Tiramisu is one of my all-time favourite desserts my grandma used to make it when I was a child I still remember dipping the savoiardi biscuits while standing on the chair in the kitchen, yes it was made with the alcohol. To this day the smell of a short black in the morning reminds me so much of my grandmother’s tiramisu. This is my take on my grandmother’s classic Italian tiramisu. For something a little different I like to put the mascarpone mixture into a piping bag and pipe individual mounds atop the dessert! You could also make individual serves in martini glasses or tumblers. If You have blocks of chocolate you could also take a peeler and shave the chocolate into nice long shards like my grandmother used to, but I like the little flecks from a micro plane or grater I find it much more elegant. If you really wanted to shell out you could top with silver leaf or even gold leaf!
Ingredients
Serves 15
100ml warm water
380gm caster sugar
1kg mascarpone
180ml espresso coffee (S.P Signature Blend in Store Now)
60ml rum
200ml Frangelico or marsala one or the other marsala is more traditional
24 Italian sponge biscuits
1 tablespoon Callebaut cocoa powder
200gm block dark chocolate to shave or grate over the top
Method
Combine warm water with caster sugar in a small saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, don’t stir the mixture for three minutes. At this stage it should have reached 112 degrees on a sugar thermometer you now have a sugar syrup.
Whisk egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer until foamy. Then, with motor running, gradually pour in sugar syrup from a height and beat until mixture becomes thick and glossy.
Being gentle fold a ¼ of the egg white mix into the mascarpone to loosen, then whisk in the remining egg whites until combined.
Combine the coffee, rum and Frangelico (if using) then dip biscuits in the mixture, turning to coat both sides.
Place a layer of biscuit over the base of a 24cm round tin, approx. 4cm deep. Spread with half the mascarpone mixture, sift half cocoa over and grate over chocolate then repeat this process one more time but this time with the mascarpone place in a piping bag and pipe little mounds around the tiramisu and finish with cocoa and grated chocolate. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours or until firm.
To serve, scoop out portions onto small side plates
