Christmas Family Recipes:Christmas Sweaters and Tiramisu
Now that we’re into the holiday season, I thought I would switch from my usual weekend Italian Sunday Dinner recipes to my favorite Christmas recipes with you. So let’s begin with my most requested dessert at Christmas, Tiramisu. I have tweaked this Italian dessert over the years. It’s fun to bake at Christmastime. Sammy and I even wear Christmas sweaters while creating this delicious dessert while listening to Christmas music.
If you have never made Tiramisu before, I shall warn you now it is very time-consuming. When making this recipe, it’s always great when you have a helper in the kitchen.
Christmas Sweaters
Do you have a Christmas sweater that gets worn for the holidays? I don’t know if it’s an “old lady thing,” but I see so many retailers promoting Christmas sweaters every year!
Little children are dressed up in Christmas sweaters for the holidays, so why can’t we?
I must confess that I am a secret Christmas sweater wearer at home. You will never catch me wearing a festive Christmas sweater in public, not unless I am going to an “Ugly Christmas sweater ” party.
However, Sammy loves to help me cook and was eager to dress up in her Christmas sweater. We wear our old Christmas sweaters every year when we bake or even when we make gingerbread houses. I prefer not to think of them as Ugly Christmas sweaters but outdated sweaters.
Tiramisu
Ingredients:
- 6Ā largeĀ egg yolks
- 1Ā cupĀ sugar
- 1 1/4Ā cupĀ mascarpone cheese – room temperature
- 1 3/4Ā cupĀ heavy whipping cream
- 2 -7Ā ozĀ packages Italian LadyfingersĀ (Savoiardi)Ā
- 1Ā cupĀ cold espresso or strong coffee
- 1/2Ā cupĀ coffee-flavored LiqueurĀ optional, I use Kahlua ( some recipes call for rum)
- 1Ā ounceĀ cocoa for dusting
- Bittersweet chocolate for shaving
Instructions:
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Combine egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double boiler over boiling water. Reduce heat to low, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. This is your sabayon; remove from the heat and whip yolks until thick and lemon-colored.Ā Allow cooling briefly before mixing in Mascarpone.
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Add Mascarpone to whipped yolks, beat until combined.
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In a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks.
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Gently fold the whipped cream in the mascarpone sabayon mixture and set it aside. The Mascarpone does not have to be at room temperature, but it will help it mix in better if it is. Ā Take it out of the refrigerator as you gather ingredients to make the recipe.
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Mix the cold espresso with the coffee liquor and dip the ladyfingers into the mixture just long enough to get them wet, do not soak them!
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Split the ladyfingers in half, and line the bottom and sides of a large glass bowl.
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Spoon half the mascarpone cream filling over the ladyfingers.
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Repeat process with another layer of ladyfingers
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add another layer of tiramisu cream
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Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
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Dust with cocoa before serving
Sammy is busy whipping up the heavy cream. You can see all the ingredients and notice that we have both the ladyfingers and yellow cake because I am making two tiramisus and doing a tasting competition. If your store doesn’t have ladyfingers, you should try this tiramisu recipe using yellow cake mix.
Tiramisu Using Yellow Cake Mix
When the children were little, we made Christmas cookies together, but once they went off to college, Sammy and I decided that making six dozen cookies wasn’t in the best interest of our health and waistlines; now we make one holiday treat together.
Another requested holiday dessert at Christmas is my famous cheesecake.
The Tiramisu made with ladyfingers is more time-consuming than the one with yellow cake mix. But they are both very delicious.
This is the Tiramisu recipe using the yellow cake instead of Ladyfingers.
Shaving chocolate can leave a mess on your countertop but the dessert is so delicious!!
MANGIA!!!
Do you have a special Christmas or holiday tradition?
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Going to try the recipe! My husband is a professional chef, but doesn’t do dessert. LOL This looks fab! Can’t wait to try it.
Cindy,
How neat your husband is a professional chef! Where does he work ?Does he own a restaurant? My nephew is one too in Portland! Such dedication to their craft!
If you’re going to try the tiramisu recipe, stick with the ladyfingers for an authentic tiramisu.
The yellow cake recipe is really delicious but we don’t want to bend the rules if you have a professional chef to serve it to!!!
Merry Christmas!
Robin
Robin, You and your daughters look adorable in your Christmas sweaters! What a fun tradition! Your tiramisu looks and sounds amazing! I’ll swing by for desert! HA!
Julie XO
Julie,
Thank you for enjoying our Christmas sweaters!
Lisa is actually wearing one of Sammy’s sweaters! LOL!
We have a lot of fun in our family and having goofy traditions like the gingerbread competition and wearing Christmas sweaters while baking will always be treasured by my children. When we have grandchildren, we will carry on these fun family times together.
You’re welcome to fly down to see me in Atlanta anytime!
Merry Christmas!
Robin
Thanks for posting pictures! The tiramisu seriously sounds so yummy but definitely labor intensive. I love the idea of baking while wearing fun Christmas attire!
Cindy,
It really is delicious and has a lot of steps to making it but you can slow down the steps if you are doing it alone.
Preferably in a Christmas sweater!
Merry Christmas!
Robin
Robin this is such a festive post! I love seeing you both in your sweaters, making memories in the kitchen. Some of my most cherished memories with my family have occurred in our kitchen. What a beautiful dessert..a masterpiece!
Merry Christmas!
XOXO
Suzanne
http://www.AskSuzanneBell.com
Thank you Suzanne!
I enjoy cooking for Christmas but as the children are no longer home, I don’t make cookies like I used to.
I used to do the cookie exchange like you did but those days are gone.
I still enjoy baking with Sammy and she loves all things Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
Robin
Yummm….thanks for the recipe. It’s going into my file right now!
I hope you enjoy it Rosemary!
Merry Christmas!
Robin
Thanks for that great recipe Robin! God bless you because ai canāt wear normal clothing while baking!!! I have to wear either old clothing or pjās because Iām too much of a slob!!!
I lov your kitchen!!!!!!!
Catherine,
Because the sweaters are so old, I treat them like sweatshirts.
I don’t clean my house this way, but I do like to dress up in Christmas “oldies but goodies” when I’m baking.
Call me weird, but a festive weird.
Merry Christmas friend!
Robin