Tiramisu – literally translated, a pick-me-up – was first documented in cookbooks in the sixties, showed up on restaurant menus (most notably Le Beccherie in Treviso, Italy) in the seventies, and was popularized in the eighties.
A quarter of the way into the 21st century, tiramisu became a symbol of joyful indulgence in pop culture, living up to its name on social media as devotees show off tiramisu-filled refrigerator drawers, handbags, and trays of tiramisu where a bicycle basket would otherwise be, for cyclists to snack on as they ride.
Desserts we eat by the spoonful have a comforting appeal, perhaps reminiscent of puddings and porridges of our childhoods. Tiramisu is both elegant and casual, and is ridiculously simple to assemble, as most icebox desserts are, by layering coffee-dunked ladyfingers – crisp, airy cookies that are generally store-bought – with whipped mascarpone, raw eggs and cream. The eggs give it a light, mousse-like texture, but can be easily left out; for non-traditionalists, whipped mascarpone (or even cream cheese) and cream produces an equally delicious tiramisu.
Though it’s most commonly served by the slice, tiramisu can be stacked free-form, Jenga-style, or assembled in a dish of any shape or size to serve by the spoonful, or layered in individual glasses. It’s the kind of thing you can make for one or two or 10 in about 10 minutes, and there’s no need to turn on the oven. Nor does it require time in the fridge – the cookies soften almost instantly once dipped in coffee, so you can serve it right away. In fact, some restaurants have tiramisu carts to build and serve dessert tableside.
When you consider that tiramisu is a simple composition of soaked cookies and cheese whipped with cream, there are infinite ways to customize it – if you want to avoid caffeine, instant decaf works perfectly. If coffee isn’t your thing, the ladyfingers could be dunked in tea (tea-ramisu), juice or even diluted booze or a mixed cocktail. Other ingredients could be layered in as well – consider stewed rhubarb (delicious with Earl Grey or lavender tea-soaked ladyfingers) or sautéed bananas, which are perfect with rum-spiked coffee.
Buttered Banana Tiramisu
Julie Van Rosendaal/The Globe and Mail
Bananas are completely optional here – for a more classic tiramisu, just leave them out. Mascarpone is a rich Italian-style cream cheese, but regular cream cheese works just fine too. For a double hit of coffee, add a bit of instant coffee to the cream mixture as you whip it.
- 2-3 large bananas
- butter or ghee, for cooking
- 250 g mascarpone or cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1½ cups whipping cream
- 1/2-1 cup cooled coffee or espresso, or any other liquid (such as tea or juice)
- a shot of rum or Kahlúa (optional)
- 16-20 ladyfingers
- cocoa (preferably Dutch-processed, which is darker), for dusting
Peel and cut the bananas in half lengthwise. In a skillet large enough to accommodate them, heat about a tablespoon of butter or ghee over medium-high heat and cook the bananas cut-side down for a few minutes, until golden on the bottom. Gently flip with a thin spatula and cook until golden on the other side. Transfer to a plate to cool.
In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone or cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until creamy and lump-free. Add the whipping cream and beat until stiff peaks form.
Put the coffee (and a shot of rum or Kahlúa, if you like) into a shallow bowl and dunk the ladyfingers as you layer them into the bottom of a dish or glass or arrange them on a platter. Add a layer of sautéed bananas, and spread with about half the cream mixture. Add another layer of dunked ladyfingers, another of bananas, and cover with the remaining cream. Use a fine sieve to dust the top with cocoa powder. Serves about 8.
