If you know, you know. But if you don’t know, allow us to enlighten you. Tiramisu is an Italian coffee-flavored dessert made with ladyfingers that are first dipped in coffee, layered with a mixture of sugar, eggs, and mascarpone, and flavored with cocoa. It’s light, it’s fluffy, it’s not too sweet, and it gives you a little pep. Making tiramisu can be a little tricky, so we put together some of our best tips to help you out! Oh, and we definitely had to throw in a couple of fun facts, because, well, it’s us.
(image via: nyt cooking)
Don’t soak your cookies! Quickly dip your ladyfingers into your coffee. Leaving your cookies in your liquid too long will lead to soggy cookies, and soggy cookies make for a mushy mess of a dessert.
Don’t skip out on the mascarpone. You may think opting for cream cheese is acceptable, and it can be, but if you’re really going for the true Italian tiramisu experience, you’ll want to nab some mascarpone.
Don’t forget to line your pan with plastic wrap before you construct it; doing so will give you the ability to flip that dessert out of that pan with ease. Once it’s chilled, of course!
If you have the opportunity to make your tiramisu ahead of time, we’re talking several hours, then good for you because we highly recommend it! Letting your tiramisu sit in the fridge and chill gives all the components a chance to work together and create the most delicious flavor.
(image via: beverage daily)
When it comes to espresso, use the real stuff. A lot of us don’t own an espresso machine, so this may require a trip to your local coffee shop. Don’t worry about it cooling off, it will need to be at room temperature (at least!) before you can use it in your recipe.
It’s simply not tiramisu without the delicious taste of cocoa, so don’t be stingy with that final sprinkle on top before your serve your tiramisu.
In English “tiramisu” translates to “pick me up”, probably in reference to the amount of coffee in the recipe.
Don’t get too crazy with the sugar or added sweetness; Italian tiramisu is not traditionally sweet.
Not a fan of coffee or just feeling like getting crazy? You can opt for a more refreshing liquid such as strawberry juice or lemon juice to play with the flavor.
As your make your tiramisu, remember to take your time. Each step in the tiramisu-making process is important and the last thing you want to do is have to start over, so just enjoy the process. (Then enjoy your handcrafted dessert!)