Tiramisu

If there is one thing I like better than cooking, it's baking. I love sweets. I love chocolate. I love cake. I love ice cream. Dessert junkie!
Tiramisu is one of my favourite desserts. What's not to like? Coffee, whipped cream, cookies, mascarpone, little booze, chocolate, yes. It is so simple, but its simplicity makes it easy to mess up. Something like dry cookies or fake whipped cream can ruin it. Like this in not the time to cheap out with some cool whip.
When I make it I start by making a zabaglione, 6 egg yolks, 2 cups sugar, in a double boiler and whisk like your life depends on it. It will get light and glossy. When you have achieved the desired consistency take it of the heat.
Then it's time to incorporate the mascarpone. I like to put it in a bowl and add a little of the zabaglione to the cheese to loosen it up, mix until incorporated. Then another addition of zabaglione, this time folding, not until completely incorporated. Then the final addition, again folding, same thing, it doesn't need to be smooth.

Last my favourite thing in the whole wide world. Whipped cream! Whip the cream to just over soft peaks. Then again with 3 additions add the whipped cream to the mascarpone, zabaglione mixture. The first just mix in to thin it out. The next fold until almost all incorporated. The last fold until it is nice and smooth.
Now here is where I get a little crazy. Usually I just make the traditional coffee, and chocolate tiramisu. This time, however, I had some fresh strawberries in my fridge. I am always looking for alternatives to chocolate desserts for my allergic to chocolate man, and this seemed like a great opportunity. So I started with the same cream and split it in half.
For the tiramisu assembly you need some coffee, usually espresso, but just use regular coffee. If I have it, add a little bit of instant espresso or instant coffee to the brewed coffee. Also add a little booze. Coffee liquor if you have it, if not, rum, vodka, irish cream, whatever (irish cream was a big hit last time I made it). You should also let the coffee cool. If you dip your cookies in hot coffee they will fall apart very quickly. Speaking of cookies, that is the next ingredient. Regular lady fingers, or savoiardi cookies.
Put a little of the cream on the bottom of the dish, then start dunking the cookies. Arrange them nicely so you have one even layer of cookies. Then more cream, a dusting of cocoa powder, then more dipped cookies, and the final layer of cream. Dust liberally with cocoa powder. And thats all she wrote. Let it set up for at least a few hours. I usually make it a day in advance.

Now the strawberry variation. First I took some strawberries and put them in a pot with a little orange juice and sugar. I let them cook until there was a good amount of juice. Then I strained out the juice and let it cool. I kept pressing the boiled solids through the sieve and added them to the cream.  Then I diced 10 or so strawberries and added to the cream as well. Then the same basic layering process. A little cream in the bottom of the dish, then dip the cookies. Arrange them so there is an even layer of cookies, top with cream, another layer of cookies, then the last layer of cream. If you were not concerned about a chocolate allergy, I feel like a few dustings of cocoa powder wouldn't hurt.
This strawberry variation was sooo damn good. Strawberry shortcake, meets cheesecake, meets tiramisu. So so damn good.
The original is equally good. It is just what you want tiramisu to be. Cool, boozy, creamy, moist, rich, and delicious. It really is just perfect and so easy. Don't be scared, go make some tonight.