Classic Easy Tiramisu with Brownie Crust
Classic with a twist
(UPDATE: I updated the ingredient list with the amounts in grams.)
I made this classic tiramisu with a brownie crust and it has to be one of the best things I have ever made! What’s not to love about coffee and chocolate together?! To amp up the flavors of the tiramisu, I sweetened the espresso with some of the sugar and infused the mascarpone cream with some of that espresso as well. The brownie crust, besides adding an amazing chocolate note, adds an incredible contrasting texture to the soft and creamy tiramisu. This tiramisu is a wonderful dessert that no one will have enough of!
Why I added the brownie crust to this classic tiramisu in the first place? Well, the reason is because I had never gotten tiramisu. The few ones I had tasted were enough to make me think tiramisu was not my kind of dessert. How high were my expectations at Italian restaurants, waiting for that special treat, maybe after a delicious romantic meal, only to be left pretty annoyed about not having ordered anything else from the dessert menu? There were the bland, dry, watery or worse, all those things combined. Nothing that blew off my mind. That’s why I always knew that when the time came for me to make a classic tiramisu, I’d treat each layer independently to give each its own flavor.
Tiramisu, more than a recipe made 100% from scratch, is really putting together already made components. That’s why it’s very important to use the best quality ingredients as possible. Use fresh pasteurized organic eggs, make a strong espresso brew with the best coffee you can put your hands on or buy some strong espresso already from your favorite coffee shop and use nice quality lady fingers.
Since I always use pasteurized eggs, I made my mascarpone cream the classic way with raw eggs. But if you have any concerns, by all means you can heat up eggs in a double boiler whisking constantly until a thermometer reaches 160°. I also used a bit of cream of tartar, some drops of lemon juice and some of the sugar to make the egg whites more stable.
To give more depth to each layer, I flavored each one of them, that way you will taste the traditional flavors of tiramisu through all the components. For instance, I used some of the sugar to sweeten the strong espresso. I also used some of that espresso to flavor the mascarpone cream, not leaving the coffee just for dipping the cookies. My lady fingers were nice and crunchy and just sweet enough, not sugary. If your lady fingers are too sugary though, adjust the amount of sugar if you are not a fan of super sweet desserts. If you don’t mind the sweetness, just follow the recipe as stated.
My first version of this recipe was without booze. For the second time I added Kahlúa and was amazing! You can use any other coffee or chocolate liqueur you have. Just don’t forget to invite me over, please!! One thing if using booze, the tiramisu can taste a bit sweeter than it really is. This taste will fade away after it being chilled for one day.
This classic tiramisu, even if it has two components, was very easy to make. Make sure to not over beat the mascarpone with the eggs to prevent curdling. A slow and steady speed is better here to create that creamy mascarpone cream. Read my notes below on how to make this tiramisu and take tips on how you’ll make this fabulous dessert.
The top 3 keys for making this tiramisu:
Have your strong espresso brew chilled.
Use the best possible ingredients, especially pasteurized organic eggs.
Do not over beat the mascarpone with the egg yolks to prevent curdling.
How to make this classic tiramisu with a brownie crust:
The first thing you want to do is to have your espresso chilled for a few hours, the more the better. If the coffee is hot, the cookies and the mascarpone cream will dissolve and melt with the heat. Mix in the Kahlúa or the liquor you are using, if any.
You can make tiramisu in any deep dish, but here I used a 9” springform pan because I needed to bake the brownie layer first. If not making the brownie layer, you can use any deep dish you have.
I baked my brownie crust. It’s the same as my Brownie Cheesecake Dulce de Leche Bars. This time I cut a circular parchment paper and lined the bottom of my springform, leaving about ¼” more around so I could use that excess to pull out the tiramisu after removing the ring. I placed the brownie crust in the fridge for a few minutes while I prepared the rest of the tiramisu ingredients. You don't want the cream touching a hot brownie because it will start melting.
While the brownie was baking I prepared the other ingredients because they needed to be ready when it’s time to assemble. I had my cookies stand by in the counter, I mixed the espresso with 1 ½ of the sugar and separated my eggs. Note that I’m not mentioning the mascarpone at this point. It should be cold when you mix it with the egg yolks. You can take it out of the fridge when you start working with your eggs so it is just a bit spreadable.
Next, I whipped my egg whites with the cream of tartar and a few drops of lemon juice. If you don’t have lemons, you can use white vinegar as well. When I was half way thru and soft peaks started to form, I gradually sprinkled 2 tablespoons of the sugar and whisked until stiff peaks started to form, like just a notch before turning into meringue. Since I was using my stand mixer I needed to transfer the egg whites to another bowl.
Using now the paddle attachment, I beat the egg yolks with 4 ½ tablespoons of sugar until they were foamy and pale white. To prevent curdling I added a couple of spoons of this mixture to the mascarpone and gently mixed in a small bowl. Then, mixing in the lowest speed, I added the mascarpone and mixed just until combined. This last step is optional but helps in preventing the eggs from curdling.
I gently folded the egg whites with the egg yolk-mascarpone mixture and the mascarpone cream was ready to go!!
