Tiramisu – A Canadian Variation

Tiramisu – A Canadian Variation

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Ingredients

  • 36-48 lady finger cookies (often found in grocery that carries Italian ingredients)
  • 1/2 vanilla bean pod (sliced lengthwise, the seeds scraped out & half pod used)
  • 1/4 cup rum
  • 1oz dark cooking chocolate ((usually one square) chopped into smaller pieces)
  • 1 cup brewed espresso coffee
  • just enoughcocoa powder

zabaglione

  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/3 Cup plus 2 tbsp ice wine (I used a Cabernec Franc, but any good ice wine would do)
  • 1 cup whipping cream (whipped until soft peaks form)
  • 475g Mascarpone cheese (softened to room temperature)

Directions

Dipping Mixture for the lady fingers
In a small saucepan, combine espresso, chocolate pieces, 1/2 vanilla pod, vanilla seeds which have been scraped from the pod, rum, and the 2 tbsp of icewine. Heat gently, and stir to dissolve the chocolate. Remove the vanilla pod. Then, chill the mixture to cool it down (about 15 minutes).
Zabaglione
Prepare the double boiler. Fill a pot of water about half full and bring to a boil; then reduce the heat to a simmer. The bowl in which the Zabaglione will be prepared needs to be heat proof and able to sit over the boiling water without touching it.
Cream the egg yolks in a heatproof dish using an electric mixer until they start to become lemon coloured. Add the 1/2 cup of sugar and beat until the sugar is mixed in. Place this dish over the pot with the simmering water. Continue to beat the egg yolks and sugar until they become thick and yellow coloured. Then add the 1/3 cup of ice wine and continue to beat it over the water. The mixture will thicken and about double in volume. This can take 10 minutes or longer.
beating the mixture over simmering water
Remove it from the heat and stir in the Mascarpone until completely blended. This is a Zabaglione (Italian custard). Set aside.
In a glass bowl, with chilled beaters, whip the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the Mascarpone mixture.
Quickly dip each ladyfinger in the chilled coffee mixture and arrange in a single layer in the bottom of a trifle bowl. Do not soak the cookies or they will become too moist. Spread JE (Just Enough) of the Mascarpone mixture on top of the dipped ladyfingers so that they are nicely covered. Repeat with more layers until the Mascarpone mixture is used up. Always end with the Mascarpone mixture.
create the layers for the tiramisu
Using a finely meshed sieve, sprinkle the top with cocoa powder.
sifting cocoa powder on the tiramisu
You might also like to finely chop some dark chocolate to sprinkle on top of the cocoa powder.
tiramisu
Refrigerate at least two hours before serving