Tiramisu

My favorite dessert in Italy, besides real gelato obviously. Nothing tops gelato, but I don’t know how to make that. Tiramisu was surprisingly more simple to put together than I imagined, and the result is impeccable. It is a perfect balance of light, delicate texture and dark, saturated flavor. Imagine taking a bite of heaven and then sprinkling cocoa powder on top.

Ingredients:
125 grams sugar
4 eggs
500 grams mascarpone cheese
1 pack of biscotti salvoiardi
Coffee/Però
Cocoa powder

1. Separate egg whites and yolks. (Also prepare the però/coffee because it will need to cool down.)

2. Mix the egg yolk with sugar until smooth. Add mascarpone and mix well.

3. In separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt. (The salt is a pro tip from Bisnonna Pia to help the whites stiffen.) Whisk until it turns the color of snow and stiff peaks form.

4. Gently fold together egg whites with the creamy mixture. This is critical, a harsh blending will make the creme flatten. Put it in the fridge while preparing the biscotti.

5. Briefly roll the biscotti in però/coffee and lay in pan. This is an art- the cookies should not be too dry or too wet for a perfectly balanced tiramisu.

6. On top of the first layer of cookies, spread the creme mixture. And repeat. You can have two or three layers of biscotti and creme.

7. Let the tiramisu rest in the fridge for at least two hours. This gives the moister a chance to percolate through the cookies and everything to settle nicely.

8. Before serving, dust the top with cocoa powder.

When your tiramisu is prepared, sit back and enjoy this special treat. I recommend tiramisu after a good Italian meal and long chat around the table in Federico’s backyard surrounded by grapevines as the twilight turns to night.