Tiramisu with Kuntu coffee

Mascarpone forgives many mistakes. Coffee does not. It is almost always the cause of a soggy or bland tiramisu.

Ingredients — for 6

• 250 g mascarpone
• 3 very fresh eggs
• 75 g sugar
• About twenty sponge fingers
• 300 ml strong, unsweetened and completely cold Kuntu coffee
• Unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparation — 25 min · Rest — at least 6 h

1. Prepare the coffee ahead and let it cool. It should be at room temperature or chilled.
2. Separate the whites from the yolks. Whisk the yolks with the sugar until pale and doubled in volume.
3. Fold in the mascarpone without overworking it: excessive beating can make it grainy.
4. Whisk the whites to firm peaks with a pinch of salt, then fold in with a spatula in three additions, lifting from bottom to top.
5. Dip each sponge finger for one second on each side, no longer.
6. Alternate two layers of biscuits and cream. Finish with cream.
7. Cover and refrigerate for six hours. Dust with cocoa just before serving.

The coffee: cold, strong and unsweetened

Three conditions, each with its own reason.

Cold because hot coffee softens the biscuit immediately: it collapses and releases moisture into the cream overnight, leaving liquid at the bottom.

Strong because the cream, sugar and cocoa will dilute it. A weak coffee produces tiramisu that tastes only of sugar. Allow the equivalent of six espressos for 300 ml.

Unsweetened because there is already 75 g of sugar in the cream. The contrast between coffee bitterness and mascarpone sweetness gives the dessert its character.

A dark-roasted coffee like Kuntu contributes roasted notes that remain noticeable beneath the mascarpone. If buying it as beans, grind finely just before use.

The six hours

Resting lets the biscuit slowly absorb moisture from the cream. After two hours its centre may still be dry; after six the texture is uniform. Rest for at least six hours in the fridge and eat within 24 hours of preparation.

For a chilled version of the same coffee, see our cold brew, whose cold extraction gives a concentrate that also works well here.

Storage

This tiramisu contains raw eggs. Refrigerate immediately after preparation at a maximum of 4 °C and eat within 24 hours. Take it out only when serving.