TIRAMISU
I’ve had a long relationship with Tiramisu. Not growing up in Cleveland, no, that chapter of my life was Fannie Farmer Fudge, Snickerdoodle cookies, home-made tapioca pudding, and delicious poppy seed and nut rolls days.
But after moving to Switzerland, my whole world opened up in many ways with new things to discover, like architecture, art, gardening, and of course, food.
And since there are French, German, and Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland, that diversity not only listed all the ingredients on the labels of every item in the grocery store in those 3 languages (french is the easiest and closest to english, funny enough), but it also brought a lot of variety to what I ate.
I think I had my first bite of Tiramisu in an Italian restaurant somewhere, and while I don’t remember where, I do remember being blissed out!
VERMONT CREAMERY'S MASCARPONE
I just had to try to make it myself, and was happy to find out that it is so easy. In Switzerland, there is a very good cook book that is called “Betty Bossi“. It’s kind of the same as “Betty Crocker” here in the States. I just linked the word, “Betty Crocker” to the Americanized-version of Tiramisu. But I would definitely stick to the Swiss one below.
NONNI'S BISCOTTI BITES
Since the recipe calls for mascarpone, I hadn’t made it in a long time because I just couldn’t find it here. A few weeks ago, I was trying to get out of our local Whole Foods as quickly as possible (I hate shopping!), when I saw Vermont Creamery’s mascarpone. It was something like $4.99 for 8 oz., which I thought was OK. It’s so OK that I’ve invited myself to potlucks of people I don’t know just so I can make it to be able to eat some. I think I’ve made a total of 5 batches since then.
It takes about 20 minutes from start to finish, and it is really good! Just about everyone that I have shared it with has asked for the recipe, so here it is…enjoy!
Here’s the original recipe from the Betty Bossi cookbook, and here is my translation:
Sadhvi’s Swiss Tiramisu
Get 3 bowls (2 medium, the 3rd one larger) out of the cupboard. Get an oblong glass loaf pan, or small cups or…anything you want to use to present the Tiramisu in.
Take the Nonni’s Almond Biscotti bites, and place them in one layer at the bottom.
Take a Pyrex measuring cup, and add 3-4 T. instant Italian espresso coffee. Add 1 cup hot water to dissolve, and then add 1 T. sugar, 3 T. Amaretto, and 2 T. Patron Orange Liqueur. Mix it up, and put aside to cool.
Take 8 oz. of Mascarpone (the whole container), and put in the BIGGER bowl. This container was shy 2 T. of mascarpone, so I used 2 T. of sour cream. Grate the peel or an organic lemon over the bowl, and mix it up.
Separate 2 very fresh eggs (I got mine by lifting one of our hens up, and taking them from there), the yolks go into one bowl, and the whites go into another one.
Add 3 T. sugar to the egg yolk and mix them up with a hand mixer. Add to the mascarpone mixture. Clean the beaters.
Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites, and mix until “stiff peaks” form. Add 1 T. sugar, and mix some more.
Gently fold the egg whites into the “mascarpone mixture”.
Pour enough of the espresso mixture over the biscotti (like maybe a little more than half of it).
Layer and spread the mascarpone mixture over to cover.
Take some more of the biscotti and dip them into the espresso, and lay gently on top.
Pour the last of the mascarpone mixture on top. Shake the crumbs from the biscotti box over the top.
Cover the top with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Voila!
* Note: If you take this to your friend’s house, or make it for dessert when friend’s come over for dinner, expect them to think you are smarter, more attractive, and more pleasant to be around than before.
IT'S SO GOOD:)
