Digging a spoon into the cocoa-dusted surface of tiramisù is like excavating the foundations of a ruin. Each unearthed layer reveals a new piece of the historical narrative. There’s Italian sponge cake in the form of ladyfingers, marsala-spiked zabaglione folded into the creamy filling, and bold, buzzy espresso cutting through the delicate sweetness of it all. These delectable elements combine to paint an enduring portrait of a people, place, and culture.
A classic that weaves together several Italian techniques, tiramisù offers the perfect introduction to Italian baking. First, we’ll walk you through baking ladyfingers (also called savoiardi), demystifying the method behind the Italian sponge cake. Then we’ll introduce you to the art of making zabaglione, a slightly thickened custard married with marsala wine. Finally, we’ll show you the art of layering the many pieces to form one perfect whole.
From A to ZabaglioneHow to make your zabaglione-, whipped cream-, and mascarpone-based filling
1. In the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together egg yolks and remaining 1¼ cups (250 grams) sugar by hand. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water; do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water. Cook, whisking frequently, until an instant-read thermometer registers at least 110°F (43°C). We used the bain-marie method, a gentle heating of egg yolks and sugar over simmering water, to help the eggs whip up in dramatic fashion. Heating the yolks to just 110°F (43°C) allows proteins to denature, or unfold, and sets up the mixture to hold air more readily. Heating the sugar also means it will dissolve more easily into the yolks.
2. Carefully return bowl to stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat at medium-high speed until thick and ribbon-consistency, 2 to 3 minutes. (Mixture will still have texture from the sugar.) “Ribbon-consistency” is a common term used to describe the appearance of a batter or mixture. The batter, when falling from the whisk attachment, creates a luxuriously thick ribbon. As the batter from the whisk settles on top of the batter in the bowl, the edges of the “ribbon” should remain clearly defined on the surface for a few moments before slowly disappearing. This ribbon stage tells us that we have whipped enough air into the batter to leaven the cake and are ready to move on to the next step.
3. In another medium bowl, place mascarpone, and work with a spatula until softened, smooth, and creamy. Fold mascarpone into egg yolk mixture in two additions just until combined. Mascarpone, like cream cheese, is hard to incorporate into a mixture when added in as one cold block. It can make your filling take on a curdled appearance. So, for smooth incorporation, work the mascarpone in a separate bowl until it becomes more pliable.
4. Fold in whipped cream in two additions just until combined. By the end of folding in your mascarpone and your whipped cream, the golden color of the custard should have mellowed out into a pale yellow. Try not to over-incorporate your cream here, as part of the filling’s fluffy body comes from the aerated whipped cream.
Learn the building blocks of making ladyfingers, a variation on the classic sponge
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites at medium speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. With mixer on medium speed, add ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar in a slow, steady stream, beating until stiff peaks form, 1½ to 2 minutes. When your whisk attachment is inverted, your meringue peak will either droop, dip, or stand tall. You want that meringue standing tall, the perfect indicator of a meringue whipped to firm peaks.
2. Clean bowl of stand mixer and whisk attachment. Using the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks and ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar at medium-high speed until pale yellow and thick, about 2 minutes. This is the second of the egg foams that help add aeration and lift to our Ladyfingers.
3. Using a balloon whisk, fold half of egg white mixture and vanilla into egg yolk mixture just until combined; fold in remaining egg white mixture. A whisk helps thoroughly incorporate the flour without disturbing the aeration.
4. Fold in sifted flour mixture in two additions just until combined. You want to thoroughly incorporate the flour, but keep a gentle touch. Every second spent overmixing deflates precious aeration.
5. Working in batches if necessary, place batter in a large pastry bag fitted with a 7/16-inch round piping tip (Ateco #805). Pipe 3-inch-long lines at least 1 inch apart on prepared pans. (Final dimensions of Ladyfingers should be 3×1 inches.) Be careful not to pipe too quickly or they will be too thin.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons (24 grams) granulated sugar. Using a fine-mesh sieve, lightly dust piped batter with sugars. This final dusting with sugar helps keep a crust from forming on the cookies, making them divinely soft.
Bringing all the sweet pieces together to make one creamy dessert
1. Quickly dip half of Ladyfingers in espresso mixture. (Do not let it soak.) Place in bottom of a 13×9-inch baking dish in a single layer, with long sides of Ladyfingers going along long sides of pan. We give our Ladyfingers a quick dip only so they don’t absorb too much espresso and become overly soggy.
2. Spoon half of mascarpone mixture (about 4 cups or 630 grams) on top of Ladyfingers in pan, and spread into an even layer. While it’s fine to guess at the amount of mascarpone mixture being divided between the two layers, if you want a tiramisù that slices as perfectly as ours, we suggest dividing your mascarpone mixture by weight.
3. Dip remaining Ladyfingers in espresso mixture, and place on top of mascarpone mixture in pan. Top with remaining mascarpone mixture, smoothing into an even layer. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours for best flavor and texture. Although it may be tempting to dig in immediately, your tiramisù will benefit from a day in the refrigerator. This gives the mascarpone mixture time to set up and the flavors time to mingle and marry.
Zabaglione/zabaione: Traditionally made of whipped eggs, sugar, and sweet wine, zabaglione is often served in Italy as a standalone dessert with fresh fruit to garnish. In tiramisù, zabaglione is folded into a mascarpone and cream mixture that makes up the rich, creamy body of the dessert.
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