by Austin Butler
Tiramisu has been a favorite dessert of mine ever since my grandmother prepared it for me as a teenager. I loved it so much I must have eaten six servings that evening, and I could not for the life of me fall asleep that night before trudging off to school the next day. It was only the next day my grandmother explained that tiramisu means “pull me up” in Italian because of the strong coffee used to soak the biscuits. Traditional tiramisu recipes called for the use of Savoyardi biscuits (Lady Fingers), but here I decided to substitute biscotti or cantuccini as the Italians would say. These cantuccini from Antonio Mattei are a staple of the shop during the holidays. I enjoy the crunch and texture the sliced almonds baked into them bring to this very soft dessert.
Antonio Mattei Biscotti
450 g Mascarpone (or two 8oz containers)
2 bags Antonio Mattei Biscotti
3.5oz heavy cream
4oz Badia a Coltibuon Vin Santo or another sweet wine like Marsala
6oz strong coffee
125 g (1 c) sugar
3 eggs
1 bar dark chocolate or cocoa powder (for dusting)
1 lemon
Separate the egg yolks and whites.
In a separate bowl combine the egg yolks and half the sugar. Beat until creamy and all the sugar is dissolved. Add the mascarpone and stir to combine. Add the heavy cream and give it a final mix.
Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. I add a few drops of lemon juice to help the whites stiffen.
Gently fold the egg whites into the mascarpone mixture. It will seem too wet at first, but keep folding and you should end up with a nice, airy batter.
Brew a strong cup of coffee. Add the remaining sugar and the Vin Santo and stir until dissolved.
Dunk the biscotti into the coffee mixture for just a second or two. If you leave them too long they will become sodden and break, leading to a very wet tiramisu that weeps coffee. We also want these biscotti to soak up some of the mascarpone mixture as it sets.
Spread a layer of the mascarpone cream on the bottom of your serving dish. Layer with the soaked biscotti. Repeat and finish with mascarpone on top.
Reserve in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight to set.
Top with grated chocolate or cocoa powder, or even some crumbled biscotti. Serve alongside a glass of Vin Santo.