I hope you have a great holiday and a happy new year. Jeremy and I spent it here in Oregon with my family and copious amounts of baklava, as you can expect at any Greek Christmas gathering. My dad still insists on making it in restaurant volume (30-plus years of Greek deli will do that to you), so we just finished getting the last one out of the fridge. As such, I haven’t been motivated to do anything sweet as of late. So I’m entering the new year with an old recipe, which I’ve had for a few months now. I’ve had this elderberry tiramisu in my back pocket since September, and I’ll be sharing this luxurious treat with you until I come out of my holiday coma and get myself together enough to create a cozy soup, which seems fit for all the snow storms on the horizon. Speaking of snowstorms, the roof is on the farm! Can you believe it??? I certainly can’t, and the building has been staring me in the face for months now. I know I owe you another farm update (it’s on the horizon for this month, I promise!), but I couldn’t wait to share the roof. Something about a real roof over our heads makes it feel real, you know? But enough about the farm (gotta save the juicy trivia for the update!), and let’s dive into this little surprise, shall we?
Some people like to start the new year with something light, bright and healthy, and to them I raise a shaky spoonful of mascarpone cream and ask “tiramisu?Why, why not? It’s too cold out and we need to put some meat on our bones to be honest. You’ve probably had tiramisu before, but if you’re not familiar with its components, let me explain better. It all starts with Savoyard biscuitswhich are very very dry. But that’s okay! Because you dip them in a flavored liquid (traditionally coffee) and then you put them in the pan, and they become soft and wonderful, and that’s the first layer of the tiramisu. On top of the biscuit layer is the mascarpone cream, which (to no one’s surprise) is made from mascarpone and cream, but Also egg yolks and sugar. How could it get any better, you might ask? Well, this is where elderberries come in.
Elderberries are a small, highly tannic berry that grows from large bushes by the bushel (say that 10 times fast). They are often used in medicinal herbal blends to help prevent and fight colds and the like, and it’s true that they are very good for you. But they have a very pleasant flavor even if prepared with sugar. Similar to other small berries like currants, they are a little bitter and tart on their own, but when you cook them with sugar it brings out a deep, rich blackberry flavor that is truly unique and wonderful. And the great thing is that you don’t need fresh berries to make this recipe, it works great with dried elderberries which are easy to go online from a variety of health food stores any time of year, but I love + recommend Mountain Rose Herbs as a source for them (not sponsored, just a local Oregon company that I really love).
To prepare this tiramisu, ladyfinger biscuits are dipped in a homemade elderberry concentrate made from dried elderberries, blackberries, water, honey and vanilla extract. The same elderberry concentrate is also added to the mascarpone cream for even more elderberry goodness. And to top it off, some elderberry concentrate is boiled with a teaspoon of honey and a little cornstarch to create a thicker drizzle that you can put on top for a little extra pizzazz and flavor. And like most desserts I make, this one has chopped pistachios sprinkled on top for a nice crunchy contrasting texture and a sweet nutty flavor, but you can feel free to omit it or swap it in for any dried fruit you have in your pantry. I hope you enjoy it, dear reader, and that you have a wonderful year ahead of you. And if you feel like a good soup, this Hungarian mushroom soup will be perfect for eating in the meantime. Let’s talk soon!
Elderflower tiramisu
This flavor-packed elderberry tiramisu is made with deliciously tannic elderberries, blackberries, honey, mascarpone and whipped cream.
Elderberry concentrate
-
3/4
cup
dried elderberries or 1 â…“ cup fresh elderberries
removed from the stem -
1/3
cup
more
fresh or frozen (I recommend freezing it if you make it outside of blackberry season) -
3
cups
waterfall -
1/2
cup
Honey -
1
table spoon
vanilla extract
Elderberry shower (optional garnish)
-
3
spoons
elderberry concentrate -
1
table spoon
Honey -
1
table spoon
corn starch
Mascarpone whipped cream
-
4
egg yolks -
1/2
cup
granulated sugar -
1 1/4
cups
heavy whipping cream
Cold -
8
ounces
mascarpone
Cold -
3
spoons
elderberry concentrate -
1/4
teaspoon
salt
Assembly
-
26
Savoyard biscuits -
2
spoons
finely chopped pistachios
Elderberry concentrate
-
Bring the elderberries, water and honey to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes or until the elderberries rehydrate and the mixture turns a deep purple color. Add the vanilla and stir, then remove from the heat, cool and refrigerate.
Elderberry shower (optional garnish)
-
Heat the honey and 3 tablespoons elderberry concentrate in a very small saucepan (such as a Greek coffee pot) until warm but not boiling. Add the cornstarch and beat with a fork until smooth. When the mixture has thickened slightly, remove it from the heat and let it cool, stirring for the first 5 minutes. The mixture should be able to coat the back of a spoon, but still slightly runny. If it has thickened too much you can add a teaspoon or two of water and mix. Set aside and let cool.
Mascarpone whipped cream
-
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the egg yolks and sugar on medium speed until light and silky smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes. Pour into a separate bowl and set aside for a moment.
-
Place the whipping cream in the bowl of a stand mixer (you don’t need to clean it after the egg yolks, it’s OK if there’s any residue), and beat on medium speed until the mixture has soft peaks, being VERY careful not to overbeat. It. Add the egg yolk mixture, mascarpone, 3 tablespoons elderberry concentrate and salt to the whipped cream and beat on low speed until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Assembly
-
Take a ladyfinger cookie and quickly and completely dip it in the elderberry concentrate, then place it in a textured 9 1/2 x 9 1/2-inch square baking pan. Don’t leave the biscuit in the liquid too long otherwise the tiramisu will become liquid. Repeat until you have a layer of cookies (you should use about half). Then pour half of the mascarpone cream onto the biscuits and use a spatula to even it out.
-
Repeat the dipping process with the remaining cookies to create an additional layer of cookies on top of the mascarpone, then top this layer of cookies with the remaining half of the mascarpone whipped cream. Top with the splash of elderberry and sprinkle the pistachios. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving, but it is best to refrigerate overnight to mold the shape of the tiramisu. So serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Elderflower tiramisu
Quantity per serving
Calories 493
Calories from fat 252
% daily value*
Fat 28 g43%
Saturated fat 17g106%
Polyunsaturated fats 1g
Monounsaturated fats 5g
Cholesterol 219 mg73%
Sodium 144 mg6%
Potassium 132 mg4%
Carbohydrates 53 g18%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 30 g33%
Protein 8 g16%
Vitamin A 1215 IU24%
Vitamin C 6mg7%
Soccer 92 mg9%
Iron 2 mg11%
*Percent Daily Values ​​are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
