~ Tiramisu ~

Tiramisu is a delicious, classic Italian dessert made up of the delicate lady finger cookies dipped in coffee and mascarpone filling. This is a truly amazing, decadent dessert!

Ladyfingers

Before we started baking, we preheated the oven to 350 degrees and lined the baking sheets with parchment paper. One of us also zested two lemons.

We then filled our pot with a couple inches of water and put it on the burner to boil. Once it was boiling we turned down the heat so that it would continue to steam. While the water was boiling, we put the eggs, sugar, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer and used the spatula to combine. Once the water was steaming, we put the bowl on top of the pot and continued to stir until the egg mixture reached 160 degrees.

 

Chemical Explanation: During this process, we had to be careful that the eggs didn’t turn into scrambled eggs but also we had to keep it hot enough so the mixture would reach 160 degrees F. If the mixture got too hot, it would start to turn into scrambled eggs — the eggs would curdle (when the egg protein denatures and forms clumps of coagulated protein, leaving out water, sugar and fat molecules). If it was too cool, it would never hit 160. With the sugar, the egg protein denatured and diluted, and once the eggs had coagulated, the extra molecules intercept the protein-protein bonds, making the protein network weaker. Heating the eggs under steam helped keep a constant temperature while cooking.

We then transferred the bowl to the stand mixer that was fitted with a whisk attachment. We whipped it on high until the eggs were foamy, had more than quadrupled in size, and was thick enough to look like soft serve ice cream when dropping off the whisk.

This is an incredibly important step because if the egg mixture does not mix enough and therefore become stiff enough, the dough will be loose and the lady fingers will not be able to rise properly.

  

 

Once the lady fingers are piped onto the baking sheets, make sure to dust them with powdered sugar because it helps them to spread less and rise more. The sugar helps to absorb the excess moisture from the batter.

  

Tiramisu

While the lady fingers were baking in the oven, we brewed the coffee. To make the coffee we put 1 tablespoon of Italian coffee in the Aeropress coffee maker. Then when the water was boiling, we poured the boiling water into the Aeropress chamber until it reached the number two. We mixed the water and coffee grinds and then put the plunger in the chamber.

After 1 minute and 15 seconds we stirred again and then put the plunger back in on an angle. Then we pushed the plunger down to get the coffee to go through the filter and into a mug.

Next we poured the coffee into a large glass bowl and then added 2 tablespoons of Marsala. We mixed the coffee and Marsala and we will use this mixture later to dunk the ladyfingers in.

   

We are able to smell the coffee because the aroma molecules (terpenes) are volatile and travel throughout the air to into one’s nose. Italian coffee has volatile molecules because the steam is composed of molecules that can travel throughout the air and are in the gas phase. The aroma molecules also evaporate over time which gives coffee its constant smell. The process of a person experiencing the smell occurs through signal transduction. Signal transduction begins with the aroma molecules binding to the GPCR proteins (transmembrane) which are embedded in the cell membrane in the lining of the nasal passages. Then the alpha subunit of the G-protein binds to the GTP. The GTP binds to and activates the enzyme adenylate cyclase which makes a second messenger called cyclic AMP (cAMP). This causes an increase in Ca2+ and Na+ cations into the cell and will eventually cause neurotransmission. Neurotransmission is the process that communicates the aroma with the brain and allows the person to smell.

Ladyfingers after they came out of the oven:

In a large bowl, we whisked the egg yolks and ¼ cup sugar until the texture was in “ribbons.” Little by little, we added the mascarpone.

In a separate bowl, we whisked the egg whites and the remaining ¼ cup sugar, so there were stiff, glossy peaks.

We then added the egg white mixture to the mascarpone mixture, folding to mix.

We took the lady fingers, and brushed them with the coffee and marsala mix, which we had previously made and had cooled to room temperature. At first we tried dipping them quickly in the coffee/marsala, but they became soggy. With the lady fingers, we layered the bottom of the pan.

After the first layer of ladyfingers, we spread half of the mascarpone on top, and then on top of that, we added another layer of lady fingers. And to top it off, we put the rest of the mascarpone on top.

    

We then put the tiramisu in the freezer for about 45 minutes.

