Michael Berkowits' Tiramisu
User Reviews
5
Michael Berkowits' Tiramisu
Description
This tiramisu recipe starts with whipping heavy cream and sugar until soft peaks form, then folding in softened cream cheese to create a stable, creamy layer. A coffee mixture made from instant coffee dissolved in cold water is combined with coffee liqueur and vanilla to soak the ladyfinger cookies, which are noted as best when using commercially made crunchy varieties for optimal absorption.
The dessert is assembled by layering coffee-dipped ladyfingers and the whipped cream and cream cheese mixture, building a rich, layered dessert with alternating textures—the soft, creamy filling and the tender coffee-soaked cookies. Dark chocolate is added on top for a finishing touch, enhancing the flavor and presentation.
Substitutions are suggested for a dairy-free (parve) and kosher version using alternative whipped toppings, cream cheese, liqueurs, and ladyfinger cookies to maintain the classic effect without dairy ingredients. This tiramisu should be prepared with an electric mixer and refrigerated until set for best texture.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces heavy whipping cream (parve substitution below)
- 1/2 pound cream cheese parve substitution below, softened
- 1/2 cup + tablespoons sugar (or more to taste)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee
- 2 tablespoons Kahlúa (kosher substitution below)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 24-30 ladyfinger cookies
- 1/2 ounces dark chocolate (pareve substitution below)
Instructions
- Pour the whipping cream into a bowl with 1/2 cup of sugar. Whip the cream with an electric mixer for 4-6 minutes till it thickens and forms soft peaks. (If using Rich's RichWhip, thaw in the refrigerator and shake before pouring into the bowl-- it will take 7-10 minutes to reach the desired consistency.)
- Mix in the cream cheese on medium speed till the mixture is well blended and forms stiff peaks. Taste the mixture; add additional sugar, if desired (the ladyfinger layers in this tiramisu will be quite sweet, so you don't need to overdo the sugar in the cream layers-- I added another 1/4 cup which was perfect for my tastebuds).
- In a mixing bowl, mix 2 cups of cold water with 1 1/2 tbsp instant coffee. Whisk in Kahlua or kosher coffee liqueur, vanilla, and 2 tbsp of sugar. Set aside.
- Take your ladyfingers and your cold coffee mixture and place them nearby. Commercially made ladyfingers (the crunchy kind) work best for this dessert since they tend to be very absorbent. In your large loaf pan, use a spatula to spread an even layer of cream across the bottom of the pan.
- Dip the ladyfingers one by one into the coffee mixture for 2-5 seconds each. How long you will dip them depends on the consistency of your ladyfingers. You want them soft, but not overly mushy, so test one or two to get a feel for the ideal amount of soaking time. They will continue to soften even after you take them out of the coffee mixture. Let any excess coffee drip down off the ladyfingers after dipping.
- Arrange them one by one in a horizontal layer on top of the cream. You should need 8-10 ladyfingers to cover the surface of the cream.
- Cover the ladyfingers with another layer of cream.
- Continue to layer the soaked ladyfingers and cream till you've made three layers of soaked ladyfingers. Finish with a final smooth layer of cream across the top of the loaf pan.
- Use a grater to grate 1/2 ounce of dark chocolate shavings into a bowl.
- Sprinkle the shavings onto the top of the assembled tiramisu.Cover the tiramisu with plastic wrap, being sure not to let the wrap touch the surface of the cream. Place the tiramisu in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
- Remove the tiramisu from the freezer about 10 minutes before you plan to serve it. Slice it straight from the freezer into the amount of servings you need using a knife dipped in hot water between slices to make cutting even and neat. Place pieces onto serving plates and let them defrost for 10 minutes before serving (they can be eaten frozen too, it will taste more like ice cream cake that way). Store tiramisu in the freezer covered with plastic wrap. Enjoy!
Notes
- You will need an electric mixer, two mixing bowls, a 10-inch loaf pan, and a spatula for assembly.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute Rich's RichWhip for heavy cream, Tofutti for cream cheese, use Sabra coffee liqueur instead of Kahlúa, and parve ladyfinger cookies along with parve dark baking chocolate.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 590 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 590kcal | 30% |
| Carbohydrates | 34g | 11% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 45g | 69% |
| Saturated Fat | 26g | 130% |
| Cholesterol | 242mg | 81% |
| Sodium | 216mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 219mg | 5% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 1865IU | 37% |
| Vitamin C | 0.4mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 110mg | 11% |
| Iron | 2.1mg | 12% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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