About 40 years ago I was fortunate enough to get this recipe from my favorite Italian market — DeLaurenti Food & Wine. The Bellevue location has been closed for several years, but the main store is still in full operation at Seattle’s well-known Pike Place Market. For three generations the DeLaurenti family very successfully managed the store. Under new ownership since 2001 the popular shop is still a very popular hub for delicious Italian food specialties and great wines, right in the midst of the always-busy Pike Place Market.
I must admit, Tiramisu is not my most favorite dessert (but then, I’m not much of a dessert fan). This particular Tiramisu recipe is a very special one to me though — and pairing it with this “borrowed” photo taken in this extra-special spot in Florence, Italy seemed to be a perfect way to share the recipe with you.
Speaking of “borrowed” … so many things are borrowed by us all in one way or another. Everyone pretty much uses the same types of food items and preparation methods that we are all familiar with — makes me wonder if there really are any “truly original” recipes out there? Everyone seems to borrow or copy, tweak and revise, switch ingredients and change measurements … to me, the real treat is in preparing the dish and then sharing the “new” recipe. I use recipes simply as a guide when preparing a new dish. Following a recipe “to the letter” and perhaps even actually measuring out exact amounts just doesn’t happen very often in my kitchen. That is not to say that recipes shouldn’t be precisely followed to get the right result — it’s simply a personal thing. That being said, I think that you’ll find this “borrowed, tweaked, revised again — and again” Tiramisu recipe to be very delicious. I included it in 2014 in my very first cookbook, MENU MAGIC. Time gets away from us so quickly … it’s already well into 2022, and Book #16 is in the works. These are all such fun projects for me and they are very satisfying to share. Enjoy your Tiramisu!
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 pound Mascarpone cheese
2 cups brewed espresso
3 tablespoons Kailua, optional
24-36 Italian ladyfingers (or champagne biscuits)
Unsweetened ground cocoa, finely sifted
Small piece of Callebaut semi-sweet chocolate, shaved
Separate the eggs into two medium-sized bowls; set the egg whites aside. Whisk yolks and sugar together until well blended. Gradually add the cheese, stirring until the end mixture is creamy and pale yellow; set aside. Whip the reserved egg whites (just until stuff peaks form but the egg whites are not dry.) Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cheese mixture only until blended; set aside.
Pour espresso into a shallow bowl; add Kailua, if using, and stir to blend well. Very quickly dip each ladyfinger into the liquid and place the biscuits, side by side and touching each other, in a 9×13-inch glass dish (or another dish of your choice). Use as many biscuits as needed to completely cover the bottom of the pan with a single layer. Cover the biscuits with a layer of the prepared cheese mixture, followed by a heavy dusting of cocoa. Repeat this process three times, then sprinkle the top layer with shaved chocolate. Gently shake the filled dish to settle the ingredients. Chill overnight before serving. — Serves 10-12
