Old School Tiramisù Food

OLD-SCHOOL TIRAMISù

Steps:

• Lightly oil a 9x5" loaf pan and line with plastic wrap, leaving plenty of overhang. Whisk coffee, rum, salt, and 1 Tbsp. sugar in a shallow dish until sugar and salt dissolve. Chill until ready to use.
• Whisk cream and mascarpone in a medium bowl just until smooth. Set aside.
• Pour water into a large saucepan to come 2" up the sides and bring to a simmer. Combine egg yolks, remaining 1/3 cup sugar, and 2 Tbsp. water in a medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over pan and reduce heat to low so water is at a bare simmer. Using an electric mixer (or a large whisk and a friend to fill in when your arm cramps), beat mixture on medium-high until eggs triple in volume and are extremely pale yellow and mixture forms a slowly dissolving ribbon when drizzled over itself in bowl, 5-7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat.
• Using clean beaters (or whisk), beat reserved cream mixture until medium peaks form. Add egg yolk mixture and gently fold until no streaks remain.
• Working one at a time, dip ladyfingers into chilled coffee mixture and let soak just long enough for them to soften, 1-2 seconds per side. Lay 8 cookies in prepared pan (it's okay to smush them in a bit). Spread one-third of filling over. Layer another 8 soaked ladyfingers on top and spread half of remaining filling over. Repeat layers one more time with remaining ladyfingers and filling. Cover pan with plastic wrap; chill tiramisù until firm, at least 6 hours and up to 12 hours (longer is better; you'll get cleaner slices and the layers will be fully set).
• Invert a small platter or a large plate over top of loaf pan, hold together tightly, and flip them over so plate is underneath. Set on a work surface and carefully remove pan. Peel away plastic wrap from tiramisù; discard. Generously dust tiramisù with cocoa powder. Serve in slices, dusting with more cocoa powder if desired.
• Do Ahead: Tiramisù (without cocoa powder) can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.

BEST EVER TIRAMISU

Steps:

• Put the double cream, mascarpone, marsala and golden caster sugar in a large bowl.
• Whisk until the cream and mascarpone have completely combined and have the consistency of thickly whipped cream.
• Pour the coffee into a shallow dish. Dip in a few of the sponge fingers at a time, turning for a few seconds until they are nicely soaked, but not soggy. Layer these in a dish until you've used half the sponge fingers, then spread over half of the creamy mixture.
• Using the coarse side of the grater, grate over most of the dark chocolate. Then repeat the layers (you should use up all the coffee), finishing with the creamy layer.
• Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. Will keep in the fridge for up to two days.
• To serve, dust with the cocoa powder and grate over the remainder of the chocolate.

CLASSIC TIRAMISU

Steps:

• 1. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with half the sugar until pale and doubled in volume (the mixture will maintain a "ribbon" when folded over itself), 3 to 5 minutes. Add the mascarpone in 2 or 3 additions, whisking well to combine. Add the liquor, if using, and whisk to combine.
• 2. In a clean bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and remaining sugar to soft peaks. Fold the egg whites into the mascarpone mixture in two or three additions.
• 3. In a roughly 6-by-9-inch casserole or plate with a border, spread about one third of the mascarpone cream into an even layer. Soak each individual cookie in the coffee and arrange them very tightly on top until the cream is completely covered. Spoon the remaining cream over the cookies, spreading it into an even layer.
• 4. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days to set the cream. Just before serving, dust the top with cocoa powder.

CLASSIC TIRAMISù

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer in a medium bowl, whip together egg yolks and 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar until very pale yellow and about tripled in volume. A slight ribbon should fall from the beaters (or whisk attachment) when lifted from the bowl. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, wiping out the medium bowl used to whip the yolks and set aside.
• In the medium bowl, whip cream and remaining 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar until it creates soft-medium peaks. Add mascarpone and continue to whip until it creates a soft, spreadable mixture with medium peaks. Gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the sweetened egg yolks until combined.
• Combine espresso and rum in a shallow bowl and set aside.
• Using a sifter, dust the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish (an 8x8-inch dish, or a 9-inch round cake pan would also work here) with 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.
• Working one at a time, quickly dip each ladyfinger into the espresso mixture -- they are quite porous and will fall apart if left in the liquid too long -- and place them rounded side up at the bottom of the baking dish. Repeat, using half the ladyfingers, until you've got an even layer, breaking the ladyfingers in half as needed to fill in any obvious gaps (a little space in between is O.K.). Spread half the mascarpone mixture onto the ladyfingers in one even layer. Repeat with remaining espresso-dipped ladyfingers and mascarpone mixture.
• Dust top layer with remaining tablespoon of cocoa powder. Top with shaved or finely grated chocolate, if desired.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (if you can wait 24 hours, all the better) before slicing or scooping to serve.