The Seasonal Gourmet

A basket of Niagara peaches at a roadside farm stand

Tiramisu is one of those desserts that became a victim of its own success.  It’s delicious when made properly but became so popular in restaurants that people got tired of it.  Like crème brûlée and molten chocolate cake, tiramisu became ubiquitous on menus in the 1990’s/2000’s and mediocre versions of these classics turned many people off for good.  However, it’s time to revisit tiramisu: my seasonal version is easy to prepare, requires no baking (perfect for hot days when you don’t want to use the oven) and is impressive in both presentation and taste.  Whenever I make it, it gets raves.

The key to this recipe is to use peaches that are at their peak: ripe, juicy and tender. If your peaches are too firm, leave them on the counter for a couple of days to soften up.  There’s no need to remove the skin but if you’d prefer to do so for presentation purposes, visit  Kitchen Tip of the Week: How to Peel Tomatoes and Soft Fruit for instructions.  

This recipe makes individual desserts, which are a fun and impressive way to present it.  It can also be made as one large family style tiramisu.  The servings don’t look as nice on the plate but it will taste fine.

Peach Tiramisu

Makes 4 individual desserts

• 1 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 egg whites
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ cup chilled whipping cream
• ½ cup amaretto liqueur
• Approximately 10 large ladyfinger biscuits (savoiardi)
• 2 large peaches, pits removed and cut into thin slices
• Mint leaves, for garnish – optional
• 4 martini glasses or other glass dishes suitable for serving the individual desserts

Making the Mascarpone Cream:

1. In a large bowl, combine mascarpone cheese, 3 Tablespoons sugar and vanilla. Stir until smooth and set aside.
2. In a metal or glass bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until whites are frothy, glossy and form soft peaks. Set aside.
3. In another metal or glass bowl, beat whipping cream and 1 teaspoon sugar until it forms stiff peaks (do not overbeat).
4. Add egg whites and whipped cream to mascarpone cheese. Carefully fold in until just combined – do not mix vigorously.

Assembling the Desserts:

1. Set out the four serving dishes. Spoon a small amount of mascarpone cream into the bottom of each one.
2. Pour amaretto liqueur into a shallow bowl. Dip ladyfingers quickly into amaretto, just enough to moisten them (do not sit them in the liqueur or they will go soggy). Break biscuits as necessary to fit into serving dishes and layer over mascarpone cream.
3. Top biscuits with peach slices and add another layer of mascarpone cream. Continue layering amaretto-soaked ladyfingers, peaches and cream, finishing with a layer of cream on the top.
4. Refrigerate and let rest for at least 2 to 3 hours so biscuits have time to soften and the flavours can develop. Garnish with peach slices and mint leaves (optional).

Bon Appétit and Enjoy!

This recipe first appeared on Suite101.com

Individual Peach Tiramisu