Coffee + Cookie: Tiramisu Shells
Mascarpone pearls in ladyfinger shells
An afternoon coffee is one of my favorite daily pleasures, and it’s made all the better when paired with a cookie. You can get so creative with a cookie recipe, and they are a low-stakes way to play around in the kitchen. So, starting today, a new series here: Coffee + Cookie. Once a month, I’ll share a cookie recipe that pairs really well with that afternoon coffee. If this first recipe is any indication of how the series will go, it should be a huge success :)
Last year, I published a handful of shell cookie/cake recipes. First there were madeleines, then madeleine ice cream sandwiches, and then shell fraisiers. This year, I found myself on a bit of a kick again, shell-ifying different desserts. It all started with choux-shell profiteroles featuring an ice cream pearl swimming in a sea of chocolate sauce.
I recently got my madeleine pan back out, and wondered what other uses it may have (it can’t be taking up that much room in the cabinet for only one type of cookie!). Ladyfingers came to mind, and I then realized they’d be perfect with a little mascarpone cream pearl nestled inside, and dunked into a little bit of espresso with a splash of marsala wine.
While these are inspired by tiramisu, they are just that – inspired. Each component keeps its texture a bit more than the real thing, the cream is a little firmer, the espresso a little wetter, and the cookie a little chewier.
Other tiramisu-inspired recipes:
Makes 12 cookies
Ladyfingers:
2 large eggs
1 large egg white (save the yolk for the cream)
75g powdered sugar
5g vanilla extract
25g cornstarch
20g all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
Baking spray or butter for lining the madeleine pan
Mascarpone whipped cream (this will make a bit more than needed; any extra is delicious in a morning espresso):
1 egg yolk (*This recipe uses a raw egg yolk for traditional tiramisu flavor and color. Raw egg carries a risk of salmonella, so please do your own research and use your judgment before including it. The yolk can also be omitted entirely; the whipped cream will still be delicious.)
65g powdered sugar
125g mascarpone cold
125g heavy cream cold
For serving:
Cocoa powder optional but recommended
Cups of espresso
A tiny bit of sweet marsala wine optional but recommended
Tools:
Hand mixer
Sifter
Madeleine pan
2-tablespoon ice cream scoop
You can find ingredient information and tips for conversions on my conversion cheat-sheet page. If you have any further questions, please feel free to leave a comment!
Ladyfingers!
Preheat the oven to 400f and set up a rack in the middle of the oven.
Grab 2 medium-sized mixing bowls, crack 3 egg whites into one and 2 egg yolks into the other (set that third egg yolk aside for later). Set the egg yolks aside, and add the extra egg white to the medium bowl.
Grab your hand mixer and mix the egg whites at the lowest setting for 30 seconds. Then go up a level and mix for another 30 seconds. Then go up another level and mix for another 30 seconds. Slowly increasing the speed like this leads to a more stable egg white. Continue doing this until you get soft peaks (you should be at or near the highest speed at this point), then add in 1/3rd of your powdered sugar, fully incorporate it in, and repeat until all your powdered sugar has been added. The egg whites are properly whipped when they are shiny, have tiny and uniform air bubbles, and there is a sudden shift in texture. It should seem thicker/stiffer, and when you lift the beaters out, it should hold a tall peak (curving just at the tip) and not slump over immediately. Once you’ve noticed all of this, your egg whites are done. Do not continue, or you risk over-whipping them. When over-whipped, they will lose their shine, becoming cloudy and cottage cheese-like.
Take the bowl of yolks, add the vanilla extract, and give everything a quick mix with your hand mixer to break it up. Then take about 1/3rd of the whipped egg whites and use a soft spatula to fold the whites into the yolks to lighten them. Then grab your sifter and sift into the lightened yolks the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the yolks until almost entirely combined. Then add the remaining egg whites to the stiffened yolks and fold to lighten, making sure no streaks remain.
Grab your madeleine pan, and lightly–but thoroughly–cover it with nonstick spray, or use cold butter and work it into the divots of the pan with the butter wrapper (this is my preferred method as the spray tends to pool). Too much butter/spray and the cookies will become discolored, but too little, and they will certainly stick!
Grab the batter and your ice cream scoop. Scoop a heaping 2 tbsp (probably closer to 3 tbsp in total) into each divot, and use a spoon to gently spread the batter out across the mold, covering the entire surface evenly. I like to then run my index finger just along the inner edge of the sides and bottom of each madeleine mold (not the top ribbed part) to make the shell shape more defined, but this is not necessary. The batter should be level with the top of the mold or just a little taller to get an extra fluffy cookie.
Transfer to the oven and bake for 6 minutes (trust me here, they cook very quickly!). While the first batch of cookies is baking, put your things away, clean the dishes, and grab a cooling rack or baking sheet.
The cookies are done baking once they are puffed and golden, and when pressed with your finger, they should bounce back. Once done, take them out of the oven and remove the ladyfingers from the pan by gently pinching the bottom and pulling up. If your batter was slightly taller than the mold, you may need to use a knife to pull the cookie away from the edges. Place them onto a cooling rack/baking sheet, shell side facing up.
Clean the pan, then repeat the process of buttering/spraying the pan, shaping the cookies, and baking until all of your batter is used. This should make 2 batches of cookies.
Mascarpone Whipped Cream!
Take your extra egg yolk and plop it into a medium-sized bowl along with the powdered sugar and mascarpone. Use your hand mixer to whip until combined and thickened. Then add in the heavy whipping cream and whip until you have stiff peaks (depending on the mascarpone, this might take a little while, we want them firm here). Transfer the bowl to the fridge for 15 minutes to thicken. In the meantime, you can make your espresso and begin your assembly process.
Assembly!
Pour your espresso into espresso cups and add a tiny splash of sweet marsala wine if you so desire.
Grab your ladyfingers and place a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Dust with cocoa powder. Then, working one at a time, flip one ladyfinger over, tap on the cookie rack to remove excess cocoa powder, and repeat until all of them are flipped over (otherwise it will get all over your clothes). Feel free to sift any leftover cocoa powder back into your container so that you can re-use it (note that it has come into contact with gluten now, so you may want to note that or decant it into a separate container).
Divide your total ladyfingers up into the prettier half and the less nice looking half (12 each).
Take the less nice ladyfingers and turn them over so that the shell side is facing your work surface. Grab your chilled cream from the fridge. Use your 2-tablespoon ice cream scoop, scoop the mascarpone cream, plop it onto a less nice looking shell, and toggle the lever on the scoop to release the cream. Position the pretty shell on top. Then repeat until all of your shells have been assembled. Serve alongside the cups of espresso; these are perfect for dunking!
Cookies can be kept in the fridge, but they are best eaten the same day as they’re assembled.
More shell recipes:
