Hairy Bikers tiramisu layers coffee-soaked sponge fingers with crushed amaretti, dark chocolate shards and a mascarpone custard lightened with whisked egg whites. And with no oven needed, their Our Family Favourites version feeds 6 at around 685 calories each by my sums, ready in 4½ hours.
They swap the usual brandy for rum, “as we feel it goes so well with the coffee and chocolate”. And amaretti go over the sponge fingers “for a nice bit of crunch”, which their Mediterranean Adventure “classic recipe” leaves out.
Dipping the sponge fingers only briefly matters most, since you don’t want them “to absorb so much liquid that they go soggy”. And a quick dip in and out keeps the base firm enough to cut into neat portions, as I see it.
Hairy Bikers Tiramisu Recipe
Description
Each finger gets a quick dunk in strong coffee spiked with rum and Marsala, then stands snugly in an 18 x 24cm dish. After that, crumbled amaretti, chocolate shards and a fluffy mascarpone and egg layer go on, ready to set in the fridge.
Ingredients
For the base
For the custard
Instructions
- Chop the chocolate: Break up the chocolate, then cut it into very fine shards with a sharp knife, or blitz it in a food processor until fine. And that’s easier and less messy than grating, so set it aside while you mix the coffee.
- Dip the sponge fingers: Mix the coffee, rum and Marsala in a bowl, using coffee that’s already cooled, which is my own tip. Then dip each sponge finger briefly, just a second or two by my guide, so it stays firm.
- Line the dish: Line the base of a rectangular dish, about 18 x 24cm, with a single layer of the dipped fingers. Stand them on their long edges, packed side by side, so you can squeeze more in, which also gives the pudding more height.
- Add the amaretti: Crumble the amaretti biscuits over the sponge fingers, then sprinkle some of the chocolate over the top, keeping the rest for later.
- Make the custard: Beat the mascarpone with the egg yolks and icing sugar until smooth. Then whisk the whites in another bowl to stiff peaks, stopping before they go dry, and fold them in until there are no streaks.
- Top and chill: Spread the custard over the sponge fingers and amaretti, then sprinkle the rest of the chocolate on top. Cover and chill for several hours before serving, which I take as at least 4.
FAQs
Can I make tiramisu ahead or freeze it?
Yes, it needs several hours in the fridge anyway, though their Mediterranean Adventure version is chilled “preferably overnight”. And because the custard holds raw egg, I’d eat it within 2 days, which is my own limit rather than one from either book.
There’s no freezing note with this version, but their Mediterranean Adventure tiramisu, made with cream and no amaretti, “freezes very well too”. So that’s the one I’d freeze, which is my own call. Then defrost it in the fridge “a few hours before you want to serve it”, as they advise.
Is there a version with cream?
Yes, their Mediterranean Adventure tiramisu folds 200g of whipped double cream into 250g of mascarpone, with 2 eggs plus 2 extra yolks. But it drops the amaretti and chocolate, and the biscuits are dipped in espresso, Marsala and golden rum or brandy, then dusted with cocoa.
That one has two layers, set in 8 glasses or a trifle bowl, at about 380 calories each by my sums. And a similar custard goes into their Welsh cake tiramisu on BBC Food, where Welsh cakes dipped in coffee, Marsala and whisky replace the fingers. For a batch of your own, their whisky Welsh cakes from Chicken & Egg swap the raisins for dried cherries.
Can I make tiramisu with no egg?
Not that I’ve found, because all three of their versions above use raw eggs in the custard. So for egg-free, Mary Berry’s tiramisù piccoli on BBC Food whips 250g mascarpone with 300ml double cream, then folds in vanilla and icing sugar.
Hers is soaked in coffee and brandy, with grated dark chocolate in the middle and on top. But it’s a different recipe, not a Hairy Bikers one, so I’ve kept theirs exactly as written.
Is it safe to eat raw eggs in tiramisu?
The FSA says raw or lightly cooked eggs are safe for pregnant women, children and older people if they carry the British Lion mark. But people who are severely immunocompromised should still follow its previous advice on eggs.
So I’d buy Lion-stamped eggs and keep the tiramisu in the fridge until it’s served. And the rum and Marsala are never cooked, so the alcohol stays in, which matters if you’re serving children or anyone avoiding alcohol.
Which sponge fingers and coffee should I use?
Savoiardi are named in Our Family Favourites, while their Mediterranean Adventure version takes boudoir or savoiardi, which UK supermarkets sell. And for the coffee, go very strong, such as espresso or a double-strength cafetière, which is my suggestion.
If you like amaretti in a pud, their black forest trifle layers them with Kirsch-soaked brownies and chocolate custard.
