Tiramisù recipe whole with slice

Tiramisù Recipe (without cream and alcohol)

By Jen Curcio

This Tiramisù recipe is a very special dish in my family which Mum only whips up for special celebrations. After a fair bit of begging Mum finally agreed to share her tiramisù  recipe. I’ve adapted it ever so slightly over time to suit my tastes, but it still very much remains my mother’s recipe. Please enjoy and share with your family and friends too. It’s a must make and as its name in Italian promises, it is a real pick-me-up!

Tiramisù recipe by Antonia Curcio

Serves 8

4 egg yolks

8 tbsp of caster/granulated sugar (adjust to taste)

500g room temperature mascarpone (this will make mixing easier)

1 cup of strong black coffee, 250ml (must be cold)

18 – 20 savoiardi biscuits* (plus extra depending on dish size)

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, plus extra if needed

Optional:

30g soft goats cheese (mixed with the mascarpone gives an incredible flavour)

3-4 tbsp of liqueur – like Galliano Espresso, Amaretto, Kahlua, etc.

Tiramisù recipe

Method

Select your tiramisù serving vessel. I normally use a rectangular ceramic dish that’s roughly 22cm in width x 30cm in length or a circular pyrex dish with handles that’s 8.7cms in diameter x 1.6cms in height.

In a medium sized bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the egg yolks and sugar together

Once the egg yolks and sugar are well combined, add the mascarpone and continue beating with your electric mixer until the ingredients are a thick but smooth in consistency. If you are using goats cheese, mix it in with the mascarpone beforehand.

In a separate, preferably flat bowl or deep plate (to allow enough room for the savoiardi), pour in your cold coffee. If you are making your tiramisù with liqueur then add it in with the coffee now.

Now, one by one, start dipping each savoiardo biscuit into the coffee quickly on both sides and arranging them into the tiramisù dish* (see notes on dipping the biscuits). There should be two layers – ideally 10 savoiardi on the base layer and 10 on the second/top layer. Depending on your dish size you may require more or less of the savoiardi biscuits so have a few extra on hand just in case. If the dish you are using is round, you may have to snap the savoiardi in half before dipping in coffee to ensure they fit snugly.

Once you have your first layer of coffee-soaked savoiardi, place just under half of the mascarpone mixture onto the first layer of savoiardi. With a spatula or the back of a spoon, gently spread the mascarpone out across the savoiardi to cover them. Be slow and careful in your movements to avoid breaking the biscuits, which are delicate from being soaked in the coffee.

Repeat the above two steps until you have your second layer of coffee-soaked savoiardi and your second and final layer of mascarpone. Note that the mascarpone is always the final/top layer of the finished dessert. For your final layer you will have just over half of the mascarpone left. Use this extra amount to completely cover the top layer of the savoiardi, so that none of them are visible.

After you’ve finished with the mascarpone, dust the top of the dessert lightly with the cocoa powder. Once the top is completely dusted in cocoa, cover the tiramisù dish with foil and place it in the fridge for a minimum of five hours. Leaving it overnight is best if possible to allow the flavour to develop. This is a lesson in patience with a decadent reward at the end.

Tiramisu recipe slice

Mum’s serving suggestions: Serve with Vinsanto, coffee or Port.

Notes and tips: Experiment with adding goats cheese into the mascarpone, different liqueurs and sponge instead of savoiardi (sometimes we use left over Pandoro or Panettone around Christmas time). Everybody’s palate is different, make it to your taste!

When dipping the savoiardi into the coffee, dip them for one to two seconds on each side to absorb the coffee and lift them vertically above the plate to allow them to drip before placing them in the dish. There should be an even amount of liquid in the savoiardo. It shouldn’t be too dry otherwise the texture won’t be moist, and nor should it be too wet as the biscuit will fall apart.

To prepare the coffee for the tiramisù , I highly recommend using a coffee machine or a Bialetti style stovetop coffee pot.

*You may require less or more of the savoiardi biscuits specified depending on the size of dish you use, so do keep a few extra biscuits on hand just in case.
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Tiramisù recipe without cream and alcohol
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