Simple Tiramisu For a Crowd

We traveled to Chicago in September for our son's Navy boot camp graduation and ended up staying a couple of extra days in the windy city. We took in the sights and sounds of the city, visited a museum to two, strolled by the lake and took a million pictures of city architecture and buildings.

We're nice and geeky like that.

The boot camp graduation just happened to fall on the weekend of our 11th wedding anniversary, so we treated ourselves and went out to our most expensive dinner to date. It was fabulous! We had dinner in the restaurant portion, and then popped over to the piano bar to have a drink and dessert. We chose the tiramisu for dessert and it was by far the best we've ever had. It was creamy and delicious and everything you think of when you think of tiramisu. Unless you don't think of tiramisu, of course.

When we came home, I started scouring my cookbooks for a recipe that I could try out. Interestingly enough, I found this recipe in a Betty Crocker cookbook from the 60's, back before people were afraid of raw eggs. So, yes, this recipe has a couple of raw egg yolks in it. If that freaks you out, there are a lot of recipes out there that cook the eggs and then continue on, or you could use pasteurized eggs. Personally, I used eggs from my own chickens and we handle them and feed them in such a way that salmonella is not an issue for us. However, proceed at your own risk. I'm not advocating anyone consuming raw or under cooked eggs of any kind. Do your research and find a recipe that suits your needs.

That being said, and warnings given, here is my recipe. I hope you make it, or a recipe like it, and enjoy the ever-lovin' stuff. I'm in love and I don't care who knows it!! Now, before anyone gets their undies in a bundle and tells me how un-authentic this really is, I know already. I KNOW. I don't know any little old Italian ladies to learn from, I don't think I even know any Italian people to be honest, so this is the recipe that I have. It works for us. If you're looking for something more authentic, this may not be for you. However, give it a shot- it's very delicious!

Simple Tiramisu for a Crowd
recipe adapted from a vintage Betty Crocker Cookbook
(I did find a similar recipe HERE)

• 2 (8 oz) containers of mascarpone cheese
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1  cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 egg yolks
• lady fingers (I used pound cake. Sorry, not one store in my "big" town carries lady fingers)
• 1 cup strong coffee (I actually used Kahlua)
• Chocolate shavings or cocoa for dusting

In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Beat until light in colored and more than doubled in volume. Add in the mascarpone cheese and mix well. In another bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff (don't over beat, though, you don't want to make butter!) Fold the heavy cream into the cheese mixture gently. Set aside. Slice pound cake and dip both sides of the slices (or ladyfingers) briefly in the Kahlua. We're going for dip, not drench here. Place one layer of Kahlua dipped slices into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Scoop out 1/2 of the cheese/egg/cream mixture and spread it over the slices of pound cake (or lady fingers). Shave some chocolate and sprinkle it on top. Repeat layers one more time, ending with a generous layer of chocolate shavings. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, so flavors can meld.

Or, you can get all fancy and make your tiramisu in cocktail glasses like I have done in the pictures. Either way, this makes enough for a crowd AND it's a crowd pleaser. Obviously, if you are going to serve this to children, opt for the coffee instead of the coffee flavored liquor.

Even simple folks like us like to have a little something fancy every once in a while. This fits the bill and it's not even that hard to make. Someday, I'll find some ladyfingers and try it that way. Until then, I'm satisfied with this version. Oh, and one final thing- you can make this whole PAN of dessert for what we paid for one SERVING at the wine bar. Food for thought :)

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