Pistachio Praline Tiramisu

The classic Italian dessert that is loved by all. I was in a lot of conflict before making this dessert as there are two ways to make this dessert: the modern and the traditional. The traditional way involves not cooking your eggs, which puts one's health at risk. Thus, I chose the contemporary method, and the results are mind-blowing. I add pistachio praline to a basic tiramisu that brings new dimensions to the dessert.

Servers: 8

Ingredients

Lady Fingers

4 Eggs separated

⅔ cup Granulated sugar

¾ cup Flour

1 tsp Vanilla extract

Pistachio Praline

1 cup Pistachio

1 cup Granulated sugar

⅔ cup Water

4 tbsp Grounded Almond

5 tbsp Oil

Mascarpone Sabayon

3 Egg yolks

½ cup Granulated sugar

2 cups Heavy cream

250g Mascarpone*

1 cup Espresso

¼ cup Bailey's (optional)

*Room temperature

Method

Step 1- Lady Fingers

In a bowl, add egg whites and beat them till soft peaks, then add half the quantity of sugar, 1 tbsp at a time.

Step 2

Once all the sugar is combined with the egg whites, beat till stiff peaks. Invert the bowl, and the meringue should not fall.

Step 3

Add egg yolks, vanilla extract, and the remaining half of the sugar to another bowl. Beat till pale in colour. Then add to the meringue.

Step 4

Sift flour in the bowl and gently fold the batter together. Preheat the oven to 175°c. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 5

Add the batter to a piping bag attached with an A1 round tip. Then pipe your lady fingers 4 inches long, spacing them 2 inches apart.

Step 6

Place in the oven and bake for 13-15 minutes or till the edges start to get golden brown. Then let the lady's fingers rest on the tray for 9-10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Step 7 - Pistachio Praline

In a pan, add water and sugar. Place on medium-high heat, and stir the sugar in the water. Once the mixture starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium.

Step 8

Once the mixture is thick, and the sugar is bubbling, add in your pistachios and mix well. Let it simmer for another 3-4 minutes. Then take off the heat.

Step 9

Add sugar-coated pistachios, ground almonds, and oil to a small food processor. Blend into a smooth paste. Add water if necessary.

Step 10 - Mascarpone Filling

Fill a pan with water. Place on heat and boil the water. Then in a heatproof bowl, add egg and sugar, and whisk lightly.

Step 11

Then reduce the heat and place the bowl on the pan, ensuring the water isn't touching the bowl.

Step 12

Whisk the egg and sugar constantly till they are pale in colour and doubled in volume. Then take off the heat and let it cool down. Then add mascarpone and whisk until combined.

Step 13

In a chilled bowl, add heavy cream and beat on low till soft peaks, then slowly increase the speed and beat till stiff peaks.

Step 14

Then add the mascarpone sabayon to the cream and fold in gently. Make sure there aren't any streaks. Place in the fridge till assembly.

Step 15

Then make espresso and let it cool down completely. Then add Bailey's and mix well. Take an 8 x 8-inch square dish.

Step 16 - Assembly

Dip the ladyfingers in the coffee, then place them in the dish covering the base. Then add half of the mascarpone filling. Spread evenly.

Step 17

Then add 4-5 tbsps of pistachio praline. Spread evenly. Then add coffee-dipped ladyfingers again, covering the last layer. Then leftover mascarpone filling is distributed evenly.

Step 18

Cover the dish with cling wrap and place in the fridge overnight before serving, dust with cocoa powder.

Tips

1. When adding sugar-beaten eggs or dry ingredients to the meringue, make sure not to deflate the meringue.

2. Add oil little by little to the praline and not all that once.

3. The eggs and sugar can take some time to double in volume; the key is not to stop whisking.

4. Don't dip the ladyfingers in the espresso for too long; otherwise, they'll break.

5. The tiramisu needs to be refrigerated for 24 hrs and not less, even though it's irresistible.