Tiramisu for Two
CAKE INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup espresso (1 Tbsp espresso powder dissolved in 1/2 cup boiling water
1 Tbsp Kahlua (coffee liqueur)
1 Tbsp powdered sugar
12-18 lady fingers (found in the bakery section of the grocery store)
ZABAGLIONE INGREDIENTS
2 egg yolks, room temperature
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp Kahlua
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 inch vanilla bean
1 Tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
INSTRUCTIONS
In a small bowl, combine espresso, 1 Tbsp Kahlua and 1 Tbsp powdered sugar. Set aside.
In large bowl, add heavy cream.
Cut vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out seeds with a spoon.
Add seeds to heavy cream and stir. Add remaining bean pod. Set aside.
In a heat-safe bowl, resting over a pot of simmering water (double boiler), rapidly whisk together egg yolks and granulated sugar. Continue stirring until mixture lightens in color and reaches 160 degrees on a candy thermometer.
Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 Tbsp Kahlua. Let cool for another 5 minutes.
Remove vanilla bean pod and add 1 Tbsp powdered sugar to heavy cream.
Using a hand mixer, whip cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Add mascarpone to egg mixture and beat for 30 seconds until smooth and fluffy.
Fold whipped cream into egg and cheese. Don’t over mix and lose volume. Set aside.
Cut lady fingers into 1/4 inch pieces and place in a bowl.
Drizzle espresso mixture over the lady fingers a few tablespoons at a time and stir. Repeat until lady fingers are coated in sauce, but are not saturated (about 1/2 of the sauce).
Spoon 2 Tbsp of zabaglione mixture into serving dish (I use a stemless wine glass so that you can see the layers).
Spoon 1/4 lady fingers over the zabaglione.
Repeat until the 2 serving dishes have 3 layers of zabaglione and 2 layers of lady fingers (end on a zabaglione layer)
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving. Can be made a day ahead.
Serve as is or dust with cocoa powder and chocolate shavings.
Hope McCarthy