Item #19 – Make a Tiramisu from Scratch

40 Things for 40 Years in 40 Weeks: Item #19 (Cooking Goals) – Make a Tiramisu from Scratch

It is no secret that I love dessert and that I love to bake from scratch per some of my previous items on this list that have been shared already. One of my most favorite desserts is Tiramisu. I've indulged in it's creamy, boozy, espresso soaked layers at several restaurants over the years, including the one I used to work for, many, many, many times however I had never made one myself and so it was a no brainer to add this to the culinary endeavors section of this list as #19 - Make a Tiramisu from Scratch!

I don't recall the first time I had this dessert or even where it was but I remember immediately falling in love with it. I loved it so much that for my 22nd birthday my bestie drove an entire sheet cake of tiramisu in a balanced in a cooler from UC Santa Barbara all the way to UOP in Stockton on a hot day from a famous bakery just because she knew I loved it that much. Now that's friendship!

I am not sure why I haven't made it before. I've had several recipes floating around in my recipe book for years and never tried them. I have seen it in many forms but my favorite is the traditional free standing piece of cake whereupon you can see the layers of ladyfingers and cream as you dig in.

I used Tyler Florence's recipe that I found online for my first attempt just before Valentine's Day last week because after all - it is a holiday all about love (and chocolate!)! The result was Italian perfection. I had never actually worked with Mascarpone before, never made Zabaglione which was surprisingly easy, never worked with ladyfingers or had to put that much booze in any dessert. I enjoyed every minute of constructing this… and eating it.

So along with taking a pasta making class recently, I can now add this amazing dessert on to some future traditional Italian feast that I may prepare for my family and friends. I'd like to think that my Grandpa who was fiercely proud of his Italian heritage would be pleased. For the man that insisted pasta be served with every meal no matter what else we were serving and made homemade raviolis with my Grandma at our kitchen table all those years ago… this one's for you. Jeez!

And so that completes item # 19 on my list. 30 items checked off the list and 10 to go. Stay tuned for more… #40for40in40