Tiramisu feels sophisticated but it's really easy to make. This is the first Tiramisu recipe I ever tried. My brother still claims that it's his favorite Tiramisu.
This tiramisu recipe is probably the first 'fancy' dessert recipe that I learned to make. It is also mostly likely the first time I ever used a double boiler for anything.
I found this recipe many years ago in an issue of Cooking Light magazine. I've adapted it over the years to make it my own. The original recipe calls for "light cream cheese" and "Cool Whip". While these two ingredients might give you a few less calories, I'm a firm believer in keepin' it real. I like to use full-fat cream cheese and real whipping cream.
Traditionally, tiramisu is made with a rich custard and marscapone cheese. This lighter version of tiramisu uses beaten egg whites folded into a little bit of whipped cream cheese. This approach yields a lighter and fluffier texture than the traditional recipe. Don't get me wrong, they are both fantastically delicious and I have made them both.
I'm sharing this version of the recipe because there is a lot of nostalgia attached to it.
'Light' or not, 'nostalgic' or not...every time I bring this to this to a party I get several requests for the recipe. It is much-loved by everyone that tastes it.
On a recent trip to San Diego my brother and I were talking about this tiramisu. My husband and daughter were like, "What? Why have we never had this Tiramisu?" Then they kept claiming that this infamous Tiramisu seemed to be merely a myth. In the spirit of proving its existence, I pulled this recipe out again. You could say that their harassment had the desired effect!
Laura's Tiramisu
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 cups Whipped Cream divided
- ⅔ cup Powdered Sugar
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese room temperature
- ½ cup Sugar
- ¼ cup Water
- 3 Egg Whites
Espresso
- ½ cup Boiling Water
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Instant Espresso
- 2 tbsp Kahlua or other coffee flavored liqueur
- 20 Lady Fingers
- ½ tsp Unsweetened Baking Cocoa or grated unsweetened chocolate
Instructions
Start The Filling
- Add cream cheese to mixer and beat until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar and mix thoroughly.
- Fold 1 cup of whipped topping into the mixture.
- Set Aside.
In A Double Boiler:
- Combine ½ cup of sugar, ¼ cup of water and the egg whites.
- Place over simmering water.
- Beat the mixture with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Remove from heat.
- Fold egg white mixture into the cream cheese, using ¼ of the mixture at a time.
Make espresso mixture.
- Split lady fingers in half lengthwise.
- Spread lady fingers in an 9x 13 inch baking dish.
- Drizzle with ½ of espresso mixture.
- Spread ½ of cream cheese filling over the first layer.
- Repeat with remaining lady fingers and the remaining espresso and cream cheese mixture.
- Top with a the remaining whipped cream.
- Dust with cocoa or grated unsweetened chocolate.
- Place toothpicks in each corner.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
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