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This recipe has been reproduced with the kind permission of Anna Maria Volpi who has published her own book entitled The Timeless Art of Italian Cuisine. You can find out more about the book and how to order a copy from her web site <click here>

Anna Maria Volpi began her culinary education in her native Italy. While still a youngster, she learned how to prepare the traditional Roman dishes by her father, and Sicilian cuisine from her mother.

These early experiences inspired in her a deep love of Italian cooking. In a time when eating and cooking habits seem to change frequently, Anna Maria has dedicated herself to the rediscovery and preservation of authentic regional cooking through the study of its history and traditions, and by sharing her knowledge and skills with others.

She has taught traditional Italian home cooking in Los Angeles for more than ten years through group lessons, private classes, and special events. She is also an acclaimed guest instructor for the Williams-Sonoma chain of gourmet food and cooking stores, including their popular site in Beverly Hills, California.

After you try some of Anna Maria’s recipes, you will understand why her friends and family in Italy nicknamed her dolce forno (sweet oven) for her incomparable baking abilities.

To read more and obtain more recipes visit Anna’s web site <click here>

Tiramisu is one of the latest additions to “traditional” Italian cooking. Unknown until about fifteen years ago, when it is believed to have been invented in the town of Treviso in northern Italy, in merely a decade it has become a world-renowned dessert, extremely popular from the United States to Japan. It is considered a semifreddo (a dessert served cold but not frozen). This dessert has many variations, with the only constant ingredient being the mascarpone cheese.

For the coffee dip:
1 1/2 cups (360 cc) Italian espresso coffee
2 tsps sugar

For the zabaglione filling:
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup (100 gr) sugar
1/2 cup (120 cc) Marsala wine (if not available substitute with other sweet wine like port or Madeira)
1 lb (450 gr) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 cup (230 cc) heavy whipping cream

For the base:
10 oz (285 gr) savoiardi (ladyfinger cookies) (approximately 40)
2 tbsps bitter cocoa powder

Method

• Prepare a strong espresso coffee, about 1 1/2 cups (360 cc).

• Dissolve 2 teaspoons sugar in it, when the coffee is still hot. Let the coffee cool at room temperature.

• Beat egg yolks in a heat proof bowl until fluffy.
• Beat in sugar and Marsala wine.

• Whisk over a pan of simmering water, until the cream thickens, just below boiling point, when small bubbles appear.

• With a rubber spatula, mash the mascarpone cheese in a bowl until creamy.

• Add the zabaglione into the mascarpone cheese, and beat to mix very well.

• Whip the cream. By hand, fold the whipped cream into the zabaglione–cheese cream, until smooth.

Assembling:

• Lightly soak the ladyfingers in the coffee, one at a time. Place them in one layer in a container of about 12 x 8 inches, approximately 2 inches deep, (30 x 20 cm, approximately 4 cm deep).

• Evenly distribute half of the zabaglione cream over the layer.

• Repeat the step with a second layer of ladyfingers, and top with the rest of the cream.

• Sprinkle with the cocoa powder and refrigerate for about 3 – 4 hours.

Serves 8

Anna Maria Volpi

© Anna Maria Volpi