Tiramisu Recipe (Without Eggs)

Making sponge cake

Preparing cake batter

1. First grease 6×6 inches square pan or a 5 to 6 inches round pan well with some softened butter. Set aside. Preheat oven for 15 minutes at 200° C/390° F.
2. Place a plate or tray beneath a sieve. Add 1 cup all-purpose flour (maida) and ½ teaspoon baking powder in the sieve. If using unsalted butter, then you can add a light pinch of salt in the flour.
3. Sift once. Keep aside.
4. In a pan, take ¼ cup salted butter, ½ cup sweetened condensed milk, 3 tablespoons sugar.
5. Add ½ cup water.
6. Place the pan on stovetop and heat this mixture on a low flame.
7. Stir with a spatula so that the butter melts. Mix everything very well with the spatula.
8. Let this mixture come to a boil on a low heat.
9. When this mixture comes to a boil, then immediately add it in the flour mixture. Also add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. 
10. With a wired whisk begin to mix with a light pressure, so that over mixing does not happen.
11. While mixing you will come to know if the batter is going to be thick or too thick. the batter in this recipe is of medium consistency – neither thick nor thin. Depending on the quality of flour, you may need to add less or more water. if the batter becomes thick, then do add 1 to 2 tablespoons more hot water. So do keep some hot water handy.
12. Whisk to a smooth batter, but don't over do the mixing. If there are small tiny lumps in the batter, then its fine.
13. Pour the batter in the greased pan. Gently shake the pan or tap the sides.

Baking sponge cake for tiramisu

1. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes at 200° C/390° F.If using an OTG, then use the bake mode or for a regular oven, keep only the bottom heating element on.
2. Check with a toothpick or a wooden skewer if the cake is done. The toothpick or skewer should come out clean and there should be no sticky batter on it.
3. Keep the cake pan on a wired rack and let it become warm or cool down.
4. Then gently un-mold or remove the cake and place it on the rack to cool.
5. When the cake has cooled down completely, then with a serrated knife mark the edges equally for slicing the cake.
6. Slice vertically first and then slice from the center.
7. Separate the sponge fingers. Keep aside.

Making tiramisu filling

1. Keep all the ingredients ready before you start.
2. Heat ½ cup water till it comes to a vigorous boil.
3. Turn off the the heat and add 2 teaspoons of instant coffee powder.
4. Mix very well and keep aside. You can also add liquor like rum or wine once the coffee solution cools down.
5. In another bowl take 200 grams mascarpone cheese. With a hand held whisk, whip the cheese till its smooth. do not over do the whipping as then the cheese can curdle.
6. Add 6 tablespoons powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar.
7. With the whisk mix very well. Keep aside.
8. Take the cream in another bowl.
9. Using an electric beater or a stand mixer, whip cream till you get stiff peaks in it.
10. Now add the whipped cream to the bowl containing the mascarpone cheese. also add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. If using vanilla essence, then add ½ teaspoon of it.
11. Fold gently with a spatula and do not over do the folding.

Assembling and layering tiramisu

1. Now take each sponge fingers and dip them in the coffee syrup. Let them soak the syrup and become moist but make sure that they do not crumble and fall apart.
2. Layer the base of a glass pan or bowl with the coffee syrup soaked sponge fingers. If you want you can even line the glass pan or bowl with a butter paper or parchment paper.
3. Now take half of the mascarpone cheese and cream filling.
4. With a spatula spread it evenly on the sponge fingers.
5. Line with another layer of the coffee dipped sponge fingers.
6. Spread the remaining layer of the mascarpone cheese and cream filling.
7. Now take a small sieve or tea strainer and add 1 to 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder in it. Sift directly on the last filling layer dusting evenly all over. 
8. Seal the pan or bowl with a foil or lid and refrigerate tiramisu for 4 to 5 hours or overnight.
9. Now slice the tiramisu.
10. Then serve tiramisu. Leftovers can be refrigerated and tiramisu stays well for a couple of days in the fridge.