Tiramisu: a recipe for easy entertaining

I've seen tiramisu recipes that start with pound cake, angel food cake or sponge cake. In my mind, however, it's not tiramisu unless it's made with the crisp Italian ladyfingers called savoiardi. The soft American version won't do -- you need a crisp little cake to soak up the mixture of coffee and liqueur that gives tiramisu its name, which translates to "pick me up." Look for savoiardi with the imported cookies in well-stocked supermarkets or seek out an Italian grocery.

On the other hand, classic tiramisu is made with well-beaten but uncooked eggs. I prefer this custard-based version, which has an appealing texture and lovely flavor. Reducing worries about food safety, especially when transporting the dessert to a holiday potluck, is a bonus. Just keep the tiramisu cold, either in the refrigerator or in an insulated carrier.

I created this recipe when I was making dessert for my book club -- and the discussion following dinner was, in a word, spirited.

TIRAMISU
Yield: 16 to 20 servings

6 egg yolks (see note)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup milk (2 percent or whole)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
1 pound mascarpone cheese
2 cups espresso or strong coffee, at room temperature
1 cup coffee liqueur (such as Kahlua) 
About 12 ounces savoiardi (crisp Italian ladyfingers; see note)
About 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 

In a medium saucepan, whisk together yolks and sugar. Whisk in milk. Place over medium heat. Stirring constantly with a silicone spatula or a wooden spoon, bring to a boil. As you stir, scrape the bottom and the sides of the pan. When slow bubbles rise and break the surface, reduce the heat to medium-low. Still stirring, cook until mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; pour into a large bowl. Stir in vanilla. Stir frequently until custard is cool enough to refrigerate. To prevent a skin from forming, cover the entire surface with a sheet of plastic wrap, pressing it against the custard. Refrigerate until cold.

When ready to proceed, whip cream until stiff peaks form.

Add half the mascarpone to cold custard; stir with a whisk until well blended. Whisk in the remaining mascarpone. Add whipped cream to the bowl. Fold whipped cream into custard mixture with a spatula, blending completely but being careful not to overmix. Set aside.

Stir together coffee and liqueur in a bowl or pan large enough to dip the ladyfingers. (A loaf pan is perfect.) One at a time, dip both sides of the ladyfingers into the mixture and arrange in a single layer covering the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Dip just enough ladyfingers to form a single layer.  Set aside the remaining ladyfingers and dipping liquid.

Dollop half of the custard mixture over the soaked ladyfingers. Smooth into an even layer. (An offset spatula is the best tool for this task.)

Dip as many of the remaining ladyfingers as needed in the coffee mixture, making an even layer over the custard. Top with the remaining custard,  smoothing it into an even layer. Spoon cocoa powder into a fine-mesh strainer and sprinkle over the top.

Cover with plastic wrap, taking care not to touch the surface of the tiramisu. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.

Notes:

• If you wish, use the egg whites to make meringue cookies. Don't make meringues on a humid day, however, or they'll stay sticky no matter how long you bake them.

• You can bake your own savoiardi using a recipe such as this one.

Stuffed French toast for brunch -- or dessert

If you have house guests over the holidays -- or even if you don't -- stuffed French toast would be a tasty surprise for friends or family. Serve it with bacon or sausage and a fruit salad for brunch, or cut the toasted sandwiches into quarters and offer with a cup of coffee for dessert or a late-night snack.

I like to fill the sandwiches with thin layers of a chocolate-hazelnut spread such as Nutella and bitter orange marmalade. Don't overdue the filling or it will leak out during cooking.

When I was in Cottlesville, Mo., recently, I stopped by a new candy store and coffee shop, VanBuskirk Artisanal Chocolates, and came home with a jar of chocolate-caramel jam with toasted hazelnuts that had been cooked in a copper kettle. When making these sandwiches, I paired the jam with orange marmalade and bread from another St. Louis-area business, The Daily Bread Bakery and Cafe. All three products were delicious, and a jar of chocolate jam and/or a jar of orange marmalade would make a sweet gift to a teacher or another someone special.

You could substitute peanut butter for the chocolate spread and experiment with different fruit jams, such as raspberry. Bananas would be a nice addition to the sandwich  or replacement for the jam.

You can use your favorite bread in this French toast, but I think a thinly sliced white bread made with eggs, such as challah or brioche, work best.

Finally, keep the burner on medium-low while you cook the sandwiches. If the heat is too high, the bread will brown before the eggs cook through.

STUFFED FRENCH TOAST
Yield: 3 servings

2 eggs
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 thin slices white bread
2 tablespoons chocolate-hazelnut spread
2 tablespoons bitter orange marmalade
1 teaspoon butter

Beat eggs in a small bowl. Beat in milk and vanilla. Pour into a shallow dish, such as a pie plate.

Spread 3 slices of bread with a thin layer of chocolate-hazelnut spread. Spread the remaining 3 slices of bread with a thin layer of marmalade. Close the sandwiches.

Dip sandwiches into egg mixture, turning them several times so both sides absorb the mixture evenly. Meanwhile, melt butter over medium-low heat in a large nonstick skillet.

Cook sandwiches until golden on both sides, turning frequently.

This Thanksgiving, pass the chutney

Here's my Thanksgiving grocery list:

Turkey ... check
Pumpkin ... check
Green beans ... check
Cranberries ... check
Figs ... figs?

Yes, figs. They're as essential to my Thanksgiving cooking as the other, more predictable ingredients on  my list. That's because I can't make cranberry fig chutney without them.

I've been making this recipe, with a few tweaks, since it was published in Bon Appetit more than 20 years ago. The chutney is beautiful on the table and delicious on the plate. But don't stop there -- it's excellent with ham and chicken, and a sandwich of leftover turkey, brie and cranberry fig chutney cannot be beat.

If you have a food processor, pull it out for this recipe. If not, you'll spend some time chopping, but I think you'll find the results well worth the effort.

Make the chutney at least 24 hours before you serve it. If you taste it when it finishes cooking, you'll probably think it's awful. The flavors will be sharp and unpleasant. But let the ingredients meld, and the magic happens.

CRANBERRY FIG CHUTNEY
Yield: 1 quart; about 16 servings

1 (12-ounce) bag cranberries
1 1/2 tablespoons peeled and finely chopped ginger 
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large or 8 small dried figs, stemmed  and chopped
1 orange, washed well and dried, chopped and seeded (do not peel)
2 tablespoons raisins
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground red (cayenne) pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Wash berries; drain well. Discard any soft berries. Transfer to a medium nonaluminum saucepan. Add remaining ingredients.

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Cook until all the berries pop, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Ladle into clean jars; cover with lids. Let sit at room temperature until cool, then refrigerate for up to 6 weeks.

Tips: 

• Use the tip of a spoon to peel the ginger.

• If using a thin-skinned orange, chop the entire orange, including the white pith. If the orange has a thick layer of pith, you might want to remove the colored portion of the peel (the zest) with a vegetable peeler or paring knife, then cut off and discard the pith. Chop the zest and the orange.

• To prepare ingredients with a food processor, follow this sequence: Chop ginger; measure and add to pan. Chop onion; measure and add to pan. Process figs with about 2 tablespoons of the sugar until chopped (the sugar prevents sticking); add to pan. Process orange until chopped; add to pan along with the remaining ingredients.

• This recipe can be doubled and cooked in a large stockpot.