What are your thoughts on tiramisu? I haven't made it in about 15 years and it seems so outdated, yet it tastes really good.

Merrill is a co-founder of Food52.

added 7 months ago

I personally believe that a good, properly made tiramisu is never out of fashion. I think what's outdated is the 90s-style presentation -- a perfectly square slice, showered with cocoa powder and topped with curls of chocolate, with a smear of some kind of sauce on the plate. We scoop it out of the dish in messy dollops -- which I much prefer.

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That is a really great point. I'm sold. Thanks!

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Like cheesecake, I've discovered that tiramisu is everyone's secret favourite (almost guilty pleasure). However, like you, I haven't made one for years. The best one in my repertoire is from the Il Fornaio Baking book - fairly time-consuming, but worth it and I still get requests.

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Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.

added 7 months ago

In Joaane Chang's wonderful cookbook Flour, she has a recipe she calls The New Tiramisu, a coffee sponge cake served with mascarpone mousse. I haven't made it, but it sounds amazing. I've made the tiramisu from Cooks Illustrated for several years, and it's always one of my most requested desserts. Like Merrill, I serve it in scoops. Mostly because I can't be bothered cutting desserts into perfect squares, but that's just me.

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I love to make individual size ones in stemmed water glasses or small mason jars depending on the formality of your party.

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I've made Nigella Lawson's version in her book, Nigella Christmas, which uses chocolate cake instead of savoiardi. The amped up chocolate flavour makes it really good - well, the combination of chocolate and coffee is one of my favourites!

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threefresheggs added 7 months ago

Thing everyone else adores that you find totally vile: Tiramisu.
Anything remotely 'wet bread' makes me queasy.

That said, who cares what is fashionable? It is what *you* like that counts. I remember being laughed out of the kitchen by a couple of chefs when I was a teenager, throwing my first dinner party, because I told them I was making spanikopita (apparently that was HILARIOUS!). Whatever. I adore spanikopita, and 20 years later, I make the meanest spinach pie you will ever taste, AND I can whip it up in a flash. I'm just going to keep turning it out until it comes back in style; it is always pulls down raves from my guests.

Rock your faves – Mud in the eye for the haters.

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I agree with threefresheggs. The concept of what is fashionable in food is simply snob appeal. Take some courage , develop your own style and start a trend!

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I'll venture to say that I do think it's slightly out of vogue at the moment; it was also never one of my favorites. But, if it's one of yours, you should be all means make it.
Ina Garten has this interesting variation, which I would like to make at some point: original:http://www.foodnetwork...

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