CLASSIC TIRAMISU FROM ERNST KNAM IN MILAN!

CLASSIC TIRAMISU FROM ERNST KNAM IN MILAN.- From one of the pre-eminent bakers in Italy comes this Classic Tiramisu recipe shown on the Italia Squisita Site, if you truly love true Modern Italian Cuisine then this is the destination for you!  Here's the site: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdqvACZA6yc&t=14s

Be sure to check the site out and most definitely reproduce their recipes, you can change the language if you're having trouble following it in Italian, but most of the info given is pretty self-explanatory and results are great. Tiramisu is one of my favorites so I'm always comparing versions, especially the one from "Il Porscospino" Restaurante in Firenze right across from Il Duomo which became one of our hang-out spots for great food and drink plus a very memorable Tiramisu. Here's their site:

http://www.il-porcospino.it/

Naturally I had to recreate Ernst Knam's versions once I saw it on the site and being familiar with his work I knew results would be great. A very easy recipe to master, you'll be surprised by the simple and straightforward approach he presents with few ingredients and quick results, here it is:

I made this cake in a Spring Form Pan, covered with parchment paper on the bottom and acetate strips around the sides. In the video Chef makes it with 3 levels of cake instead of the Lady Fingers you usually use (I used Lady Fingers soaked in the Coffee Syrup mentioned) but I made a cookie crust for the bottom with "Canelitas" cookies, processed into a powder with melted butter and patted down on the bottom of the pan. You can use any presentation you like.

CLASSIC TIRAMISU: You'll need: Remember this is an Italian recipe so it's metric:

200g Mascarpone, softened

100g Tuorlo (1 yolk 20g) = 5 yolks

35g Zucchero (sugar)

60 g Albume (1 egg white 40 g)

35g Zucchero (sugar)

200g Panna (heavy cream)

1 Foglia colla di pesce (gelatin, Agar Agar, etc) 3-5g

FOR THE SOAKING LIQUID: BAGNA AL CAFÉ

100g Aqua (water)

100g Zucchero (sugar)

10g Pasta al caffee (Espresso Coffee, liquid or powder)

10g Liquore al caffee (Coffee Liquor)

Cocoa Powder

PREPARATION:

First you whip the heavy cream and set it aside in the fridge while the rest of the steps are done.

In a bowl place the egg yolks and its sugar and beat until a light yellow color and fluffy. Put the gelatin in very little cold water and heat it up in the microwave, about 40-60 seconds to insure its melted, let it cool just a bit. Now add the Mascarpone to the egg yolk mixture, mix well and  insure there are no lumps. Now you can add the gelatin and once more, mix it well because you will be adding the previously whipped cream. Fold in.

Now take the egg whites and begin to beat them until they begin to lift, this is the time you add their sugar and not before or they will not rise. Beat them to a stiff peak. Once they're ready, fold the egg whites into the egg, mascarpone cream.

I imagine you've got your pan, bowl or whatever vessel you will be using for your dessert. For the Lady Fingers I've placed all of them into the Coffee Syrup so they will infuse with the flavor. YUM

Now, if your're using cake layers, brush the cake with some coffee syrup, if not and you decided on a cookie crust then place half of your egg mascarpone cream into the pan. Lay some soaked Lady Fingers on top of the cream in a pattern as long as you cover the pan evenly. Now you will add the rest of the egg mascarpone cream and then another layer of Lady Fingers. If you've got left over cream and can cover the cake, go ahead and do it, if not then it's ok, it will be great in any case.

For the time being you're done, now the cake needs to be refrigerated at least 3 hours or more so the gelatin does its work. Once it's jelled, you remove it from the mold (if using one) or remove the acetate and using a fine sieve, put a tablespoon or two into the sieve and while you hit it with a spoon or finger or whatever, cover the top of the cake completely and evenly with the cocoa powder. Looks beautiful, right?

Pretty easy, really nice and everyone will be glad. Memories of life in Italy.....

Hope you will try it, you'll be glad you did and your family / friends / you will smile :-)