Caramel Apple Tiramisu

I write this from my childhood bedroom, at my parents’ house. We moved in with my parents for a few weeks to ease the burden of keeping the Portland house showing perfect until the farm is ready to move into. It was really nice to walk around my old neighborhood, see everyone’s gardens, and watch the green leaves turn gold as the weather changes. The squirrels here are actively digging pockmarks all over my poor parents’ garden, which means that autumn, with all its delicious nuts and fruits, has truly arrived. And as such, I wanted to welcome the season with something decadent and comforting, so I made this little caramel apple tiramisu. It’s the pageerfect ode to early autumn, when the weather is still warm and there is an abundance of delicious apples. Tiramisu is my favorite dessert (as you could probably tell) and this one involves dipping ladyfinger biscuits in apple cider instead of espresso, and there’s a delicious layer of stewed Granny Smith apples in the center, along with salted caramel homemade. I won’t lie, it is cute Great.

I was inspired to make this after eating a less-than-ideal tiramisu on our trip to San Francisco the other week. We were there for 36 hours to go to the Greek consulate and be able to formally apply for dual citizenship, something for which I have been getting the documents in order for a few years now. The consulate said the paperwork looked good, so I’ll contact them at the end of October and see if everything went through, fingers crossed! But let’s get back to the important part: the tiramisu. Jeremy and I were staying in the marina district and went to Chinatown for dinner, and the route between the two goes through an old Italian neighborhood with lots of Italian restaurants and bakeries. There was a place with an incredible display of tons of pastries (which should have been a wake-up call: usually places with such a variety of options do a lot of mediocre things instead of a few things very well) . But I was tempted by the visual delights and bought a tiramisu to enjoy on the way back to the hotel. I mean, it was Wellbut I wouldn’t call it tiramisu. It was like a cake with whipped cream on top and a little espresso sprinkled on top. There wasn’t even a trace of it mascarpone! Blasphemy.

So when I got home, I simply added fuel to the fire for my tiramisu craving, and found myself making a batch with the tasty apples that appeared at the market. I recommend making the filling and caramel earlier in the day, as you will need it to cool to room temperature before assembling. Or you can easily prepare them the night before and store them in the refrigerator before assembling them the next day. But as with all tiramisu recipes, once assembled, you need to leave it in the fridge for at least 4 hours to firm up. Don’t get angry, these are simply the rules of tiramisu. I hope you enjoy it and that it helps you welcome this slower season with something delicious and comforting. Have a great rest of the week, dear reader!

Caramelized apple tiramisu

This is the perfect dessert for early fall, when the weather is still a little warm and there is an abundance of delicious apples. Keep in mind that you need to let the ingredients cool before combining them, so give yourself plenty of time to let the ingredients rest before you plan to serve.

Total time 6 hours 30 minutes

Apple filling

• 2
  spoons
  unsalted butter
• 1 ½
  lbs
  Granny Smith apples
  peeled and cored and cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1/4
  cup
  granulated sugar
• 1/3
  cup
  waterfall
• 1
  cinnamon stick
• ¼
  teaspoon
  ground nutmeg
• ½
  teaspoon
  vanilla extract
• Pinch
  of salt

Salted Caramel Filling

• 1/2
  Cup
  Heavy cream at room temperature
• 1/3
  Cup
  Granulated sugar
• 1/3
  Cup
  Packaged cane sugar
• 1/4
  Cup
  Butter at room temperature
• 2
  Spoons
  Waterfall
• 1/2
  Teaspoon
  Salt

Mascarpone whipped cream

• 1 1/4
  cups
  cold heavy whipped cream
• 8
  ounces
  mascarpone
  room temperature
• 4
  egg yolks
• 1/4
  cup
  granulated sugar
• 3
  spoons
  apple cider
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  salt

Assembly

• 26
  Savoyard biscuits
• 1 1/2
  cups
  apple cider
  Cold
• ½
  teaspoon
  ground cinnamon
  for garnish

Apple filling

1. Heat the butter in a large skillet (use one with a well-fitting lid; we’ll use that later) over medium-low heat. Swirl the pan slightly every couple of minutes to help it cook evenly. Over the course of a few minutes, you will notice that the foam at the top of the butter will begin to change from light yellow to light brown. Watch VERY carefully, as it can go from being brown to burning very quickly. Once it reaches the light brown stage and the butter appears light brown and golden, smell it. It should smell nutty and caramel-like.

2. Add the apples and stir to coat, cooking for 1 more minute, then add the sugar, water and cinnamon stick and stir to combine. Cover and let simmer until the apples release their juices, about 5 minutes. Uncover, add the nutmeg and vanilla, and continue cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated (ideally only about a tablespoon remains in the pan), about another 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely (they must NOT be hot when assembling the tiramisu as it would melt the mascarpone cream).

Salted Caramel Filling

1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, mix the water and granulated sugar until well combined. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat and continue boiling until the mixture turns a light caramel color, stirring only once every four minutes. It took me about eight minutes, but the speed will depend on the heat of your stovetop. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly add the cream, butter and brown sugar until incorporated. Be careful as the mixture will spit and hiss slightly.

2. If the sugar starts to build up as you stir, don’t worry, just stir for about 30 seconds, then return the pot to the heat and bring back to a boil over medium-low heat. Once it comes to the boil again, stir until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Once the mixture is smooth, stir it every two minutes and let it simmer for about another 10 minutes or until it thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and add the salt. Allow to cool to room temperature (DO NOT use hot, it will melt the mascarpone whipped cream).

Mascarpone whipped cream

1. In a medium bowl, stir together 1/4 cup cream and all the mascarpone until smooth. Set aside.

2. 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.

3. Place the remaining 1 cup whipping cream in the bowl of your stand mixer (you don’t need to clean it after the egg yolks; it’s okay if there’s some residue) and beat on medium speed until the mixture holds soft peaks, being VERY careful not to overshoot it. Add the egg yolk mixture, mascarpone mixture, apple cider and salt to the whipped cream and beat on low speed until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Assembly

1. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the caramel sauce to use for a final drizzle. Take a ladyfinger cookie and quickly and completely dip it in the apple cider, then place it in a 9-inch round 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. Then pour a third of the mascarpone cream onto the biscuits and use a spatula to even it out. Then spread half of the apple mixture over the cream and half of the caramel mixture over the apples. Repeat with another layer of biscuits, mascarpone cream, apples and caramel. Make a final layer of biscuits and then cover them with the remaining third of the mascarpone cream.

2. Pour over the reserved 2 tablespoons of caramel sauce and form a spiral with the back of a spoon, then sprinkle with cinnamon. 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

Caramelized apple tiramisu

Quantity per serving

Calories 483
Calories from fat 279

% daily value*

Fat 31 g48%

Saturated fat 18 g113%

Trans fat 0.2 g

Polyunsaturated fats 1g

Monounsaturated fats 6g

Cholesterol 191 mg64%

Sodium 238 mg10%

Potassium 173 mg5%

Carbohydrates 48 g16%

2g fiber8%

Sugar 30 g33%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 1202 IU24%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Soccer 85 mg9%

Iron 1 mg6%

*Percent Daily Values ​​are based on a 2000 calorie diet.