One Word: Tiramisu

Picking up a fork, she loaded it with tiramisù and arched an expectant eyebrow at him. “Close your eyes.”

Gabriel did as he was told, and she delicately slipped the fork between his lips. He hummed loudly, for the dessert was very good. Better still was the pleasure of being fed by his beloved. She was preparing to serve him another piece when he interrupted her.

“I think you forgot something, Miss Mitchell.” His tongue swept across his lower lip.
He grasped her hand, dragging two of her fingers through a small portion of the dessert and drawing those same fingers languorously into his mouth. As usual, he was unhurried, drawing gently, on each finger, gliding his tongue up and down before sucking on them from root to tip.

-Gabriel’s Inferno chapter 34


This is one of my favorite chapters and I’m sure you’ll guess why… ; ) It’s beautifully written and it perfectly conveys the love Gabriel and Julia feel the one for the other. Add tiramisu to the mix? Heaven…

So here’s a good recipe to make a perfect tiramisù :

Ingredients:
500gr Mascarpone cheese (approx. 1 lb.)
6 pasteurized eggs
2 packages savoiardi lady fingers
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 shots Cognac or Brandy (2oz)
6 cups coffee, espresso sized cups (about 8 oz)
4 Tablespoons powdered unsweetened cocoa.

Bring all ingredients to room temperature.

Make the espresso and poor it into shallow flat-bottomed bowl. Add one shot of cognac, one teaspoon cocoa, and allow to cool to room temperature.
Separate egg yolks and whites.

In the first mixing bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until creamy white. Add mascarpone and 1 shot of cognac and mix until blended. Leave this mixture in the bowl.

In the second mixing bowl, beat eggs whites until fluffy. Fold beaten egg whites into mascarpone mixture. Mix only enough to blend. Over mixing will deflate the egg whites.

Quickly dip a savoiardi in the espresso bowl. To get the right amount of espresso on the savoiardi, lay the finger flat in the bottom of the bowl sugared side up and immediately pull it out. Place each finger flat in the bottom of the pan sugar side down. The savoiardi will quickly absorb the espresso. If you soak the savoiardi in the espresso you will end up with soggy savoiardi instead of moist savoiardi.

Build a layer of dipped savoiardi across the bottom of the pan. If some of the savoiardi do not look 'dark' from the espresso, spoon a few more drops of espresso on the savoiardi. Any espresso left in the bottom of the pan will be absorbed by the savoiardi. Too much espresso will turn the fingers into a soggy mess.

Spoon a layer of egg/mascarpone mixture across the layer of savoiardi. Use about 1/2 of the mascarpone mix. The layer should be about 1cm. (3/8in.) thick.

Dip another layer of savoiardi and lay them on the mascarpone mix. Layer them as before, sugar side down. Drip espresso on the savoiardi that don't look dark from the coffee.

Spoon a second layer of egg/mascarpone mixture across the second layer of savoiardi. Use the remaining mascarpone mix. The layer should be about 1cm thick.

Sift cocoa on top of the second mascarpone layer. Scoop a tablespoon of cocoa into a small sieve. Hold the sieve over the tiramisu and tap the sieve on the side with your finger. The cocoa should sprinkle down in an even layer. Use this technique to cover the tiramisu with a very thin layer of cocoa.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

I wish I was on the terrace in Florence eating tiramisu with The Professor …

Baci,
Elena

Baci Perugina

 

 

Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Elena. She is one of the moderators on the GIFansItaly twitter site and has graciously offered to provide Argyle Empire with a series of posts about the Italian foods and recipes mentioned in the Gabriel Series.

If you'd like to further immerse yourself in all things Italian and Gabriel, be sure and follow @GIFansItaly.

Enjoy!

~ Jenn

* * * * * *

“A surprise?”

“Yes.” He smiled and waited.

She wrinkled her nose. “Will you tell me what the surprise is?”

“If I tell you, it won’t be a surprise.”

She rolled her eyes, and he laughed at her.

“Baci,” he said.

Julia paused. Kisses?

Gabriel saw her reaction and realized the double entendre had not been understood. He pulled something from one of the grocery bags and placed it in the centre of his right palm, holding it out to her as one might hold out an apple to tempt a horse.’

-Gabriel’s Inferno, Chapter 17


**Drools** Who wouldn’t want to receive a Bacio Perugina from our Professor? I sure would. ;)

Since our dear Gabriel and his Julianne seem to enjoy Baci Perugina, I thought to share some curiosities related to these beloved Italian sweet treats.

Baci Perugina were made for the first time in 1922 by the firm Perugina, which is set in Perugia, a city near Assisi. Maybe Gabriel and Julia will decide to visit it in #Gabriel3 ??

Here in Italy we often give and receive Baci Perugina on Valentine’s Day. It has now become the typical sweet treat that lovers exchange on this day.

Inside each Bacio Perugina we can find a love note with a famous love poem or love quote. Yes, sometimes you just want to keep eating Baci Perugina in order to see which love note you’ll find next ;) I wonder which ones Julia found? ( although, knowing Gabriel, he probably enclosed his own love notes to her in each Bacio ;) )

 

The first Bacio Perugina love notes were invented in the 30s by Federico Seneca, who was the artistic director of the firm. But where did he find this inspiration? Well, they say he took his cue from the love notes that were exchanged between Luisa Spagnoli, the wife of one of the founders of the Perugina firm, and Giovanni Buitoni, the son of one of the founders. It seems they used to wrap sweets in small pieces of paper, which contained a love note, in order to declare their love to each other without being caught…Clever, huh? ;)

The typical box of The Baci Perugina shows two lovers embracing and kissing, sometimes under the stars.

Not everyone knows, though, that this image was inspired by the painting “The Kiss” by Francesco Hayez.

Beautiful painting, isn’t it? And had you noticed the similarities between the lovers in the painting and the ones of the Baci Perugina box? If not, now you know ;)


‘There were pastries and fruit, toast and Nutella, boiled eggs and cheese, and several Baci Perugina Gabriel had bribed a hotel employee to run out and purchase along with the extravagant bouquet of irises from the Giardino dell’Iris.

Julia unwrapped one of the Baci and ate it, eyes closed with pure pleasure. ‘You ordered a feast.’

-Gabriel’s Rapture, Chapter 1


Let’s all have some Baci Perugina now, while dreaming of The Professor 

Baci “Kisses” to all 

Elena