Christmas Tiramisu Zuccotto, one of the classic Christmas desserts, the zuccotto, I wanted to prepare it as a tiramisu, because let’s face it, tiramisu is the dessert no one wants to give up, and for the holidays, it certainly cannot be missing from our table. Besides, it is the most famous and appreciated dessert in the world, a true Italian pride. Today’s recipe I prepared with a very simple homemade base, the sponge cake, made without yeast, with only 3 ingredients, I should have made my usual quick one, but I got distracted and separated the egg whites from the yolks, it’s just one more step, but the final result is the same, so I’ll give you the simpler version too. While we bake the sponge cake in a static oven, we prepare the moka coffee, in Calabria we call it the ‘macchinetta’, I made three 3-cup coffeepots, and yes, I used it all, down to the last drop, just like all the other ingredients. In fact, to be honest, only one slice of sponge cake remained, which ended up directly in my breakfast cappuccino. For the cream, I used the classic mascarpone cream, starting from the original recipe that does not include the use of egg whites, at least that’s what Venetian ladies told me, where tiramisu seems to have originated. Realizing, however, that the cream wouldn’t be enough for the whole dessert, I added whipped cream instead of egg whites at the end, and I must say it turned out to be a really delicious mascarpone cream. Of course, I also pasteurized the yolks, which is very easy to do at home, you just need a thermometer, and you’re done. So let’s see how to prepare the tiramisu zuccotto for Christmas and beyond. Other desserts that make Christmas magical and must absolutely not be missed.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 6 Hours
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons, Christmas
Ingredients for the Christmas Tiramisu Zuccotto with Sponge Cake
- 4 medium eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- Butter and flour for the mold
- 10 coffee cups decaf coffee (ideal)
- 8 oz mascarpone
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 small glass rum
- 8 oz sweetened whipped cream
- Cocoa for decoration
- Candied cherries for decoration
Tools for Making the Holiday Tiramisu Zuccotto
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Cake pan
- 1 Electric whisk
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Saucepan
- 2 Small bowls
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Tray
Steps to Prepare the Tiramisu Zuccotto
Let’s start by preparing the sponge cake. I separated the yolks from the whites, whipped the whites first, and then the yolks with the sugar. However, you can also work with the whole eggs directly with the sugar, with the beaters at maximum power until you get a light and frothy mixture.
Add the flour, a little at a time, sifted, and incorporate it with gentle movements from bottom to top, so as not to deflate the eggs. If we have whipped the whites separately, we start to incorporate them a little at a time before starting to add the flour, and we incorporate all of them by alternating with the flour, to keep the mixture well whipped. The final result is the same, but you have to be more careful with the egg whites whipped separately.
Pour the mixture into a buttered and floured 8-inch diameter mold. Bake in a static hot oven, middle rack, for 30 minutes at 350°F. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Instead of sponge cake, you can also use pandoro or ladyfingers.
While the cake is baking, prepare the coffee; I made 3 coffeepots of 3 cups each, put it in a large bowl, and let it cool. You can safely use decaf coffee.
For the mascarpone cream, put the yolks in a bowl, then on the stove heat the rum with the sugar and bring it to 250°F. You can also replace the rum with water. When it is at temperature, pour into the eggs and work with the beaters, let it cool a bit after beating well, then add the mascarpone and work with the beaters. If you use already pasteurized yolks, there is no need to heat the sugar, but if they are from a controlled supply chain, they are good to eat raw.
Finally, whip the cold cream from the fridge in a large bowl with clean beaters and then add it to our mascarpone cream.
Once the sponge cake has cooled, cut it into slices about 1/2 inch thick.
Line a medium-sized bowl with food wrap, then line it with the slices of sponge cake, all over the surface, using a spoon distribute the coffee on each slice, soaking it with the coffee. Pour a layer of cream on the base, cover with more slices of sponge cake, then soak with coffee and another layer of cream, leaving at least 1/3 to garnish our dessert later. Close with more sponge cake and soak with coffee, close with the wrap and compact well in the bowl. Save a bit of coffee to finish the dessert later.
Leave in the fridge for a few hours, I left it overnight. Take the zuccotto, open the wrap at the base, and turn it over onto a serving plate. Remove the bowl and the wrap and soak the sponge cake that looks dry.
Spread the remaining cream over the entire surface of the zuccotto, using a spatula to level it. Then cover with cocoa spread with a simple sieve, also on the edges, just lift the tray slightly to put cocoa on the edges as well. Finally, decorate with candied cherries. Put in the fridge until serving. Let rest for at least an hour now before serving.
If you want, you can also not put the yolks in the cream, or you can also use the egg whites, I recommend using some cream so that the cream will be more stable.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How long does it last?
A couple of days in the fridge, well covered.
Can it be prepared in advance?
It is ideal to prepare it the day before.
Can it be frozen?
Of course, the zuccotto can be frozen, even with the whole bowl, well covered, so it doesn’t absorb other odors from the freezer.
