Tiramisu

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Sally shares her irresistible tiramisu recipe, the classic coffee and Marsala dessert made with sponge fingers and cocoa. Perfect for a dinner party, this recipe can be made the day before and takes just 45 minutes to prepare.

First published in 2016

Often believed to be steeped in the history of Italian cuisine, tiramisu is in fact a relative newcomer to the field, with the first recorded recipes appearing in Italy in the 1980s. Meaning 'pick-me-up' in Italian, the combination of strong coffee and sweet mascarpone cream does exactly that and is easily prepared in advance (even the day before) for a special lunch or dinner party. Not one for the kids, this version is full of sweet Marsala but it can be substituted with a little vanilla extract if need be, although the boozy ladyfingers against the rich cream are the bit that does it for me the most.

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Tiramisu

Method

1
Begin by dissolving the coffee in 100ml of boiling water. Stir in 60ml of the Marsala and leave the mixture to cool in a shallow bowl or dish
2
Place the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk in the sugar until it becomes pale and frothy
3
Mix the remaining Marsala with the mascarpone in a separate bowl, then fold this into the yolk mixture
4
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric whisk until soft peaks form, then fold gently through the mascarpone mixture. Transfer to a piping bag and set aside
5
Dip the sponge fingers in the cooled coffee on both sides, be sure to do this quickly to stop the sponge going completely soft
6
Line the bottom of 8 glasses with a layer of sponge, pushing them right to the edges, then pipe a layer of cream on top
7
Repeat with the sponge fingers and cream so that you have two distinct layers
8
Dust everything liberally with cocoa powder and place the glasses in the fridge for an hour to chill and set before serving
First published in 2016

After a five-year stint in the kitchen at two Michelin-starred restaurant The Ledbury, Sally is now head chef at The Harwood Arms in London.

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