Costa Cruises is offering a taste of Italy in honor of national tiramisu day with an authentic recipe of the timeless dessert.
March 21 marks National Tiramisu Day, and in celebration of the day Costa Cruises is sharing a traditional tiramisu recipe that is served on board its ships for fans to savor at home.
While the provenance of tiramisu is debatable, many credit confectioner Roberto Linguanotto as the first to serve this delicious treat at his restaurant, Le Beccherie, in Treviso, Italy, in the 1960s. Despite its uncertain history, one thing is certain: Tiramisu is synonymous with fine Italian dining.
Tiramisu’s literal translation is “pick me up,” and it’s not hard to see why. Composed of ladyfinger biscuits, egg yolks, sugar, coffee, mascarpone cream and cocoa powder, this dessert is the perfect end to any meal.
“As the only cruise line flying the Italian flag, Costa takes tremendous pride in providing exceptional, authentic Italian cuisine,” said Scott Knutson, VP of sales and marketing for Costa Cruises North America. “We know many of our cruisers are anxious to return to the sea, so we wanted to share a slice of la dolce vita and a little part of the Costa experience in the meantime.”
Classic Italian Tiramisu
- Serves: 12
- Preparation time: approximately 20 minutes
- Refrigeration time: minimum 2 hours
INGREDIENTS:
- Ladyfingers (Or purchase 14 ounces of ready-made ladyfingers or biscotti)
- Eggs: 6, separated
- Sugar: 3/8 cup, divided
- Vanilla Bean: 1 piece, cut lengthwise and scooped out OR 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Flour: 1.5 cups, sifted
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Cream Filling:
- Eggs: 10, separated
- Sugar: 1/2 cup
- Mascarpone Cheese: 4 generous cups
- Salt: pinch
Coffee Syrup:
- Espresso Coffee: 2 cups
- Sugar: 2/3 cup
Garnish:
- Cocoa powder for dusting
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. or 190 degrees C.
For the homemade ladyfingers:
In a mixer, whip the egg yolks, half of the sugar and vanilla bean together. In another bowl, whip the egg whites and slowly add the remaining sugar until stiff peaks appear. Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, gently using a rubber spatula. Then, slowly sift the flour into the mixture and mix until well combined. Using a piping bag, pipe 3 1/2 -inch-long fingers onto baking tray lined with baking paper and dust with sugar and powdered sugar. Bake for 10 minutes.
For the cream filling:
Beat the egg yolks until combined, then add the sugar and beat on medium-high until thick, about 2 minutes. Add the mascarpone cheese and mix on medium speed until combined. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with sugar and pinch of salt until stiff. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg white mixture into the mascarpone mixture. Tip: add spoon by spoon using the spatula, moving it from bottom to top of the mixing bowl, gently until well incorporated.
For the coffee syrup:
Add the sugar to the espresso and mix well.
ASSEMBLY:
Lightly soak or spray the ladyfingers with the coffee syrup (do not let them get soggy) and arrange the first layer. Then pipe the cream on top of the biscuits and arrange a second layer of biscuits atop the cream, then pipe a new layer of cream on top. Finish by gently sifting cocoa powder over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Bon appétit!
