Ah—tiramisu. Layers of soft, coffee-soaked lady fingers and luxurious, light as air cream that come together for a dessert that is internationally beloved. I’m a big fan of mint iced coffee, so I thought, why not infuse some mint into my tiramisu? The result is just enough of a spin on a classic while keeping its integrity intact. It’s rich, decadent and surprisingly refreshing (and don’t worry, the mint is very tame here). I make these in individual drinking glasses so everyone can have their own darling little serving.
What to Notice
- Your sabayon mixture with the addition of the simple syrup might look split for a while. Keep whisking, and when it reaches temperature, it will combine just the way it should.
- To know that your sabayon is done without relying on a candy thermometer, look for a change in color and volume. As the mixture cooks, it will become a beautiful pale yellow and will feel much thicker, you’ll be able to see trails of your whisk left behind at the end.
- I like to whip my cream a little longer than normal for tiramisu because it gets mixed into the sabayon, so I want it to still hold its own and not completely deflate. When whipping your cream, look for soft peaks that still stay intact when you run your whisk through the mixture. You want some structure and body.
- Don’t worry if your cream layers don’t have the structure you were envisioning—a lot of this gets built by setting up in the fridge. The cream sets up while the lady fingers soften and emit their mint coffee flavor throughout the entire dessert. This is why it’s so crucial to let it set up before sneaking a bite!
Servings: 6 Servings
Ingredients
For the Simple Syrup:
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 6 large mint leaves
For the Sabayon:
- ½ cup granulated sugar pulsed a few times in a food processer to become superfine
- 7 large egg yolks
- Pinch of salt
- 1-1/4 cup mascarpone
For the Cream:
- 1-3/4 cups very cold heavy whipping cream
- ¼ teaspoon mint extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For Assembling:
- 1 standard package of Italian Lady Fingers
- 1-1/2 cup strong coffee
- 1 cup coffee flavored liquor like Kahlua
- A few tablespoons of cocoa powder for dusting
- Extra mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Set 6 small drinking glasses on your counter so they’re ready for assembly.
Make the Simple Syrup:
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water and mint leaves. Muddle the mint slightly to help speed up the release of its natural oils. Bring to a boil then remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.
Make the Sabayon:
- Begin by removing your mascarpone from the refrigerator and letting it come to room temperature.
- In a large heat-proof bowl, whisk together your egg yolks, pinch of salt and blended up sugar. Very slowly whisk in your simple syrup (discarding the mint leaves) to combine. You want to temper the egg mixture. Place this bowl over a large pot filled with water that sits about in inch from the bottom of the bowl. We’re going to cook our sabayon in a double boiler. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Whisk pretty consistently until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F (this is where a candy thermometer is super helpful). This usually takes about 10-15 minutes. Place the sabayon on the counter and continue whisking for a few minutes to cool it down. Whisk in your mascarpone.
Make the Whipped Cream:
- Place your cold cream and extracts to the bowl of a mixer and beat with gradually increasing speed until soft, distinctive peaks form. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the sabayon mixture with a rubber spatula.
Assemble:
- Place your coffee and coffee-flavored liquor into a shallow bowl. Break a single lady finger in half and dip each half in the mixture for about 2 seconds per side. Place the soaked halved side by side in your prepared drinking glasses. Use any other pieces of lady fingers you need to fill in the gaps in your cup. Now, place a few dollops of the cream mixture over top. Continue with this layering process until you reach the top of the glass, ending with the cream. I got 3 layers in my glasses. Cover each tiramisu glass with plastic wrap and let set in the fridge for at least 4 hours, overnight is preferable. When ready to serve, dust each top with cocoa powder and a sprig of mint.
