AUTHENTIC  ITALIAN  RECIPES

 FROM

 RISTORANTE  d'ANNAMARIA

Tiramisu is probably the favorite home-made dessert in southern Italy. It quite possibly gets its name from the fact that its principle ingredients, coffee and chocolate, both have the properties of exciting and energizing the body. Tiramisu in Italian means pull me up. A couple of the ingredients may be hard to find so I’ll give you some links to help you on your way. If you’ve never shopped over the internet, don’t be skeptical; its easy and its fun.

Ingredients for 6 persons:

Mascarpone -    27 oz.
Eggs (large) -   4http://www.pennmac.com/items/3072
Savoiardi (Lady's Fingers)- 1 pound
Sugar -    8 oz.
Coffee (ground espresso) - enough to make a pot or 2 of espresso coffee
Bitter cocoa powder -  to taste
 

NOTE:  I have removed the link for savoiardi cookies beacause of non-availability of the item. I found several places to buy savoiardi online, but to the last one, the cookies were out of stock.  They must be becoming very popular. In any case, ladyfinger cookies, found in most supermarkets, is a reasonable substitute, or you can check the internet for a good recipe for savoiardi and make your own. As soon as I have one, I will include it here. I also understand that savoiardi can be found in many specialty shops now, but how ever you resolve this problem, please do so because this dessert is just too good to miss out on.

How to do it:

Separate the yolks from the whites of the 4 eggs. 
In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the 4 egg yolks (high speed with an electric mixer) with the sugar until they become a dense and uniform cream. 
Add the mascarpone to the egg cream and mix to form a uniform mixture. 
Whip only 3 of the egg whites until they are very firm and gently fold them into the egg and mascarpone cream until the mixture is, once again, uniform (thoroughly mixed). 
Start forming the tiramisu by lining the bottom of a 13”x9” pan with Lady Finger cookies and soaking them with cold unsweetened espresso coffee, then covering them with the some of the cream that you previously prepared.
Add another layer of soaked cookies then more cream.
Do this until all of the ingredients are used.
Decorate by sprinkling a light dusting of cocoa over the top of the dessert.
Refridgerate for 4 or 5 hours.
Serve cold.
 

Note:    
Never had espresso coffee but want to try it?  Do you like espresso coffee but don't have time to run down to that high priced "Cafe Shop" to get a cup. Try this espresso coffee link to get into one of Italy's most important social events; "il caffè". I personally love this site.