Feasting

Last Saturday Shoo invited some people from his college over for an 'international food party'. To try and keep it low key, there were just seven of us, but we had Japan, Germany, Spain and Italy/England represented. There were onigiri, tortilla, Shoo's pork and daikon stew, german sausages and dumplings whose name I forget... and I volunteered to provide the pudding.

I wanted something fairly fast and simple that would feed a lot of people, so I decided on Tiramisu. Tiramisu is always translated as 'pick-me-up' in English, but I always feel like 'pull-me-up' comes closer to the sound of the original - it's more forceful; something you don't have a choice in, and can't resist!

I adapted slightly a recipe from an Italian site, GialloZafferano (meaning yellow saffron) where there seemed to be an ongoing debate about the correctness of adding a liqueur to the coffee for soaking the Savoiardi biscuits. Traditionalists decry the addition of anything at all, though one person suggested that if something had to be added it should be grappa. A contrary sort of girl, I have no compunctions about only being a purist only when it suits me, so I shrugged my shoulders and pulled out some Appleton's rum we had in the cupboard, and thought it did very nicely. I also liked the fact that the GialloZafferano recipe called for two layers of coffee-soaked biccies and cocoa, breaking up the mousse which can be a little sickly otherwise.

I should have expected it, but the recipe, which claimed to be for 8 portions, actually yielded more like 10 or twelve reasonable servings. In fact, we had so much food last Saturday that by pudding time we were already pretty stuffed. We made a valiant assault on it, but still only got through three quarters of one dish. That still left another trayful. Which was no bad thing - I can vouch that it's just as, if not more delicious, for breakfast :)

Tiramisu
For 10-12
No cooking involved, so you must use uber-fresh eggs!

6 eggs
100g sugar
500g mascarpone
Strong freshly-brewed coffee, a mug full
about 400g Savoiardi (sponge fingers)
splash of dark rum or other liqueur e.g. grappa or coffee liqueur
cocoa powder for dusting
chocolate shavings or curls for decoration (optional)

Start by separating the eggs. Place the yolks and whites separately in large bowls.
Whisk the yolks with half the sugar until thick, pale in colour, and fluffy.

In another bowl, soften the mascarpone by beating with a whisk or wooden spoon, then add it spoonful by spoonful to the egg yolk and sugar mixture, whisking all the time, until you have a smooth, thick cream.

Using very clean electric beater, whisk the whites for a minute or so, add the sugar, and whisk again until very stiff (but not quite meringue stiff).

Add the egg white to the egg-yolk-mascarpone mix a little at the time, using a cutting and folding motion to incorporate it. Continue to cut and fold gently until the egg white is evenly distributed and there are no lumps.

Now for the assembly. Place the hot coffee in a shallow bowl with any liqueur you are using.
Get your tiramisu dish ready - a semi-deep glass or ceramic dish is best. I had to use two dishes with a combined depth of about 3 litres.

Dip the savoiardi into the coffee - not so much that they go soggy - and lay them in the bottom of the dish, continuing until you have covered it. Top with a layer of the tiramisu 'mousse' about an inch thick. Dust generously with cocoa.

Repeat the whole process again, so that you have a double-layer tiramisu, and don't forget to dust the top with chocolate again (I know you wouldn't). Refrigerate for at least four hours.
top with chocolate curls or shards to serve, if you wish. And a tip for serving - use a knife dipped in hot water and dried to help you cut cleanly.