The sheer variety of familiar foods often leaves the shopping public bemused. Even buying something as simple as a yogurt involves choosing not only on the flavour but also between fat-free, low-sugar, Greek-style, whipped, layered or any one of a dozen more options.
This isn’t a limited trend, either, as dozens of long-established food products have been tweaked to widen the target market to stretching point. However, it doesn’t always pay to mess with something which became popular precisely because it looked and tasted a particular way, and this is definitely the case with the modern classic Italian dessert tiramisu.
No Kidding
If you yearn for a dessert that will be egg-free, spurn alcohol, substitute cream for all or part of the mascarpone cheese or include any kind of fruit, then go ahead and make it, but don’t call it tiramisu, because it’s not.
The Essential Components of a Classic Tiramisu
Start with around 20-24 genuine savoiardi – the type imported from Italy. They are readily available online, or you can make your own. These should be soaked briefly (not just dipped) in 100 ml at least of espresso, or good-quality very strong coffee.
The cream should always be made from mascarpone cheese, mixed with sugar, whipped egg whites and a greater number of yolks. There’s more flexibility when it comes to the (optional) alcohol. Basically, Marsala wine, coffee or almond liqueur, rum, or brandy are fine – just not all at the same time!
The tiramisu should have four layers and the cheese topping dusted with fine cocoa powder before being left to chill and set for around six hours.
The Irish Have It Right
Fans of cookery shows are probably aware that innovative twists to homemade goodies rarely succeed, and such is the case with tiramisu. To enjoy it to the fullest extent possible, this is a dessert which should always be true to the recipe recognized as being closest the original – advice which the Irish have taken to heart. Any authentic Dublin Italian restaurant should be serving the real thing, which means there are plenty of eateries such as Toscana Dublins Italian Restaurant to indulge a sweet tooth in.
Always insist on a classic Italian tiramisu, with ingredients that blend to produce a marriage made in food heaven.
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