Easy Creamy Tiramisu

There has been a lot of desserts on this blog lately! There's something about the holidays that make you want that touch of sweetness in the kitchen, isn't there? Tiramisu was one of the first desserts I learned how to make as a teenager, and it's a recipe I always turn to when I'm looking for something familiar, traditional and comforting. To me, tiramisu is much like risotto in that it looks so much more evolved and complicated to make than it is. I love the mix of creamy mascarpone, coffee and chocolate in this dessert and although it's a year-long delight, it really works well at this time of year.

So here it is, my easy, fail-safe tiramisu. I hope you will cherish this recipe as much as I do. I have made little tweaks and changes over the years and this is now my ultimate tiramisu. I'm sure Tyler Florence would agree!

Easy Creamy Tiramisu
Serves 6-8

2 containers of Mascarpone
6 eggs
1 cup of sugar
1/2 vanilla bean seeds or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of rum
1 big pot of strong espresso coffee (the coffee should be stronger than the one you would drink)
1 box of ladyfingers
A couple squares of good quality bittersweet chocolate

Place the coffee in a bowl at room temperature to allow it to cool down while you prepare the rest of the dessert. Mix the egg yolks and sugar in a small bowl until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Set aside.
Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt (using an electric mixer) until stiff peaks form. Set aside. In a big bowl, add the mascarpone. If the mascarpone seems a little stiff, beat for 1-2 minutes to lighten it and make it easy to work with. Gently fold in the whites making sure that the mixture stays airy. When smooth, add the sugar and yolk mixture. Add the vanilla and stir.
Take your serving bowls and line them up on your working surface. Dip each ladyfinger into the coffee making sure each side gets properly dipped. The ladyfingers should just hold together. Arrange 2 ladyfingers at the bottom of the bowls (you may have to cut them in half beforehand depending on the size of your serving bowls). Add 2-3 ladles of the mascarpone mixture into each bowl. Top with another 2 coffee-dipped ladyfingers and top with another couple ladles of mascarpone mixture. Place in the fridge to set for 4 hours or overnight. Right before serving, grate the chocolate over the tiramisu. Enjoy!