We replaced the ladyfingers in this Italian dessert with a surprising star—biscuits—making it a Southern belle.
Biscuit Praline Tiramisu
Makes 10 to 12 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup dark rum
- 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder
- 2 (8-ounce) containers mascarpone cheese, softened
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 5 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Tiramisu Biscuits (recipe follow)
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, divided
- 1 cup chopped praline candies
- Garnish: cocoa powder
Tiramisu Biscuits
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons cold whole buttermilk, divided
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together rum and espresso powder. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat mascarpone and confectioners’ sugar with a mixer at low speed until smooth and creamy. Add 3 cups cream and vanilla, and beat at medium speed just until stiff peaks form, stopping to scrape sides of bowl, if needed.
- Pour rum mixture into a shallow dish. Dip half of biscuit pieces in rum mixture, turning to coat.
- Line bottom of a 2½- or 3-quart baking dish with soaked biscuit pieces, overlapping slightly if necessary. Brush biscuits lightly with additional rum mixture. Sift 1 tablespoon cocoa powder on top and sprinkle with half of chopped pralines. Spread half of mascarpone mixture onto biscuits. Repeat with remaining rum mixture, biscuits, cocoa powder, pralines, and mascarpone mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving or up to 24 hours. Before serving, beat remaining 2 cups cream until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream on top of mascarpone filling, or using a piping bag with a large round tip, pipe whipped cream on top. Garnish by sifting cocoa over whipped cream, if desired.
Tiramisu Biscuits
- Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a 13×9-inch rimmed baking sheet with baking spray with flour. Line bottom with parchment paper.
- In the work bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse to fully incorporate. Add butter, and pulse until butter is pea size. Transfer to a large bowl.
- In a small bowl whisk together ¾ cup buttermilk and egg. Make a well in center of flour mixture, and add buttermilk mixture. Fold together until flour is just moistened. (Dough will be sticky.)
- Transfer to prepared pan, and pat out evenly using damp hands. Brush dough with remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk; sprinkle lightly with sugar.
- Bake until top is dark golden brown and center is firm when pressed, about 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Remove biscuit from pan. Cut into thirds crosswise, and into eighths lengthwise, creating 24 (1×3-inch) pieces.
