A tiramisu inspired by one of my favorite desserts, Mont Blanc. I had my first Mont Blanc at Angelina in Paris, a crisp meringue topped with whipped cream and vermicelli-like strands of sweetened chestnut puree, dusted with powdered sugar to resemble the snow-capped mountains of Mont Blanc. For this tiramisu, I use ladyfingers soaked in spiked coffee and a whipped chestnut mascarpone cream. It’s topped with peaks of fresh cream and meringue kisses, or leftover pavlova. I had some marron glacé (candied chestnuts) from my holiday brownies and crumbled a few for extra indulgence.
Ingredients You’ll Need For This Tiramisu
Ladyfingers. I love using homemade sourdough ladyfingers in my tiramisu, but feel free to use store-bought.
Heavy Cream. Provides richness and a lighter texture when whipped and folded into the mascarpone mixture, creating a creamy, stable filling for tiramisu.
Chestnut Spread (Crème de Marrons). A deliciously creamy sweetened puree of chestnuts. I love this article . Available on Amazon.
Mascarpone. The key ingredient in tiramisu’s creamy filling, providing a rich, thick and smooth texture that balances the coffee-soaked ladyfingers.
Coffee. The soak for the ladyfingers. Use a high quality and strong brewed coffee.
Liqueur. Optional. Rum, brandy, and coffee liqueur all pair beautifully with chestnut cream.
For Serving:
Freshly Whipped Cream. Optional, piped on top makes a beautiful snow capped dessert.
Meringues or leftover pavlova. Use for finishing the tiramisu at the end. Adds a sweetness, texture and classic for monte blanc.
Marron Glacé (candied chestnuts). For extra decadence, my grandmother always bought candied chestnuts during the holiday season.
Cocoa powder or powdered sugar. A dusting of cocoa powder for a more classic tiramisu flavor, powdered sugar for a snow capped dessert.
Mont Blanc Tiramisu
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups (320g) mascarpone, at room temperature
1 cup (250ml) heavy cream, cold
3/4 cup (180g) sweetened chestnut cream
1 cup (240mL) strong brewed coffee
2 tablespoons dark rum or brandy, optional
20-24 ladyfingers, homemade or store bought
For serving
Meringues or leftover pavlova
Optional
crumbled marron glace
freshly whipped cream
powdered sugar
cocoa powder
Instructions
Brew the Coffee:
- Brew a strong batch of coffee, add liqueur if using and set aside to cool.
Prepare the chestnut cream mascarpone layer:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream and chestnut cream until medium to stiff peaks form. Transfer to a medium size bowl.
- Return the bowl to the mixer and mix the mascarpone until creamy.
- Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Assemble the tiramisu:
- To assemble, set out a 9-inch square baking dish or individual glasses. Dip the ladyfingers into the cooled coffee mixture, letting them soak for 1-2 seconds, until absorbed but not soggy. Lay the ladyfingers evenly across the bottom of the dish, then spread half of the chestnut mascarpone cream. Repeat.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to serve, top with freshly whipped cream (if desired) and crushed meringues.
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