Tiramisu Cooks Illustrated Recipes

TIRAMISU RECIPE

Steps:

• Stir coffee, espresso, and 2½ tablespoons Kahlua in a wide bowl or baking dish until espresso dissolves; set aside.
• In bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat yolks at low speed until just combined. Add sugar and salt and beat at medium-high speed until pale yellow, 1½ to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula once or twice. Add ⅓ cup of the heavy cream to yolks and beat at medium speed until just combined, 20 to 30 seconds; scrape bowl.
• Set the bowl with yolks over a medium saucepan containing 1 inch of gently simmering water; cook, constantly scraping along bottom and sides of bowl with heatproof rubber spatula, until mixture coats back of spoon and registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir vigorously to cool slightly, then set aside to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
• Whisk in remaining 4 tablespoons Kahlua until combined. Transfer bowl to standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, add mascarpone, and beat at medium speed until no lumps remain, 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer mixture to large bowl and set aside.
• In now-empty mixer bowl, beat the remaining cream at medium speed until frothy, 1 to 1½ minutes. Increase speed to high and continue to beat until the cream holds stiff peaks, 1 to 1½ minutes longer. Using a rubber spatula, fold one-third of the whipped cream into mascarpone mixture to lighten, then gently fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Set mascarpone mixture aside.
• Working one at a time, drop half of ladyfingers into coffee mixture, roll, remove and transfer to 13 by 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. (Do not submerge ladyfingers in coffee mixture; entire process should take no longer than 2 to 3 seconds for each cookie.) Arrange soaked cookies in single layer in baking dish, breaking or trimming ladyfingers as needed to fit neatly into dish.
• Spread half of mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers; use rubber spatula to spread mixture to sides and into corners of dish and smooth surface. Place 2 tablespoons cocoa in fine-mesh strainer and dust cocoa over mascarpone.
• Repeat dipping and arrangement of ladyfingers; spread remaining mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers and dust with remaining 1½ tablespoons cocoa. Wipe edges of dish with dry paper towel. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 to 24 hours. Cut into pieces and serve chilled. Leftovers can be stored, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

CLASSIC TIRAMISù

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer in a medium bowl, whip together egg yolks and 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar until very pale yellow and about tripled in volume. A slight ribbon should fall from the beaters (or whisk attachment) when lifted from the bowl. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, wiping out the medium bowl used to whip the yolks and set aside.
• In the medium bowl, whip cream and remaining 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar until it creates soft-medium peaks. Add mascarpone and continue to whip until it creates a soft, spreadable mixture with medium peaks. Gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the sweetened egg yolks until combined.
• Combine espresso and rum in a shallow bowl and set aside.
• Using a sifter, dust the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish (an 8x8-inch dish, or a 9-inch round cake pan would also work here) with 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.
• Working one at a time, quickly dip each ladyfinger into the espresso mixture -- they are quite porous and will fall apart if left in the liquid too long -- and place them rounded side up at the bottom of the baking dish. Repeat, using half the ladyfingers, until you've got an even layer, breaking the ladyfingers in half as needed to fill in any obvious gaps (a little space in between is O.K.). Spread half the mascarpone mixture onto the ladyfingers in one even layer. Repeat with remaining espresso-dipped ladyfingers and mascarpone mixture.
• Dust top layer with remaining tablespoon of cocoa powder. Top with shaved or finely grated chocolate, if desired.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (if you can wait 24 hours, all the better) before slicing or scooping to serve.

TIRAMISU

Steps:

• In a pie dish or shallow bowl, combine the coffee with 1/4 cup rum, and set aside.
• Whisk together the yolks, sugar and salt in the top of a double boiler (or in a stainless steel bowl set over a pot of simmering water). With the heat set to low, stir almost constantly with the whisk, until the temperature of the yolks reaches 160 degrees F, 10-15 minutes. (See recipe notes; you can skip this step if you purchase pasteurized eggs).
• Remove from the heat and pour the yolk mixture into a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a large, clean bowl and an electric mixer). Beat until pale, thick and creamy, approximately 4 minutes. Add the mascarpone cheese and remaining rum. Mix on medium speed to incorporate the ingredients, which will look lumpy. Turn off the machine, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and turn the speed up to high for 3 minutes, until thick and very smooth.
• Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream to a stiff peak (this can also be done by hand with a bowl and whisk). Fold the whipped cream into the yolk mixture.
• Grab the pie dish with the coffee, and place it next to a 9x13 dish (standard baking dish, glass, ceramic, etc).
• Very briefly dip the ladyfingers into the coffee, then line them along the bottom of the pan (my pan held exactly 24 per layer). Do not flip the ladyfinger in the liquid to coat the other side evenly, and do not hold it in the liquid. Too much liquid = mushy dessert that seeps coffee.
• Once you have a single layer, top with half of the custard mixture, spreading evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle evenly with half of the grated chocolate. Repeat with the remaining ladyfingers, custard, and chocolate. If desired, sift a light coating of cocoa powder on top of the bittersweet chocolate to fill in any chocolate gaps (this is more about presentation than flavor).
• Cover the pan tightly and refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
• To serve, scoop into individual bowls or onto plates.

TIRAMISU - COOK'S ILLUSTRATED

Steps:

• Combine coffee, espresso powder and 5 tbsp rum in a wide bowl. Stir until espresso dissolves. Set aside.
• Using a whisk, hand mixer, or stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg yolks on low just until smooth. Add sugar and salt and beat at medium speed until pale yellow and thick, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add remaining 4 tbsp rum and beat until combined, 20-30 seconds. Add mascarpone and beat on medium speed until no lumps remain, 45-60 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl.
• In same work bowl (no need to clean), whisk cream on medium until frothy, about 1 minutes. Turn up to high and whip to stiff peaks, 1-2 minutes more. Fold 1/3 of whipped cream into eggs to lighten, then fold in remaining whipped cream gently to preserve the air.
• Drop ladyfingers one at a time into coffee mixture. Quickly roll over, then transfer to a 13x9x2 pan. (Do not submerge the ladyfingers in the coffee; they should remain in the liquid no more than about 2 seconds total.) Continue until the pan is filled with a single layer of dipped cookies, breaking or trimming cookies to make them fit.
• Spread half the cream mixture over the cookies, filling the pan out to the corners. Put 2 tbsp cocoa in a fine-mesh sieve and sift over the entire surface.
• Repeat dipping and arranging ladyfingers to create a second full layer. Spread remaining cream over the ladyfingers, then sift remaining cocoa over the top. Clean edges of dish with dry paper towel, then cover with plastic. Refrigerate 6-24 hours before serving. Sprinkle with grated chocolate before serving, if using.