Tiramisu is a classic of Italian pastry and perhaps the most famous dessert abroad. When I was little, I used to do it with unpasteurized eggs – the fresh ones from the farmer. But due to the risk of contracting salmonella, even if low, I’d prefer to avoid it now. After all, as a child I was very ill due to this disease.
This recipe is with eggs pasteurized using the pâté à bombe method learned from the famous pastry chef Maurizio Santin.

Tiramisù

  • Preparation time: 60 minutes
  • Ingredients for 12 servings
  • Difficulty: Average difficulty recipe

  • Ingredients
  • For the pâté à bombe:
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 egg
  • 60 g or 4 tablespoons of water
  • 100 g or 6 tablespoons of sugar
  • For the coffee dip:
  • 140 g or 1/2 cup of hot water
  • 280 g or 1 cup of espresso coffee
  • 500 g or 1 lb of mascarpone
  • About 40-50 ladyfingers biscuits
  • No-added-sugar cocoa to taste
  • 100 g or 4 oz of dark chocolate
  1. Instructions
  2. Cut the chocolate with a knife.
  3. Prepare the syrup by mixing the hot espresso coffee with hot water in a deep plate.
  4. For the pâté à bombe, put all the ingredients in a saucepan. Cook the mixture in a bain-marie, whisking at high speed quickly and continuously until it reaches a temperature of 82 °C or 179° F. At this point, cool the whipped egg – again using the whisk at high speed – by placing the saucepan in an aluminum bowl containing ice-cold water. When it has returned to a room temperature it can be used.
  5. In a bowl, work just a tiny bit the mascarpone until it becomes creamy. At this point, add the pâté à bombe, mixing with a spatula with gentle movements from bottom to top.
  6. Quickly soak the ladyfingers in the coffee sauce and arrange them next to each other in the transparent baking dish. Make a generous layer of mascarpone cream, sprinkle with pieces of chocolate, and then sift some cocoa on top.
  7. Make another layer of ladyfingers soaked in coffee and complete with the remaining tiramisu cream. Leave covered in the refrigerator for at least four hours. Sprinkle with cocoa just before serving.

Tips to ensure the success of the dish:

  • As a child I used 6 egg yolks whipped together with 6 tablespoons of sugar and added them to 500 grams of mascarpone, then inserted 2 eggs white whipped until stiff. If you want to risk it and are sure of the wholesomeness of the eggs, this is the simplest way to make tiramisu.
  • If you like a stronger syrup, you can use only espresso coffee. If you like it slightly alcoholic, you can enrich the bath with a cup of coffee liqueur or rum.
  • The ladyfingers should be lightly dipped in the syrup – otherwise they become too soft and fluffy.
  • The quality of the mascarpone must be excellent. To avoid to have the mascarpone become liquid you have to use it when is not too cold, take out of the fridge at least one hour in advance.