Pick me up any time

Here’s a little snippet of information for you – Tiramisu means “Pick me up” in Italian and was traditionally served to someone who was feeling a little low. I learnt this from my “Food of the world” cookbook. I was making a treat for a friend was has been laid up in bed for the last few weeks after a pretty serious operation on his back. Poor thing has been having a hard time so I decided to make his favourite dessert which just happens to be Tiramisu which just happens to mean “Pick me up”. That’s destiny for you. I think the idea is that the coffee and the chocolate gives you the boost that you need. But what about the lovely cream and sugar - that would have to help too.

Over the years I’ve had so many completely different versions of this dessert that it’s hard to know what it should really taste like. I’m thinking any combination of sponge soaked in coffee and alcohol and smeared with some form of cream or mascarpone and chocolate can call itself Tiramisu. I first learnt that Tiramisu was my friend’s favourite dessert when he was having dinner at my Mum's place and she had made it for him. That would be the very same Mum that made Tiramisu with me here last year. I have a feeling that my Mum likes this “Pick me up“ too. In fact I have just re-read that post from last year and that would be the same friend that was coming over for dinner too.

Here’s the recipe I used from “The food of the world. A journey for food lovers”



Tiramisu

5 eggs, separated180g caster sugar
300g mascarpone
250ml cold strong coffee
3 tablespoons brandy or sweet Marsala
36 small sponge fingers
80g dark chocolate, finely grated

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is light and fluffy and leaves a ribbon trail when dropped from the whisk. Add the mascarpone and beat until the mixture is smooth. Whisk the egg whites in a clean glass bowl, using a wire whisk or hand beater, until soft peaks form. Fold into the mascarpone mixture.

Pour the coffee into a shallow dish and add the brandy. Dip enough biscuits to cover the base of a 25cm square dish into the coffee. The biscuits should be fairly well soaked but not so much so that they break up. Arrange the biscuits in one tightly packed layer in the base of the dish.

Spread half the mascarpone mixture over the layer of biscuits. Add another layer of biscuits and then another layer of mascarpone, smoothing the top layer neatly. Dust with the grated chocolate to serve. The flavours will be better developed if you can make the tiramisu a few hours in advance or even the night before. If you have time to do this, don’t dust with the chocolate, but cover with cling film and chill. Dust with chocolate at the last minute or it will melt.