Tiramisu à la Greenville Arms 1889 Inn

Side detailed view of the Tiramisu.

Serves 8 to 10

You can make this tiramisu in individual portions, or as one big dessert in a large rectangular baking dish, like a lasagne dish. At the Hudson River Valley Art Workshops and the Greenville Arms 1889 Inn we use individual glasses.

INGREDIENTS

3 free-range eggs, separated
3¼ oz granulated sugar
1 cup whipping cream
9 oz mascarpone cheese
½ cup Kahlua or other coffee-flavoured liqueur
1 cup espresso coffee - if you don’t have an espresso machine at home, ask your local coffee shop to make you a couple of espressos to go
24 lady finger biscuits (Recipe to follow. We make our own.)
3½ oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa), grated

Method

Put the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and beat using a cake mixer or electric beaters on moderate speed for about 10 minutes, or until pale and thick. Meanwhile, whip the cream in a separate bowl, being careful not to overbeat it. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

When the egg yolk and sugar are done, add the mascarpone and beat gently with electric beaters until well combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a spatula, gently fold the whipped cream through and add ¼ cup of the Kahlua, mixing well. Fold the beaten egg white through. Pour the rest of the Kahlua and espresso into a flat dish or your parfait glass. We use juice glasses.

Spread a thin layer of the mascarpone mixture on the bottom of the dish. Dip a lady finger biscuit in the Kahlua and coffee mixture for about 4 seconds per side - you don’t want the biscuit to become soggy nor do you want the ladyfinger to be dry. Place it on top of the mascarpone mixture at one end of the dish. Repeat the process, laying the biscuits side by side until you have a layer covering the bottom of the dish.

Spoon a thick layer of the mascarpone mixture over the biscuits, then sprinkle half the grated chocolate over the top. Repeat the lady finger layer, gently pressing them onto the mixture underneath. Spread the remaining mascarpone mixture over the top and finish by sprinkling the last of the grated chocolate over.

If you are using individual parfait glasses, first put into your parfait class some of the mascarpone mixture and then a well saturated ladyfinger diskette, more marscarpone, another ladyfinger, and finish by topping off the parfait with more of the mascarpone mixture. Sprinkle with the grated chocolate as above.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours before serving.