Coffee and Liqueur
Some people are concerned about the amount of coffee and liqueur in tiramisu and whether or not it will effect how much they will enjoy this layered Italian dessert. True those who are sensitive to caffeine or alcohol in coffee and liqueur or those who do not desire to consume alcohol may want to stick to bland and boring vanilla ice cream. The good news is tiramisu does not have to contain alcohol at all. Many recipes call for marsala wine or brandy or a coffee liqueur such as Kahlua. If this is not your thing, do not worry about it. Just leave it out. It will be just as delicious. Trust me on that. The coffee on the other hand is a different story. Since tiramisu translates to ‘pick me up’ it is pretty much required. The good news is you do not have to use expensive or fancy freshly brewed espresso from a nice machine (although that certainly does not hurt). In fact, the first bakery I ever worked at used the left over brewed coffee at the end of the day that we would let age in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
The good news here is which ever way you think is the best tiramisu is correct. I have even enjoyed some tiramisu that used no coffee and liqueur at all. Green tea was used instead of coffee or espresso so on one hand I question the use of the name tiramisu and yet it was delicious and beautiful so we’ll let it slide.
Let us also make a special note here that tiramisu does include raw eggs in the ingredients. The shell of the egg may be contaminated with salmonella by feces or environment. Care should be used in the handling of raw egg matter. Quite simply, if the egg looks or smells bad or unusual do not use it. Only buy your eggs from reputable venders or farms you are familiar with. When cracking open the egg do not let the interior contents come in contact with the outer shell. Do not let the outer shell come in contact with anything else in the recipe including plates, bowls or utensils. In fact, discard the egg shells as soon as possible. Finally, wash your hands again after handling eggs shells. These simple safety precautions will help you prepare and enjoy the very best tiramisu.
Troy Swezey
