Foodie Friday: Tiramisu!

Foodie Friday: Tiramisu!

Image credit: Olive Garden (no, this won’t be the Olive Garden recipe…) Ingredients:

-6 eggs, separated -Fresh espresso -Mascarpone cheese -6 tbsp sugar -2 tbsp amaretto -Ladyfingers -Cocoa powder for dusting

1) In a bowl, use a hand mixer to whip three egg whites and 3 tbsp sugar into stiff peaks. In a second bowl, mix all egg yolks and remaining sugar until pale yellow and thick mixture.

2)Mix the mascarpone with the yolk mixture until incorporated. Then, carefully fold in the meringue 1/3 at a time.

3) Mix the amaretto with room temperature espresso, and soak the lady fingers in it for a few seconds. Layer them into a dish. Then, carefully add a layer of the mascarpone mixture.

4) Smooth out and refrigerate 4-6 hours until it sets (about 38° (Fahrenheit)).

5) Dust with cocoa powder and serve!

*Chef’s Note: If you are making this in the United States, it’s best to use room temperature eggs. Ensure that they are pasteurized and allow them to warm up before making this dish. Elsewhere in the world, where eggs can be safely kept at room temperature, this is less of an issue. Also, the fresher your espresso, the better. If you don’t have the equipment necessary to make fresh espresso, pick some up from a nearby coffee shop - it needs to cool, so the ride home is perfect for giving it the chance!

Magical Ingredient!

So when it comes to tiramisu, my coworkers and friends and family know that I go crazy for it. Before I started making some more conscientious decisions regarding my diet, I would buy a tiramisu to go with my lunch every single day. It got to the point where the servers didn’t even have to ask what I wanted for lunch, because I was ordering the same thing - soup, salad, and tiramisu. The only time that would change was if we were going through our autumn promotions (in which case, it was pumpkin cheesecake every day). Though it’s been some time since I’ve ordered it at work (nowadays, I’ll usually snack on dried fruits instead), my love of this decadent cake hasn’t waned. A delicious dessert with espresso-soaked ladyfinger cookie encased in a layer of set creamy custard, topped with a bittersweet cocoa powder, this dish was nothing short of enchanting.

But, the restaurant I work in has a lot of Americanized foods. As much as I enjoyed the tiramisu there, it was nothing compared to homemade traditional versions made in true Italian style. By this, I mean that the signature of Italian food is making the most of very few ingredients. And when done right, this dish has only six or seven ingredients in total, and tastes so much better than what you can get in your local American “Italian” joint.

As anyone would say, the espresso is key in making a good tiramisu. But there’s another ingredient that many leave out (and in America, you’ll find so many variations that leave it out and use vanilla extract instead). Amaretto is a sweet liqueur that truly shines in this dish, as a natural pairing with both coffee and chocolate. And while I’ve talked before about the use of alcohol in witchcraft, amaretto deserves a little moment in the spotlight.

Where many drinks are fermented from fruit, hops, or even straight up sugar (like rum), amaretto is made with a base that includes almonds, peach pits, or apricot pits. This gives it a sweet flavor with a slight bitterness from which its name is derived (amaretto is a diminutive of the Italian “amaro,” meaning bitter, making the name translate as something similar to “a little bitter”).

The drink’s name is unmistakably Italian, and indeed the liqueur originates in Saronno, Italy. According to legend, a church here in the 1500′s commissioned artist Bernardino Luini to paint its sanctuary with frescoes. In need of a model to help him depict the Madonna, he turned to a beautiful young innkeeper. A relationship blossomed between the two, and as she was touched by his affection and thoughts regarding her beauty, she wished to give him a gift. Due to her simple means, she chose to steep apricot pits in brandy and presented the resulting beverage to Luini, creating the first amaretto.

In cooking, we see amaretto used either by itself or as an additive, where its flavor adds an almond sweetness and compliments both coffee and chocolate. Meanwhile, it can also be used in savory meat dishes or as an adition to almondine sauce for fish and vegetables. In addition, it is sometimes added to whipped creams to give its signature flavor and sweetness. As a beverage, it is often consumed by itself or in a variety of cocktails, including the French Connection and the Godfather, where it is a main feature to the drink.

In witchcraft, amaretto can be used by itself as an offering, but its use doesn’t stop there. The legend regarding its creation is one of love, beauty, and art. Thus it can be incorporated into spells for inspiration, love, and glamour. Its sweetness lends itself well to sweetening spells, and spells for joy.

It goes without saying that the ingredients used to make it have a role to play in its magic, as well. Almonds are frequently used to attract abundance and prosperity, giving amaretto a role to play in money and prosperity spells. In addition, apricots are often associated with love, adding to amaretto’s perfect use in such spells. And peaches are frequently associated with love, longevity, and fertility. Thus, amaretto works well for these spells, as well!

As I’d mentioned before, amaretto can also be used as an offering - goddesses and gods linked with its properties may enjoy this sweet drink - but another use includes feeding spells. Give bags and jars a little extra “umph” by adding a sprinkle of amaretto to extend the life of your spells and to further empower them over time!

What other uses might you have for amaretto in your practice? Feel free to let me know via reblogs (if you’re reading this on Tumblr) or in the comments down below (if you’re reading this via The Witches’ Circle or The Crone’s Table on Facebook)!

Until next week, May All Your Meals Be Blessed! )O(