Old School Tiramisù Recipes

Steps:

• Lightly oil a 9x5" loaf pan and line with plastic wrap, leaving plenty of overhang. Whisk coffee, rum, salt, and 1 Tbsp. sugar in a shallow dish until sugar and salt dissolve. Chill until ready to use.
• Whisk cream and mascarpone in a medium bowl just until smooth. Set aside.
• Pour water into a large saucepan to come 2" up the sides and bring to a simmer. Combine egg yolks, remaining 1/3 cup sugar, and 2 Tbsp. water in a medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over pan and reduce heat to low so water is at a bare simmer. Using an electric mixer (or a large whisk and a friend to fill in when your arm cramps), beat mixture on medium-high until eggs triple in volume and are extremely pale yellow and mixture forms a slowly dissolving ribbon when drizzled over itself in bowl, 5-7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat.
• Using clean beaters (or whisk), beat reserved cream mixture until medium peaks form. Add egg yolk mixture and gently fold until no streaks remain.
• Working one at a time, dip ladyfingers into chilled coffee mixture and let soak just long enough for them to soften, 1-2 seconds per side. Lay 8 cookies in prepared pan (it's okay to smush them in a bit). Spread one-third of filling over. Layer another 8 soaked ladyfingers on top and spread half of remaining filling over. Repeat layers one more time with remaining ladyfingers and filling. Cover pan with plastic wrap; chill tiramisù until firm, at least 6 hours and up to 12 hours (longer is better; you'll get cleaner slices and the layers will be fully set).
• Invert a small platter or a large plate over top of loaf pan, hold together tightly, and flip them over so plate is underneath. Set on a work surface and carefully remove pan. Peel away plastic wrap from tiramisù; discard. Generously dust tiramisù with cocoa powder. Serve in slices, dusting with more cocoa powder if desired.
• Do Ahead: Tiramisù (without cocoa powder) can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Steps:

• Combine egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add mascarpone cheese and 2 tablespoons amaretto. Beat well.
• Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl with clean beaters until stiff peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites into the mascarpone mixture.
• Pour espresso and remaining 2 tablespoons amaretto into a shallow dish. Stir well. Working one at a time, quickly dip each ladyfinger into the espresso mixture and line the bottom of an 8-inch glass dish.
• Once the bottom of the dish is covered in an even layer of espresso-soaked ladyfingers, top with 1/2 the mascarpone mixture. Repeat with another ladyfinger layer, followed by the remaining mascarpone mixture. Chill in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.
• Dust with cocoa powder before serving.

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer in a medium bowl, whip together egg yolks and 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar until very pale yellow and about tripled in volume. A slight ribbon should fall from the beaters (or whisk attachment) when lifted from the bowl. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, wiping out the medium bowl used to whip the yolks and set aside.
• In the medium bowl, whip cream and remaining 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar until it creates soft-medium peaks. Add mascarpone and continue to whip until it creates a soft, spreadable mixture with medium peaks. Gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the sweetened egg yolks until combined.
• Combine espresso and rum in a shallow bowl and set aside.
• Using a sifter, dust the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish (an 8x8-inch dish, or a 9-inch round cake pan would also work here) with 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.
• Working one at a time, quickly dip each ladyfinger into the espresso mixture -- they are quite porous and will fall apart if left in the liquid too long -- and place them rounded side up at the bottom of the baking dish. Repeat, using half the ladyfingers, until you've got an even layer, breaking the ladyfingers in half as needed to fill in any obvious gaps (a little space in between is O.K.). Spread half the mascarpone mixture onto the ladyfingers in one even layer. Repeat with remaining espresso-dipped ladyfingers and mascarpone mixture.
• Dust top layer with remaining tablespoon of cocoa powder. Top with shaved or finely grated chocolate, if desired.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (if you can wait 24 hours, all the better) before slicing or scooping to serve.