Simple Tiramisu

Today I am posting my first ever recipe request! I am excited, this was an adventure for me! Someone (Hello, Anonymous!) requested a simpler Tiramisu recipe after The Geologist's botched attempt at a competition last week. I have never actually tasted tiramisu before this, can you believe it? But I am always up for a challenge! I see what they meant, I found recipes for this dessert that you had to start two days ahead! That's just silly!! Then I started searching simpler recipes, and many called for raw eggs, which I know gives many people the heebie-jeebies, so I kept up my quest... I found one with eggs, it said you could skip the eggs, I was still skeptical... and then I went out to buy my ladyfingers. Lo and behold, a recipe on the box! And what does it use to make the mascarpone filling fluffy and creamy?? Whipping cream! Ding Ding!! We had a winner! And it just makes sense, doesn't it? So here is my tweaked easy-as-pie tiramisu recipe, complete with my thoughts, tips, and variations. I hope you have fun with it!

Simple Tiramisu
Printable Recipe

1 cup of cold heavy whipping cream
8 oz mascarpone cheese
generous pinch of salt
20-40 ladyfingers (depending on how big yours are! I needed 40, mine were skinny)
1 cup brewed coffee (you can do de-caffeinated if you'd like!)
1/2 cup sugar
cocoa powder
bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

*Optional: 2 Tb coffee liqueur, amaretto, or 1 tsp vanilla

Beat mascarpone, salt, and sugar together until smooth and slightly fluffy. While beating, gradually add the cream, and beat for a few more minutes until thick and fluffy.

Using half of your ladyfingers, quickly dip each one in coffee and line the bottom of an 8 inch square baking dish.

Very gently and carefully, spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers.

Add another layer of coffee-dipped ladyfingers, the rest of the mascarpone, and dust with cocoa powder and optional chocolate shavings. Cover tightly, refrigerate overnight and serve cold.

Tips and Variations:
~ The coffee flavor was just a hair strong for me. Next time I would brush the ladyfingers with coffee instead of dipping. You can do either.
~ You can add a teaspoon of vanilla to the mascarpone, or coffee liqueur/amaretto to the coffee. I have seen recipes with both, but none with the vanilla. That's just me.
~You could add a layer of chocolate shavings and/or cocoa on top of the first layer of mascarpone. I did!

New food adventures are fun!! Allrighty, so here are my thoughts: first, is that easy or WHAT??

Second, my ladyfingers were very very light and crispy. I expected them to be like little fingers of cake. I was very worried when I dunked them in coffee that I would have a mess of soggy mush the next morning, but like magic, they turned into fluffy cake! I am amazed! I mentioned that the coffee flavor was a bit strong for me, so I would brush them instead of dunking next time. I don't drink coffee, but actually do love the flavor, I just thought it overwhelmed the other elements.

Mmmm, mascarpone... for some reason I was expecting it to be closer to cream cheese. Nope!! No tang! It has a very light, fresh, sweet cream flavor. It was delicious, but I would add some vanilla next time. I'm pretty sure that's not authentic, but who cares. I loved the little taste of the bittersweet chocolate in the middle too. I'm glad I threw caution to the winds and added it there.

Overall, I really enjoyed it! The only reason I could possibly see for making this more complicated is if you wanted to make your own ladyfingers. I'm not that ambitious yet. 

Shared at On the Menu Monday