for dessert: tiramisu

i think that someone will love you for this.

hello, hello!

i’ve gained some new subscribers over the last few weeks, and i thought now would be a good time to sort of “reintroduce” myself. it is a new year, after all (although definitely not a new me).

if you’re new here, welcome to concha emoji.

i’m a part-time recipe writer and developer. i put a lot of emphasis on pan dulce, enriched doughs and recently, doughnuts, however this year my goal is to explore more desserts (that don’t require an oven) such as custard-based desserts and no bake pies/cheesecakes. i also want to continue expanding on cake, since y’all really seemed to enjoy the cake work i put out last year.

when i’m not in the kitchen or at my desk doing recipe work, i’m either enjoying a movie on the couch, or i’m at my library admin job (support your community library!).

i love movies, like a lot. and i will watch just about anything, so if you ever see a film that impacts you (or confuses you), feel free to throw a recommendation my way. i especially enjoy the horror genre, old hollywood, and discussions around what makes a horror movie “scary”.

other things i enjoy are: gothic horror, ghosts, classic movie monsters, animal crossing, studio ghibli and perfumes. what’s your signature scent?

concha emoji has honestly impacted my life in such a constructive way. never in a million years did i ever think i would be creating recipe work online for the world to see and yet, here i am. the successes y’all have had with many of my recipes seriously fills me with such an indescribable joy. so, thank you so much for being here.

i don’t have many major goals for the newsletter this year, besides continuing to share recipe work, connecting with y’all, and hopefully sending out more personal posts.

thank you for being here. now, onto the recipe.

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i know there are quite literally thousands and thousands of recipes for tiramisu online. it may be the world’s most romantic dessert (and good timing on my end because romance is in the air, no?).

this tiramisu recipe is simply how I like to prepare mine: mascarpone, yolks, whole eggs, and brown sugar for a light note of caramel. if you are not a fan of raw eggs, i go through the bain-marie method which involves gently heating the yolks over a simmering water bath until they reach a safe temperature. alternatively, you could skip the cooking process and use raw eggs, which is my preferred method.

for me, a perfect tiramisu is ideally well structured, yet soft.

we are not using whipped cream, and i can promise you this tiramisu does not need it. in my opinion, i find heavy cream in tiramisu distracts from the flavor, as it quite literally coats the tongue. i really like to savor the natural flavor of the custard - the richness of the golden yolks, and the creamy, slightly nutty mascarpone.

about mascarpone

the texture of the mascarpone matters just as much as the temperature when mixing. i like working with cold mascarpone, since we are adding it into a warm custard and the texture and temperature differences balance out. if we were adding a room temperature mascarpone to a warm custard, there’s a potential risk for it to become soupy as the mascarpone can soften too much due to the heat.

ideally, you want to find a creamy tiramisu that is not too dry or crumbly. always scoop your mascarpone rather than dumping from the container, otherwise you risk adding in excess liquid that can lead to a broken custard.

my grocery store mascarpone picks from most ideal texture to least are: Cello found at HEB, not sure where else???, Trader Joe’s brand, then Whole Foods brand/ Bel Gioioso. i’ve yet to get my hands on Vermont Creamery mascarpone but i just know that stuff is gold and will work perfectly based on what i’ve seen online and my experience using their other products.

the process

we’ll start with beating the yolks, eggs and sugar on high speed over a bain-marie for about 10 minutes, where they will become very pale and voluminous. after, we then mix mascarpone cheese into the custard while still warm, which will soften the cheese just enough to combine effortlessly. this recipe relies on the aid of an electric hand mixer to whip and aerate the mascarpone custard until soft and fluffy. a whisk alone will not achieve the ideal textures we need for this recipe to work. you could use a stand mixer, however i think a handheld mixer allows for more control in this situation.

this recipe makes a 9x9 inch pan of tiramisu, and can easily be halved for a lighter crowd.

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FOR DESSERT: TIRAMISU

makes: 1 9x9 pan | prep time: 30 minutes | chill time: 12 hours

mascarpone custard base

• 5 yolks from large eggs about 85 grams

• 2 large eggs about 100 grams

• 100 grams light brown sugar

• pinch of sea salt

• 700 grams mascarpone cheese cold, about 3 - 8 ounce containers

soak

• 8 ounces brewed coffee or espresso brought to room temp or chilled

• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

• zest of 1 navel orange

• juice from a half navel orange freshly squeezed

ladyfingers

• about 32 ladyfingers or 300 grams, or 1 ½ packs from the store

garnish and dusting

• dutch-process cocoa powder

tools you’ll need

• 9x9 inch pan or bowl

• electric handheld mixer

• rubber spatula

• offset spatula

• 2 bowls large

prepare your brew

1. brew enough coffee or espresso for 8 ounces or 240 grams. while the coffee is hot, stir in 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, zest from 1 navel orange, and juice from half a freshly squeezed navel orange.

2. allow the coffee to chill in the fridge while preparing the custard or overnight, if desired.

prepare the custard

1. to a medium saucepan or pot, add 2 inches of water and set over medium high heat. bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low.

2. combine 5 large yolks, 2 large whole eggs, 100 grams light brown sugar and a large pinch of sea salt in a large heatproof bowl that will fit snugly over the saucepan.

3. using an electric handheld mixer, beat the yolks and sugar together until well combined, about 1 minute. place the bowl over the pot of hot water, and continue to whip the custard over the heat for 10 minutes. the yolks will become pale, voluminous and thickened.

4. remove the custard from the heat, and allow it to rest for 5 minutes to cool slightly.

5. to a separate and clean large bowl, spoon in 700 grams cold mascarpone. pour the yolk custard directly over the mascarpone and begin beating together using the hand mixer on low speed, gradually increasing to high.

6. the mixture will look curdled at first - continue to beat on high speed. once the custard begins to smooth out and no large chunks of mascarpone remain, whip on high speed for a total of 3 minutes to properly aerate.

7. after 3 minutes, use a rubber spatula to check the consistency. the custard should be smooth, creamy and light.

left is after whipping until just smooth, and right is after whipping for 3 minutes on high speed until properly aerated and creamy.

assemble the tiramisu

1. dip the tops of the ladyfingers into the cooled coffee quickly (do not soak) and line them in a 9x9 inch pan, fitting them as closely together as possible.

2. dust the top of the ladyfingers with a layer of dutch-process cocoa, then pour half of the mascarpone custard over them.

3. use an offset spatula to spread the custard evenly over the ladyfingers.

4. repeat with another layer of dipped ladyfingers, a dusting of dutch-process cocoa, and then layer with the remaining mascarpone custard on top.

5. smooth the top of the custard, cover securely, and place in the fridge to rest overnight for best results.

serving

1. when ready to serve, garnish the top of the tiramisu with another generous dusting of dutch-process cocoa powder and/or grated chocolate if desired, and enjoy!