Irish Cream Tiramisu

January 9, 2017 by Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

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Every year, my lovely octogenarian neighbour June gives me a bottle of Johnny Walker Red Label.

As I’m not a huge whisky drinker, every year, I turn it into three litres of homemade Irish Cream. Just before Christmas, I snuck jam jars’ full of “Festive Mother’s Helper” into my girlfriends’ fridges.

I was wondering what to do with the litre left in my own fridge when I came across this recipe by Nigella Lawson. I tweaked the ingredients just a little bit…

3 shots of Nespresso coffee, with water added to bring it up to 350ml
250ml (1 cup) of homemade Irish Cream
400g savoiardi biscuits
2 large eggs, separated into yolks and whites
60g caster sugar
500 grams mascarpone cheese
dutch cocoa powder

Tiramisu is very easy to make, but can sometimes end up a little soggy. My chef friend Dotti gave me a few tips to ensure a perfect result.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together, then fold in the mascarpone and ¼ cup Irish Cream. Whisk the whites until soft peaks form and carefully fold them into the mascarpone mixture. Be sure to use the freshest eggs you can find, as they won’t be cooked (ours were laid that morning).

In a large bowl, mix together the diluted coffee and remaining Irish Cream.

Now, here’s Dot’s first trick of the trade. Don’t soak the savoiardi biscuits. Holding them sideways (like this ⊂⊃), dip the bottom half into the liquid and pull it straight back out. Flip over and repeat with the top half. The biscuits might look a little dry, but fear not, they’ll absorb more liquid after the tiramisu is assembled and create a perfect sponge layer in the finished dessert.

Her second tip is to stand the bottom layer of biscuits on their side rather than laying them flat. This creates a slightly thicker base which is less likely to end up soggy.

Cover the base with a row of (barely) soaked soldiers, then top with half the mascarpone mixture. Then add another row of (barely) soaked biscuits – I laid them flat for the second layer – and top with more mascarpone. Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight. Dust with cocoa just before serving.

I didn’t remember to take a photo before serving, but hey, it was Christmas. See how the thicker base has formed a perfect, non-soggy sponge layer?

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Dotti’s final tip…and this one is genius…is that the assembled tiramisu freezes brilliantly. I had sufficient quantities to make one dish for our dinner plus two takeaway containers’ worth. Defrost overnight in the fridge (ideally), then smooth out the top, dust with cocoa and serve. It’s an easy dessert to keep on hand for last minute dinner parties…

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So…that leaves me with just half a litre of my home brew in the fridge. Any suggestions?

Posted in Recipes | 23 Comments

23 Responses

on January 9, 2017 at 12:05 am thesnowwoman

Sounds heavenly!
on January 9, 2017 at 12:39 am ksbeth

oh, this sounds like heaven
on January 9, 2017 at 2:13 am niasunset

Dear Celia, this should be so delicious, I always read you. Thank you, please be sure I would like to see you in my blog too, if you make a request, because I changed my blog to private, because of my security, I hope you can understand. Love, nia
on January 9, 2017 at 2:58 am Mo

Drink it! 😋
on January 9, 2017 at 4:54 am Susan

DRINK IT!! YUM
on January 9, 2017 at 6:49 am Francesca

Breakfast.
on January 9, 2017 at 12:14 pm Napoli Restaurant Alert

Agree – I don’t soak the biscuits either, I only dunk one side for a couple of seconds, and then I put the “undunked” side on the bottom of the dish.
on January 9, 2017 at 2:08 pm marilynscottwaters

This would taste so nice on a cold day with a big mug of coffee. <3
on January 9, 2017 at 3:45 pm fergie51

LOL, I’m trying to come to terms with the trifle idea and now I’m reading this which I’m seeing as broadly similar in concept but I must admit a little more appealing to me. Wonder how Irish cream milkshakes would go? Maybe the boys could test run some!
- on January 11, 2017 at 10:01 am Gretchen
  
  Irish cream milkshakes are fantastic! Add a little creme de menth and crushed chocolate biscuits too.
on January 9, 2017 at 8:36 pm Jan

Breakfast – lunch – and dinner – you are such fun, Celia. I have visions of your neighbours wearing broad smiles and tootling through their Festive days clutching their jam jars of Celia’s Festive-Aid. Suggestions – some kind of ice cream?
on January 9, 2017 at 8:38 pm My Kitchen Stories

What a great thing to put into your tiramisu Celia. You are an ideas woman……
on January 10, 2017 at 1:47 am Eva Taylor

Happy New Year! I saw this recipe on the other social media avenues and didn’t have time to check it out but I’m so glad I did. Irish Cream Tiramisu sounds incredible and I just love that you can freeze it (I’m all about planning ahead to ease the night of the dinner party). I also loved that you made your own Irish Cream. JT always buys a small bottle around Christmas time and nurses it over the holidays (I try not to indulge, too sweet and easy hangover for me!). I think he would love it if I made him home-made Irish Cream, the tiramisu will be made later!
on January 10, 2017 at 2:34 am Chica Andaluza

Some great tips and how wonderful that you can freeze it. I need to make this soon for my dad as he loves Tiramisu and it’s been years since it last made an appearance at a family meal!
on January 10, 2017 at 5:52 pm robyn ware

Good grief girl, drink it!!
on January 10, 2017 at 6:28 pm andsuchislife

Yummo. Made this yesterday for my husbands Birthday. I didn’t have any irish cream so substituted normal cream mixed with some kahlua. Delicious. Not a scrap left. Thanks for the inspiration.
on January 11, 2017 at 10:02 am Gretchen

I love tiramisu, unfortunately Josh doesn’t care for it so I don’t make it often. I love the idea of using Irish cream in it.
on January 11, 2017 at 3:37 pm EllaDee's daleleelife101.blog

Makes me homesick for the 70’s & 80’s & my small country town childhood past when “grog logs” with various pseudonyms were go-to desserts…
on January 12, 2017 at 10:34 pm kelly

Perfect timing! I’m making this for my sisters 30th party on Saturday! Could you please tell me how big your main dish is?
Thanks.
-Kelly B
- on January 13, 2017 at 4:31 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Mine was actually quite small but I had enough to make one for dinner plus two boxes for the freezer. The original recipe uses a 22cm square glass dish.
on January 13, 2017 at 5:17 am Karen

Love your substitution and I’m sure it was all gone at the end of your dinner…yummy.
on January 13, 2017 at 4:20 pm Maureen

I’m in love with Dotti. What a good idea to place the biscuits on their sides on the bottom and I love the idea of freezing it. Now to make my own Irish cream!

xx
on January 26, 2017 at 5:53 am shazzameena

Hi Celia. I’ve been thinking of you and your bread-making a lot recently, as I’ve recently married and moved anhour out of Sydney to a rural property. I’ve been having a go at making bread…a very beginner’s go, I hasten to add. My husband would like to try making Sourdough and his birthday is coming up in March. He’s a practical man that likes useful presents! I remember you sending out sourdough starters a couple of years ago and wondered if you still do that any time? No pressure, if not :) I may just give him the links to your bread making posts as a gift :) Kind regards, Sharon.