We finished the tiramisu by sifting cocoa powder on top of the mascarpone, in a thin layer that covered the entire surface of the tiramisu.

 

       

To serve, we sliced the tiramisu, serving it out of the pan onto plates. It was very messy and they did not hold their shape.

It was difficult to slice the pieces, because they’d fall apart easily; so next time, I think it would work better if we made mini individual tiramisus in the ramekins.

 

Video

Full Recipe

Ladyfingers                                                                

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• ⅔ cup of sugar
• ¼ teaspoon of diamond crystal kosher salt
• Lemon zest (1 tablespoon ~2 lemons)
• 1 cup of flour
• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Equipment:

• Piping bag
• ½ inch round tip
• KitchenAid stand mixer
• Measuring cup/ measuring spoons
• Spatula
• Spoonula
• Cooling racks
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• Saucepan
• Mesh sieve
• Lemon zester/grater

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉, line the baking sheets with parchment paper, and put an ½ inch round tip in the piping bag.
2. Zest 2 lemons which is about 1 tablespoon of lemon zest.
3. Fill the pot with a couple inches of water and put it on the burner to boil.
4. Once it is boiling turn down the heat so it continues to steam.
5. While the water is boiling put the eggs, sugar, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer and used the spatula to combine.
6. Once the water is steaming, put the bowl on top of the pot and continue to stir until the egg mixture reaches 160℉.
7. Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer that is fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip it on high until the eggs are foamy, more than quadrupled in size, and is thick enough to look like soft serve ice cream when dropping off the whisk.
8. Add lemon zest, sift the cornstarch and flour on top. Then fold the mixture gently with a spoonula to mix the flour and cornstarch in.
9. Transfer dough into a piping bag with a ½ inch round tip.
10. Pipe the ladyfingers (3 inches by 1 inches) onto the baking sheets, make sure to dust them with powdered sugar before putting them in the oven. Bake in Oven for 12 minutes.

Tiramisu

Ingredients:

• 6 egg yolks
• 4 egg whites
• ½ cup of sugar
• 2 cups of mascarpone
• Ladyfingers
• 1 ½ cups of Italian coffee(1 tablespoon of coffee grounds)
• 2 Tbls. marsala

Equipment:

• Aeropress coffee maker or another form of making coffee.
• Mug
• Large glass bowl (to construct tiramisu)
• Bowl (to fill with coffee and marsala to dip ladyfingers in)
• Hand mixer
• KitchenAid stand mixer
• Kettle
• Spoonula

Directions

1. Brew the coffee with the Aeropress. In order to do this, put a filter in the filter cap and screw onto the chamber. Then put the chamber on top of a mug and put the funnel on top of the chamber. Then add 1 tablespoon of Italian coffee grounds into the chamber. Then pour boiling water into the chamber until the water reaches the number 2 circled on the side of the chamber. Then stir for a few seconds and put the plunger in on an angle (Do not push down on the plunger). Let it sit for 1 minute and 15 seconds. Then take plunger out and stir the coffee. Finally put the plunger back in the chamber and plunge. This will cause the coffee (liquid) to go into the mug. 
2. Next pour the coffee into a large glass bowl and then add 2 tablespoons of Marsala. Mixed the coffee and Marsala (this mixture will be used later to dunk the ladyfingers in).
3. In a large bowl, whisk the 6 egg yolks and ¼ cup sugar until the texture is in “ribbons.” Little by little, add the mascarpone.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the 4 egg whites and the remaining ¼ cup sugar, so there are stiff, glossy peaks.
5. Add the egg white mixture to the mascarpone mixture, folding to mix.
6.  Dip the ladyfingers into the coffee and marsala mix, which we had previously made and had cooled to room temperature. With the lady fingers, layer the bottom of a clean large glass bowl.
7. After the first layer of ladyfingers, spread half of the mascarpone on top, and then on top of that, add another layer of lady fingers (dipped in coffee and marsala). Then put the rest of the mascarpone on top.
8. Put saran wrap over the bowl and put in the refrigerator for 8 hours or in the freezer for about an hour. Lastly, sift cocoa powder on top of the final layer of mascarpone covering the whole surface. To Serve, cut the tiramisu into slices like a pie.