For assembling the tiramisu, you will start by spreading a bit of the mascarpone cream on top of the brownie layer, just to nicely cover it. Dip a lady finger in the espresso, about 3 seconds per side, but making sure the whole cookie is coated. Start by making a cross figure with the cookies, then start filling the space in between. You will probably need to snap the cookies in half. Do it before dipping in the coffee.
Rotate you pan 45° so now instead of a cross you have an “X” in front of you. Spread half of the mascarpone cream and repeat the layering process with the remaining cookies. I used 22 cookies. Spread the remaining mascarpone cream on top. Dust a thin layer of cocoa powder on top. Chill for 8 to 12 hours, preferably overnight. But this dessert in at its best the second day after it’s done.
When ready to serve, dust plenty of cocoa powder on top again, enough to cover all the surface. You can decorate with espresso coffee beans.
You have to trust me when I tell you that this will be a hit in your home or wherever you bring it to! It’s the best tiramisu you could ever eat. Dying to hear how much you love this one!
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Classic Easy Tiramisu with Brownie Crust
Ingredients
Brownie Layer
◯ Organic butter – 7 TBSP, 100g
◯ Raw sugar – ¾ cup, 150g
◯ Unsweetened cocoa powder – ¼ cup + 3 TBSP, 45g
◯ Vanilla extract – ½ Tsp
◯ Fine sea salt – ¼ Tsp
◯ Organic pasteurized cage free eggs – 1
◯ Unbleached organic all purpose flour – ¼ cup + 3 TBSP, 63g
◯ Semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks – ½ cup, 97g
Tiramisu
◯ Strong espresso brew, chilled - 1 ¼ cup, 300g
◯ Kahlúa or any dark liquor, optional - 1 to 2 TBSP
◯ Natural granulated sugar - ½ cup, 100g, divided in 1½ TBSP (19g), 2 TBSP (25g) and 4½ TBSP (31g)
◯ Organic pasteurized cage free eggs - 5, separated
◯ Cream of tartar - ¼ Tsp
◯ Lemon juice or white vinegar - about ¼ Tsp
◯ Mascarpone cheese, chilled - 16 oz. (1 pound)
◯ Lady fingers - 22 to 25 pieces, 200g
◯ Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting - about 2 TBSP, 12g
Details
Yield:
a 9” springform pan
Total time:
1 hour, plus 6 to 8 hours in the fridge
Active Time:
10 minutes for making the brownie crust, 25 minutes for assembling the tiramisu
Equipment:
9” springform pan with removable bottom or any round oven proof deep dish (if using a regular dish you’ll have to serve it directly from it)
Steps:
Prep in advance:
Make the espresso. Add the Kahlúa or any liquor, if using any. Chill in the fridge. If short of time, place in the freezer and make sure to stir every 10 to 15 minutes to prevent ice crystals. Transfer to fridge as soon as it feel cold.
To make the brownie crust:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Put butter in a large glass bowl and place it on a large skillet filled with some water. Heat it over medium heat until melted. Add the sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves into the butter. You’ll end up with a paste that is smooth and just a bit grainy. Take it out of the skillet and let it cool down.
After the butter mixture has cooled down mix in the cocoa powder. Add the vanilla and salt and stir. Add the egg and mix well. Add the flour and gently mix just until you can’t see streaks of flour. Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks and mix them in.
Transfer the batter to the pan and press it down with your hands to make it even. Bake for 15 minutes.
While the brownie bakes, prepare the ingredients for the tiramisu.
To make the tiramisu:
Mix the chilled espresso with 1½ tablespoons of the sugar. Place in the fridge again.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with an electric hand mixer with the whisk attached, mix the egg whites with the ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar and the ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. When soft peaks form, start gradually sprinkling 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Mix until stiff peaks form, just a notch before turning into meringue. Gently transfer to another bowl if using the same bowl for beating the egg whites, or set aside.
Transfer mascarpone to a small mixing bowl.
In the bowl of the stand mixer with the paddle attachment or the beaters if using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg yolks and the remaining 4½ tablespoons of sugar on high speed (#8 in the Kitchen Aid) for 5 minutes, until a foamy, thick and pale yellow. Drop about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the egg yolk mixture into the mascarpone cheese and mix until it starts to come a bit runny. Transfer to mixing bowl and in the lowest speed and mix until the cheese has dissolved into the egg yolks, about 3 minutes.
Gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolk-mascarpone mixture to finish up your mascarpone cream.
Spread some mascarpone cream on top of the brownie layer, about ½” thick. Take out the espresso from the fridge and transfer into a shallow bowl. Dip a whole cookie in the espresso and arrange it pointing at 12 o’clock. Repeat with 3 more cookies, arranging them at 3, 6 and 9, forming a cross. Fill the gap in between with more cookies, breaking some in half when needed. You need to snap the cookie before dipping it in the espresso. Turn your pan 45°. Spread half of the mascarpone cream on top. Repeat the process with the remaining cookies. Spread the remaining mascarpone cream and dust a thin layer of cocoa powder on top. Cover with plastic paper and chill 6 to 8 hours, ideally overnight.
When ready to serve, dust plenty of cocoa powder on top. You may decorate with espresso coffee beans if desired. It will be good for 4 to 5 days covered in the fridge.
