Tiramisu and the recipe

Tiramisu - A Timeless Medici Tuscan Dessert

I have tried Tiramisu' for the first time at my friend's place. Until then, I didn't even know what Mascarpone cheese was (as far as I know, it's a triple cream cheese made with the milk of cows that have been fed only tasty herbs and flowers. The cheese, as fatty as it gets, is delicious even alone on a piece of Tuscan bread!) and even the less ladyfingers. The making of it was surprisingly fast, as it was surprising to know that Tiramisu', not exactly as we know it today, was invented in Siena to please the Grand Duke Cosimo De' Medici visiting Siena. He liked the dessert so much, he brought it back to Florence. From there it became a success wherever it landed. Passing from Florence to London, than to Venice, then Treviso, it finally arrived in San Francisco from where it spread all over the States and the world.

Maybe it really is its simple ingredients, its softness or the delicate equilibrium between salty and sweet....anyway, this is the recipe for you to try and really taste the real thing:

Ingredients

* EGGS, 3 large, with yolks and whites separated
* SUGAR, 1/2 cup
* MASCARPONE, 8 ounces
* EXPRESSO or STRONG COFFEE, 1 cup
* LADYFINGERS, toasted, 20
* COCOA, 1/8 cup

Directions

1. Combine 3 egg yolks, 1 tablespoon Espresso, and sugar into the large mixing bowl.
2. Beat 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add Mascarpone and beat 3 to 5 minutes until consistency is smooth.
4. In another bowl, combine 3 egg whites and a pinch of sugar. Beat until mixture forms stiff peaks.
5. Gently fold into Mascarpone mixture.
6. Pour rest of Espresso into flat dish, dip one side of each Lady Finger, and layer on bottom of serving dish.
7. Spread 1/3 of Mascarpone mixture and sprinkle with cocoa.
8. Continue layering and finish with a Mascarpone layer.
9. Sprinkle and refrigerate 1 hour before serving.


To garnish it with a fresh touch, add some mint leaves in the middle and lightly sprinkle some cocoa powder all around the plate.

Enjoy!

PS: A very suitable wine is Vernaccia di San Gimingnano or a Sicilian Zibibbo