Two-booze tiramisu recipe by Letitia Clark
Literally translated as 'pick me up', tiramisu is not only delicious as a dessert: it is the perfect thing for breakfast after a heavy night, the booze and coffee providing both the hair of the dog and the caffeine necessary. There is no time of any day, in fact, when a little pick-me-up is not welcome.
For me the key is the quantity of alcohol. Like a good trifle, it is this boozy kick that elevates the childhood nostalgia of a custardy cream-and-cake combo into something a little more adult and refined.
I like to make mine in a big dish or trifle bowl for serving by the generous scoopful, rather than in individual portions. A traditional tiramisu has only two layers of biscuit, but you can scale this recipe up quite easily, or use a tall but narrow vessel to create more layers.
Feeds 4 greedy people, or 6 asceticseggs 3, separatedcaster sugar 100g mascarpone 500g strong black espresso coffee 200mlmarsala 80ml brandy 1½ tbsp savoiardi biscuits (ladyfingers) 20-24 bitter cocoa powder 5 tbsp, for dredging
Place the egg yolks and the sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk with an electric beater (or in a stand mixer) until they become thick, pale and mousse-like.
Mix in the mascarpone by hand, folding it in until completely incorporated.
In a small bowl, mix the coffee with the marsala and brandy.
Whisk the egg whites until smooth, creamy peaks are formed, but not so stiff that they become dry. Fold into the mascarpone mixture, incorporating them gently so as not to lose too much air.
Dunk the savoiardi briefly into the coffee mixture, making sure they are fully immersed, and arrange half of them on the base of a serving bowl. The idea is not to have them either sopping or still crisp, but somewhere in between. I dip, hold for a second, turn and hold for another second, then remove. It pays to be diligent, as no one wants a tiramisu swimming in liquid.
Scoop half of the mascarpone mixture over the biscuit layer. Spread out evenly. Repeat the soaked-savoiardi layer and finish with a second mascarpone layer on top of this. Dredge well with bitter cocoa powder and place in the fridge to set for at least an hour or two. If you like, you can add more cocoa powder just before serving, but I like it when it has slightly melted into the cream.
From Bitter Honey by Letitia Clark (Hardie Grant, £28)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
03-03-2025
- The Guardian
Baked apple and pine nut crumble recipe by Flora Shedden
Cooking apples in a parcel is a brilliant way to use their natural sweetness to create a syrupy sauce. Serve on the table in their parcel and people can help themselves. Serves 2eating apples 2 smalllemon peel 1 strip vanilla pod ½ fennel seeds ¼ tsp fennel flowers 4 large (optional)rosemary sprig 1 honey 50g butter 25g salt a small pinch yoghurt or creme fraiche to servedouble cream to serve For the crumble butter 50g light brown sugar 50gwholemeal flour 50g ground almonds 25gpine nuts 50g Preheat the oven to 180C fan/gas mark 6. Place a large sheet of greaseproof paper on top of 2 sheets of tin foil. Slice the apples in half horizontally and place in the middle of the greaseproof paper. Add the lemon peel, vanilla pod, fennel and rosemary. Drizzle over the honey and add the butter. Sprinkle with a tiny amount of salt. Fold the foil over the fruit to meet the opposite side and fold over the edges. Fold again to create a tight seal. Double fold the sides in the same way to form a tightly sealed parcel. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the apples feel soft and are just holding their shape. Meanwhile, make the crumble. Blitz together the butter, sugar, flour and almonds in a food processor until it has a sandy consistency. Tip into a bowl and add the pine nuts. Scrunch together to create lumps much like you get with granola. Tip on to a baking sheet and place in the oven alongside the apples. Bake for 5-10 minutes before removing and mixing. Return to the oven and mix again after another 5 minutes. Repeat this process until the crumble is golden brown and crisp. To serve, spoon a good dollop of yoghurt or creme fraiche into each bowl. Spoon 2 apple halves on to the yoghurt along with any cooking juices, then spoon a generous amount of crumble on top. Finish with a drizzle of double cream à la my grandfather (the king of double dairy). From Supper by Flora Shedden (Hardie Grant, £24)
The Guardian
03-03-2025
- The Guardian
Two-booze tiramisu recipe by Letitia Clark
