Tiramisu

This is a recipe I robbed from a chef mate in Milan, so you know it's the real deal.

Tiramisu. Credit: Mark Moriarty: Off Duty Chef.

• serves

  9

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 450 g mascarpone cheese (at room temperature – see instructions)
• 3 eggs
• 140 g sugar
• Pinch of sea salt
• 400 ml espresso coffee (instant is fine)
• 200 ml brandy or rum
• 400 g dried sponge fingers
• 50 g dark cocoa powder

Chilling time: 3 hours or overnight.

Instructions

1. Start by taking the mascarpone out of the fridge an hour in advance to soften. Line a baking tin with removable  base (about 18 cm x 18 cm although a rectangular tin will work too) with baking paper.  
2. Begin separating your eggs, setting the whites aside. Add the yolks to a mixer and whisk with 100 g of the sugar until the mixture is doubled in size and pale yellow in colour.
3. Fold this into the mascarpone and mix lightly until smooth. Stir in a pinch of sea salt.
4. Clean the mixer and add the egg whites. Whisk with the remaining sugar until a meringue is formed. Fold this into the mascarpone mix and set aside at room temperature.
5. Warm the coffee with the alcohol and pour into a bowl. Begin assembling the tiramisu: Dip the sponge fingers in the coffee for 5 seconds to absorb liquid, then layer these in the base of the tray. You will probably need to break some of the biscuits in half to form a full single layer of sponge fingers.
6. Add half the mascarpone mix in an even layer spread to fill the gaps. Repeat the process with another layer of dipped sponge fingers and the remaining mascarpone mix. Leave to set in the fridge for 3 hours or overnight if possible.
7. Melt the dark chocolate and spread on a marble worktop or glass chopping board, then allow it to set in the fridge. Push a scraper or spatula across the chocolate to create swirls and shards. Return to fridge until ready to serve.
8. Remove the tiramisu from the cake tin, dust the top with cocoa powder and cut into squares. Place squares on serving plates, decorate with chocolate shards and serve.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.