Annie's Tiramisu...Only The Best For MOM!

My mom is not very picky, but she knows what she likes and what she doesn't like. Although she would be satisfied with anything I made her, I decided to make a tiramisu for her for Mother's Day.

I figured what better day to give my Mom a "Pick Me UP" which is the Italian translation of Tiramisu.

If you have never tried it before, you need to. It is just a fabulous dessert, which is actually pretty easy to make. It requires no baking. Just a little stirring over the stove top and assembly.
I've created a recipe which combines a few ideas from Giada DI Laurentiis and few ideas from Italian Cooking for Dummies. And as a result..I think my recipe is better! So lets get started.


Annie's Tiramisu
One 8 ounce container of Mascarpone Cheese
3 or 4 tablespoons Sugar
1 cup cold espresso (I made instant, you can find instant espresso at any Italian market)
28 Savoiardi (Crisp Lady Finger Cookies, Also found at any Italian market)
1 recipe Zabalione (Custard filling) See below
Unsweetened Cocoa powder to sift

Mix the mascarpone cheese to soften just until smooth and then fold in the zabaglione. Cover and refrigerate.'

Line a loaf pan with plasic wrap, allowing the wrap to extend over the sides.(great tip by Giada DI Laurentiis). In a wide, flat bowl, whisk the espresso with the sugar.

Dip 7 cookies into the espresso one at a time, and arrange in a single layer over the bottom of the prepared pan. Spoon one third of the mascarpone mixture over the cookies to cover. Repeat the dipping and layering of the cookies and mascarpone mixture 2 more times. Dip the remaining 7 cookies in the espresso and arrange on the top.
Press down lightly (the top layer will extend above the pan sides). Cover with the plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or upto one day.


Unwrap the plastic and invert the tiramisu onto a platter and remove the plastic. Sift cocoa on the top and serve.

Zabalione
7 Egg Yolks
7 Tablespoons of Sugar
3/4 cup of Amaretto

1. Fill a saucepan 1/3 full with water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2. In a large bowl, beat together egg yolks and sugar. Whisk in the Amaretto. Set the bowl over the simmering water, taking care that it doesn't touch the water. Whisk for 5-8 minutes, removing the bowl from the heat for a moment if it heats too quickly. The mixture should be thick and foamy.

We actually had some leftover and I didn't want to eat it again in the same week because it is so rich, so I decided to try freezing some. I don't know if it will still be as good, but I can't wait until the day I take it out. I'll let you know how it worded out.