This delicious pudding comes from Italy and means ‘pick me up’, due to the caffeine in the coffee. It needs to be made at least one day before it will be eaten so that the sponge has time to soften and infuse. This is a very easy recipe, which looks and tastes impressive!
Ingredients
2 x 15ml spoons instant coffee
150ml boiling water
1 x orange
250g reduced-fat cream cheese
425g can ready-made, reduced-fat custard
175g pack sponge fingers
2 x 15ml spoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Equipment
Weighing scales
Kettle
Measuring spoons
Measuring jug
Zester or fine grater
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Juice squeezer
Mixing bowl
Whisk (electric or balloon whisk)
Wooden spoon
Flat dish with deep sides
8 small deep glass dishes or coffee cups (for serving)
Cling film
Sieve
Instructions
- Measure the instant coffee into the measuring jug. Top up with 150ml boiling water. Allow to cool slightly.
- Wash the orange, then zest or finely grate the peel and put to one side. Carefully cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice. Add the orange juice to the coffee.
- Spoon the cream cheese and custard into a mixing bowl.
- Using the electric whisk on a low speed, mix the cream cheese and custard together until they are smooth. If you don’t have an electric whisk you can do this with a wooden spoon or balloon whisk, but make sure to get all the lumps out!
- Pour the coffee and orange juice into the flat dish. Have your dishes or coffee cups ready.
- Dip each sponge finger into the coffee mixture and place them in the bottom of your dishes or coffee cups. You are going to make two layers so make sure you only use half of the sponge fingers at this point. If you are making your Tiramisu in coffee cups, you may need to break the sponge fingers in half before dipping them. (You might not use all of the sponge fingers, depending on the shape and size of your serving dishes).
- When your first layer of sponge is complete, spoon over some of the cream cheese mixture to cover them. Sprinkle the orange zest over this layer.
- One by one, dip the rest of the sponge fingers into the coffee and make a second layer, followed by the rest of the cream cheese mixture.
- Cover tightly with cling film and chill in the fridge overnight.
- Just before serving, sprinkle cocoa powder over the top in an even layer using the sieve.
- For a caffeine free version just use 2 x 15ml spoons of instant decaffeinated coffee.
Skills used include:
Weighing, measuring, chopping, grating, squeezing, whisking and serving.
Top Tips
Don’t worry if any of the sponge fingers are broken as they will be hidden.
Something to try next time
Add a thin layer of chopped fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries or peaches at step 7 with the orange zest.
Prepare now, eat later
- Make the Tiramisu and store, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days (if it hasn’t all been eaten by then!)
- Make and freeze the Tiramisu in a rectangular plastic container, then eat it like ice cream. Leave out of the freezer for 30 minutes to soften before cutting the frozen Tiramisu into slices with a warm sharp knife. Do not refreeze once the dessert has softened.