Literally translated as 'pick me up', tiramisu is not only delicious as a dessert: it is the perfect thing for breakfast after a heavy night, the booze and coffee providing both the hair of the dog and the caffeine necessary. There is no time of any day, in fact, when a little pick-me-up is not welcome. For me the key is the quantity of alcohol. Like a good trifle, it is this boozy kick that elevates the childhood nostalgia of a custardy cream-and-cake combo into something a little more adult and refined. I like to make mine in a big dish or trifle bowl for serving by the generous scoopful, rather than in individual portions. A traditional tiramisu has only two layers of biscuit, but you can scale this recipe up quite easily, or use a tall but narrow vessel to create more layers. Feeds 4 greedy people, or 6 asceticseggs 3, separatedcaster sugar 100g mascarpone 500g strong black espresso coffee 200mlmarsala 80ml brandy 1½ tbsp savoiardi biscuits (ladyfingers) 20-24 bitter cocoa powder 5 tbsp, for dredging Place the egg yolks and the sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk with an electric beater (or in a stand mixer) until they become thick, pale and mousse-like. Mix in the mascarpone by hand, folding it in until completely incorporated. In a small bowl, mix the coffee with the marsala and brandy. Whisk the egg whites until smooth, creamy peaks are formed, but not so stiff that they become dry. Fold into the mascarpone mixture, incorporating them gently so as not to lose too much air. Dunk the savoiardi briefly into the coffee mixture, making sure they are fully immersed, and arrange half of them on the base of a serving bowl. The idea is not to have them either sopping or still crisp, but somewhere in between. I dip, hold for a second, turn and hold for another second, then remove. It pays to be diligent, as no one wants a tiramisu swimming in liquid. Scoop half of the mascarpone mixture over the biscuit layer. Spread out evenly. Repeat the soaked-savoiardi layer and finish with a second mascarpone layer on top of this. Dredge well with bitter cocoa powder and place in the fridge to set for at least an hour or two. If you like, you can add more cocoa powder just before serving, but I like it when it has slightly melted into the cream. From Bitter Honey by Letitia Clark (Hardie Grant, £28)
The Guardian
03-01-2025
- The Guardian
Philip Khoury's recipe for hazelnut and toasted vanilla bueno cookies
Inspired by the flavours of the popular Kinder Bueno, these cookies are chewy, nutty and completely irresistible. If you have a used vanilla pod (ie, one from which the seeds have already been scraped), this is a great way to use it up. Zap the pod in the microwave for 20 seconds and watch it puff up as any remaining moisture escapes (you could also roast it in the oven for 10 minutes). This makes it easier to blend with the toasted hazelnuts, which add a deep flavour and nice crunch. To make this plant-based, use dark or dairy-free milk chocolate. Prep 10 minChill 2 hr Cook 40 min Makes 12100g hazelnuts, plus extra for decorating 240g light brown sugar 30g peanut (groundnut) oil, or olive oil 1 used vanilla pod, or 1 tsp vanilla paste/extract 300g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda ¼ tsp fine salt 120g milk chocolate, or dairy-free milk or dark chocolate, chopped or chipsFlaky sea salt Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast for 15-18 minutes, until golden inside when halved. Remove, leave to cool, then roughly chop half the nuts. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, oil and 85g water until smooth and combined. If you have a used vanilla pod, microwave it for 20 seconds, leave to cool, then break it up and put it (or the vanilla paste/extract) in a food processor with the unchopped cooled hazelnuts, flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt. Blend to a fine powder – the mix will start to clump as the oils are released from the nuts. Using a spatula, stir the sugar mixture and chocolate into the dry ingredients, until it all comes together into a dough. Cover and chill for at least two hours, or overnight (the dough will keep for up to three days in the fridge). Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Divide the dough into 70g portions (about the size of a golf ball), then roll into balls and press them into the chopped nuts to give them a crunchy topping. Arrange on the lined tray about 5cm apart and bake for 12 minutes for soft, fudgy cookies, or for 15 minutes for ones with crispier edges. Remove from the oven, leave to cool on the tray for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to five days. Philip Khoury is head pastry chef at Harrods and author of A New Way to Bake, published by Hardie Grant at £30. To order a copy for £27, go to P&P may apply.
