Though tiramisù originated in Italy in the late 1960s, it didn’t take long for it to gain a legion of fans in Oz, especially in Sydney, where it’s said to have first appeared on menus in the ’70s. Because of concern about eating raw eggs, this version leaves them out, but it is no less creamy. Amazon sells authentic ladyfingers from Italy; Vicenzovo is an excellent brand.
Ingredients
- 2 cups freshly made decaf coffee, preferably espresso strength
- 2 cups chilled heavy cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 16 ounces mascarpone, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- About 24 ladyfingers
- 2 ounces coarsely chopped dark chocolate
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Directions
Step 1
Make the coffee in a wide measuring cup; set aside to cool. Whip the cream and sugar until the cream is stiff. In a separate bowl, whisk the mascarpone and olive oil, then fold into the whipped cream.
Step 2
Choose a serving dish about 12x7x3 or 8 inches square (you can use any similar-sized dish, or go a little bigger if you have extra ladyfingers). Before you begin, map out a ladyfinger pattern in the dish so you’ll know the direction to line them up.
Step 3
To start, place a dollop of the cream in the bottom of the dish and use a spatula to spread it out a bit. One by one, quickly dunk a ladyfinger in the coffee and place it in the dish. Repeat until you have your first layer. Use a large spoon to dollop half the cream over the ladyfingers and a narrow offset spatula to smooth it out, getting into the corners. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate evenly on top. Repeat the sequence to make a second layer. Use a fine strainer or shaker-top jar to sprinkle the cocoa over the top. Cover and refrigerate from 4 hours to overnight.
Serves 8