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    Nonna Anna's Tiramisu Recipe

    December 17, 2020 by Anna 2 Comments

    Tiramisu is an Italian phrase which literally means "pick me up," and this dessert will accomplish that. Because the main ingredients are eggs, creamy cheese and espresso, it is as appropriate for a breakfast or brunch buffet as it is after dinner as dessert!

    A rectangular tiramisu covered with cocoa and chocolate curls; overhead shot.

    The first time I ever tasted Tiramisu the combination of flavors and textures on my taste buds sent me to my happy place. Even though I never had this as a child, it's like a comfort food for me.

    This is the perfect holiday dessert. It is sinfully creamy and best when prepared a day ahead; so you get a beautiful presentation of wonderful deliciousness with no last minute fussing.

    A piece of tiramisu on a plate garnished with raspberries and mint sprigs.

    Try this for a holiday brunch. It is practically a breakfast in itself, eggs, cream, coffee, cheese...a perfect brunch addition.

    No Bake AND Make Ahead!

    Hurray for no bake desserts! Just one layer requires cooking on the stove top, not counting if you make your espresso on the stove top.

    Once you have everything staged, the assembly is a snap.

    tiramisu ingredients, espresso, zabaglione, lady fingers, cream

    The trickiest part of the recipe is the Zabaglione. Zabaglione, by itself, is an Italian dessert, consisting of egg yolks, sugar and marsala wine or another liqueur.

    If you want to make this and skip the whole Tiramisu, just serve the Zabaglione with fresh berries!

    When Nonna Anna was a young child in Naples, Zabaglione was often served for breakfast…no alcohol and they used whole fresh eggs; pure protein with some sugar thrown in for tastiness. (Yes, my mother-in-law’s name is the same as mine, so we call her “Nonna Anna”.)

    A piece of tiramisu on a plate garnished with raspberries and mint sprigs.

    This recipe gives the measurements for an 11 x 7 inch glass dish. For a more dramatic presentation you can also make this in a trifle bowl.

    The quantities will differ depending on the size of your bowl, but it should be fairly simple to figure out.

    More No Bake Desserts

    • Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies - YES, there is a no bake cookie!
    • Java Almond Fudge Ice Cream - Is it your favorite?
    • Cheesecake Mousse - Perfect for MANY occasions.
    • Neapolitan Ice Cream Soda - A classic!
    • Nonna Anna's Zuccotto - Fun to make and pretty!

    If you make this, please let us know how your Tiramisu turns out! And we'd love if you add a star rating to the recipe card. Thank you!

    Tiramisu SQ
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    Please leave a rating!

    5 from 1 vote

    Tiramisu

    "Tiramisu" is an Italian phrase which literally means "pick me up," and this dessert will accomplish that. This recipe gives the measurements for an 11 x 7 inch glass dish. For a more dramatic presentation you can also make this in a trifle bowl. The quantities will differ depending on the size of your bowl, but it should be fairly simple to figure out.
    Prep Time45 mins
    Minimum Chilling Time4 hrs
    Total Time4 hrs 45 mins
    Course: Brunch, Dessert
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: Tiramisu
    Servings: 12 servings
    Author: Anna

    Special Equipment

    • 11" x 7" glass or ceramic dish

    Ingredients

    • 1 package crispy Lady Fingers cookies - this should be about 24 cookies, be sure you buy the crispy cookies
    • 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
    • 1 ½ cups Espresso, sweetened with 4 teaspoons sugar and cooled, you can make fresh or use instant.
    • ¼ cup cocoa powder, about ¼
    • 1 recipe zabaglione, recipe follows
    • 1 8-ounce container frozen Lite Cool Whip, defrosted
    • 1 7x11-inch glass or ceramic dish

    Zabaglione

    • 6 egg yolks
    • 5 Tablespoons sugar, superfine sugar works best
    • 2 Tablespoons Marsala wine

    Garnish, Optional

    • Berries
    • Mint leaves
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    Instructions

    To make the ZABAGLIONE

    • Bring about an inch of water to a boil in the saucepan.
    • While the water is coming to a boil, in the glass bowl, with a hand mixer on high speed, beat the egg yolks and sugar until light yellow.
    • Stir in the marsala wine.
    • Reduce the heat under the pan of boiling water to a simmer and place the glass bowl over the water, make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. (Or use a double-boiler.)
    • Whisk until the mixture thickens slightly, the texture is consistent, and the color is a pale yellow. A good test: dip a spoon into the zabaglione. Run the tip of your finger through the mixture on the back of the spoon. If the trail stays, the zabaglione is done.
    • Use an instant read thermometer and remove from heat when the temperature reaches between 140º and 150º This should take 8 to 10 minutes.
    • Remove the bowl from the simmering water and continue whisking the egg mixture for about a minute to stop the cooking.
    • It is important to never stop whisking and to not overcook, you want the mixture to be creamy, not scrambled eggs.

    ASSEMBLY:

    • Mix ¼ cup of the espresso with the mascarpone cheese. This will make the mascarpone easier to spread.
    • Pour the sweetened, cooled espresso into a pie plate.

    LAYER #1

    • Dip a lady finger into the espresso, turn it over, remove quickly, and place in the 7x11 dish, make one whole layer of lady fingers dipped in espresso.

    LAYER #2

    • Dollop on top of the lady finger layer half of the mascarpone mixture - If it is difficult to spread, add a little more espresso.

    LAYER #3

    • Drizzle half of the zabaglione over the mascarpone layer.

    LAYER #4

    • Then  spoon on half of the Lite Non-Dairy Whipped Topping.

    LAYER #5

    • Using a small sieve or shaker can, sprinkle cocoa powder over the whipped topping.
    • Do a second pass of all the layers.
    • After the final layer, sprinkle generously with the cocoa powder for a rich, chocolaty flavor. You can also add chocolate shavings to make it a little fancier.
    • Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. But this dessert tastes best if made the day before and thoroughly chilled.

    Notes

    Gr8 Do Ahead Tip:
    To fully experience the true flavors, make this dessert the day before serving and refrigerate.
    Gr8 Tips:
    • If you make espresso for breakfast, make extra and set it out to cool for later.
    • Make sure to defrost the frozen whipped topping in the refrigerator the night before, it will be easier to spread.
    • If you make egg white omelets, save your yokes. These should keep in the fridge for about 4 days, tightly covered.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @Great8Friends or tag #gr8food!
    « Wild Rice with Mushrooms Recipe
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Anna

      April 18, 2015 at 8:46 am

      Yes, that's the plan. Thanks for your comments and suggestions, we Gr8-ly appreciate the help!

    2. alex

      April 13, 2015 at 8:12 pm

      you should sign each post by the person who wrote it so that it's more clear

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