Chef Jürgen's Tiramisu Recipe Is an Elegant Twist on the Classic Italian Treat

Directions

For the Ladyfingers:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Make a French meringue by whipping egg whites and sugar together in a stand mixer, adding a little bit of sugar at a time, until mixture holds stiff peaks.
3. Whisk egg yolks lightly and fold into meringue.
4. Sift flour over meringue mixture, a third at a time, and fold in.
5. Using a pastry bag fitted with a round #3 tip, pipe batter in rows on a parchment-lined ½ sheet pan.
6. Sprinkle batter with powdered sugar.
7. Bake until light brown, 5-7 minutes.
8. Let cool completely before assembling.
9. When ready to assemble, release each cake from parchment paper and cut into 3-inch disks.

For the Soaking Syrup:

1. Combine espresso with rum, amaretto, orange juice and vanilla extract.
2. Set aside until ready for assembly.

For the Tiramisu:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, whip heavy cream then set in refrigerator to chill.
2. Set up individual rings on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
3. Lightly brush ladyfingers with espresso syrup.
4. Over a double boiler, make sabayon with egg yolks, sugar, water and Marsala wine. The mixture should read 145°F before removing from heat.
5. Add bloomed gelatin to sabayon. In a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip mixture until cool and thickened, 7-10 minutes.
6. Place mascarpone in a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir sabayon into mascarpone until mixture is smooth.
7. Fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture.
8. Line rings with first layer of biscuit sponge.
9. Fill piping bag fitted with plain pastry tip with mascarpone mixture.
10. Pipe mascarpone mousse onto biscuit and repeat until you have 3 layers of ladyfingers and 3 layers of mousse. Level the rings with tiramisu, so the tops are flat.
11. Chill tiramisu in refrigerator until firm, 1-2 hours.
12. Before serving, dust with cocoa powder and remove rings for plating.

For the Chocolate Sauce:

1. Place chopped chocolate in a medium work bowl.
2. In a saucepan, bring milk to a boil.
3. Pour hot milk over chocolate. With a whisk, stir until chocolate is melted.
4. In a separate saucepan, bring cream, butter and sugar to a boil.
5. Pour ganache into separate saucepan and stir constantly until it comes to a boil.
6. Add salt and coffee extract. Stir to combine.  
7. Store sauce in a bain-marie until ready to use.

For the Chocolate Decoration: 

1. Place chocolate in a microwave oven-safe bowl.
2. In 20-second increments, melt chocolate to 85°F, stirring at every interval.
3. Place ice cubes in a medium-sized bowl and cover with cold water.
4. Using a paper cornet, pipe small designs of your choice onto ice water surface.
5. Using a small offset spatula, lift hardened designs from water.
6. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.

For Plating:

1. Remove rings from tiramisu and dust top of each with cocoa powder.
2. Create a chocolate sauce design on the plate and position tiramisu as desired.
3. Pipe whipped cream (or make quenelles) onto tiramisu.
4. Finish with chocolate décor on top.