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Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 12:59 PM

Food for Thought - Tiramisu: Your anytime ‘Pick me up’

Food for Thought - Tiramisu: Your anytime ‘Pick me up’

You could call tiramisu the most famous icebox cake ever. Delicious sweet cream and espresso soaked ladyfingers are layered in a dish, the top dusted with rich cocoa. It has a complex flavor achieved with simple ingredients- no baking required.

Its name, rather than a list of components, aimed to describe how eating a slice might make you feel. The word Tiramisu means 'Pick me up' in Italian. Various reasons have been given for why such a name was chosen. The most popular two go like this: it refers to the espresso used in the recipe; it was created in a Venetian brothel as a fortifying salutation to physically exerted patrons upon their departure.

Legends aside, you can easily enjoy this world-renowned dessert yourself due to its simple construction and readily available ingredients. You might even have all or most of them in your pantry right now. If you do not have an espresso machine, consider using cold brew coffee or a cold brew concentrate. You could even bolster regular brewed coffee with instant coffee packets from that ubiquitous chain coffeehouse we are all familiar with.

If ladyfingers are not available (or you're not a stickler and like to flout tradition) you could use pound cake or vanilla wafers as well. Anything that will absorb the espresso without falling apart. Layer the cookies and cream depending on the thickness of the ladyfingers/cookies you are using i.e.. two layers for ladyfingers, three or more for thinner cookies. Will keep in the refrigerator up to one week.

Ingredients: 8x8 dish Electric mixer 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1/3 cup powdered sugar 8oz mascarpone cheese 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 package ladyfingers 1 cup cold espresso or strong coffee Cocoa Powder (darker the better)

Recipe:

1. Beat the cream with a mixer on medium speed. As mixture thickens, slowly add sugar and vanilla and continue mixing until peaks form. Slowly mix in mascarpone cheese. Set mixture aside.

2. Lazily dip ladyfingers in espresso and arrange one layer in the bottom of the dish. Top with proportional amount of cream mixture and smooth. Add alternating layers of soaked ladyfingers and cream mixture until the dish is full, ending with a smooth layer of cream on top.

3. Generously dust the top with cocoa powder.

4. Cover and refrigerate for at least several hours before serving.

Enjoy


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