One of the bigger problems in making dessert is the fear that one might consume the entire fruits of one’s labor in one sitting. It takes a great deal of discipline and determination to not have a second serving of the sweet treat that one had just spent an hour or so creating.
This peach tiramisu (found in Reinhardt Hess’s flawed yet still fabulous book) found itself the center of attention for several days after its creation. Moderation won these battles, but it should not be seen as a reflection of the tiramisu. This is a wonderful interpretation of the Venetian classic.
- 5 medium sized peaches
- 1 vanilla bean
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 16 oz. Mascarpone, room temperature
- 24 lady finger cookies
- 6 Tbsp mixed nuts
- 2 Tbsp butter
- Cocoa Powder
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the peaches for 1-2 minutes, and the shock them in a bowl of ice water. Peel, pit, and slice the peaches, then place in a sauce pan placed over medium heat.
To the peaches add 1/4 cup of the sugar, lemon juice, and the scraped insides of the vanilla bean. Simmer for five minutes, and then remove the peaches from heat and set aside.
Separate the eggs, putting the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another. Beat the egg whites until peaks start showing.
Beat the egg yolks in 1/4 cup of sugar until fluffy. Incorporate the mascarpone into the egg yolk mixture, and then fold in the egg whites.
In a 7″ by 11″ glass baking dish (or any approximate size), place 12 of the lady fingers on the bottom of the dish. (Do not worry if all 12 cannot fit…more for you). Top with 1/2 of the peaches. Then spread with anywhere between 1/3 to 1/2 of the mascarpone. Repeat, adding the next layer of lady fingers, the rest of the peaches, and finally the rest of the mascarpone.
Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
Toast the nuts in the butter for 2-3 minutes over medium/medium-high heat. Crush the nuts and dust over the tiramisu. Dust the tiramisu with cocoa powder to taste.
Serves 10
