach 121 degree Centigrade (249.8 F) then add it to the egg yolks cream mixing it for some minutes.
In another bowl, mix the mascarpone and the heavy cream with the egg yolk cream.
Start preparing the mangoes, cutting it into small cubes. Then, squeeze the lemon into mangoes and mix them.
Now we can start layering the cake. Put a thin layer of cream in the pyrex tray, then soak the lady finger biscuits in the mango juice. Place it in the tray, add a layer of cream and mangoes. The last layer should be mango cuts. Do this untill you finish you ingredients. Refrigerate it for at least two hours and serve.
Strawberry Tiramisu
Ingredients for 8 people:
300 g (11 oz) Lady finger biscuits
250 g (9 oz) Mascarpone cream
250 g (9 oz) Heavy cream
3 Eggs
500 g (18 oz) Strawberries
100 g (4 oz) Sugar
100 g (4 oz) Water
First wash and slice the strawberries. Blend 200 g (7 oz) of strawberries until pureed.
Now separate the egg whites and the yolks. Whip the egg whites with half the dose of the sugar until it is dense. In a different bowl, whip the yolks with the remaining sugar until it becomes white and compact. Now add the mascarpone cream and heavy cream a bit at a time and mix them well.
Combine the egg whites and the mascarpone cream mixing it delicately from top to bottom and now we can start layering the tiramisu. Put a thin layer of cream in the tray then soak the lady finger biscuits in the strawberry puree. Place it in the tray, put the cream, add a layer of strawberry slices. Do this until you finish your ingredients. Refrigerate for 2 hours then serve.
Lemon tiramisu
Ingredients for 8 people:
300 g (11 oz) Lady finger biscuits
500 g (18 oz) Mascarpone cream
4 Eggs
100 g (4 oz) Sugar
100 g (4 oz) White chocolate
1 glass of limoncello
Fresh mint
1 Lemon zest
Start by whipping the egg yolks with half the dose of sugar until white and dense. Grate the lemon zest into the mixture and add the mascarpone cream. In another bowl, whip the egg whites with the remaining sugar until compact.
Combine the egg whites with the mascarpone cream mixing it delicately from top to bottom.
Start layering the cake. Soak the biscuits in the limoncello. In the tray put a layer of cream then place the soaked biscuits, add the cream and a layer of grated white chocolate. Do this until you finish your ingredients. Garnish with mint leaves and refrigerate for two hours, at least, then serve.
Pistacchio tiramisu
Ingredients for 8 people:
300 g (11 oz) Lady finger biscuits
500 g (18 oz) Mascarpone cream
3 Eggs
200 g (7 oz) Pistacchio cream
80 g (3 oz) Crushed pistacchio
100 g (4 oz) Sugar
300 g (11 oz) Coffee
First, separate the yolks from the whites. Whip the yolks with half the dose of the sugar until white and dense. Then add the mascarpone cream and the pistacchio cream. Mix it well.
In another bowl, whip the whites with the remaining dose of sugar until compact. Combine the whites with the cream mixing it from top to bottom delicately until well mixed.
Now get your pyrex tray. Put some cream in it then soak the biscuits in the coffee and place it in the tray. Put the cream and layer it alternately until you finish your ingredients. Garnish with the crushed pistacchio. Refrigerate for 2 hours then serve.
Baking Italian 