| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 35 min |
| Prep: | 35 min |
| Yield: | 8 to 10 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pear juice or nectar
- 1 firm pear (such as Anjou or Bartlett), peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup pear brandy
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 8-ounce containers mascarpone cheese
- 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon finely ground white pepper
- 27 soft ladyfingers
Instructions
- Toss the pear, pear juice, brandy, granulated sugar, lemon juice and salt in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; set aside. Beat the mascarpone, heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and white pepper in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer) on medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 more minutes (do not overbeat). Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Arrange 9 ladyfingers in the bottom of the pan in a single layer. Top with half of the pears and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the pear liquid. Spread 1 cup of the mascarpone mixture over the pears. Repeat with 9 more ladyfingers, the remaining pears, 3 tablespoons of the pear liquid and 1 cup mascarpone mixture. Top with the remaining 9 ladyfingers and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the pear liquid. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. (Transfer the remaining mascarpone mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.) To serve, let the reserved mascarpone mixture come to room temperature. Lift the tiramisu out of the pan using the plastic wrap and invert onto a platter; remove the plastic wrap. Cover the top and sides with the remaining mascarpone mixture.
- Photograph by Johnny Miller
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 486 |
| Total Fat | 31 g |
| Saturated Fat | 18 g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 20 g |
| Protein | 7 g |
| Cholesterol | 164 mg |
| Sodium | 247 mg |
Reviews
I so wanted to love this. The mascarpone mixture was perfect, the pepper tempered the sweetness and it just tasted so heavenly. I did slice the pear very thin, so no problems there. The plastic wrap lining handled like a charm and the desert was so pretty and perfect. The killer was the overwhelming taste of the pear brandy. Yes, my southern, small, metropolitan area, local grocer carries pear brandy, so I was really excited….but the brandy just took over this dish. I think if I try this one again, the pear brandy will be omitted. Oh, did I mention how divine the mascarpone mixture tasted?
PART 1 OF REVIEW: I wanted to make this for Christmas dessert following a prime rib dinner. I live in a big metro area and pear brandy was nowhere to be found so I improvised. I cut up one whole pear and poured half a cup of brandy and a splash of pear nectar over it in a mason jar. I let it sit overnight and strained it the next day. If you have a few weeks, you can make pear brandy, but I only had 24 hours. I used Kerns Pear Nectar and Specialty Baker’s soft Lady Fingers. Other than my make shift pear brandy, I followed the directions as written. As soon as I tasted the mascarpone mixture with the white pepper, I thought this would be a hit but was a little worried about an overwhelming alcohol taste. I could not taste the pepper in the mascarpone, but it had a nice bit of heat to it. Combined with the coolness of the cheese, it was a nice combo. SEE PART 2 OF REVIEW.
PART 2 OF REVIEW: In assembling it, I had to re-slice the pears even thinner so I would get two layers. Keep in mind that you are going to need to lay out about 90 square inches (two layers of 9 x 5 inches of pears so you had better slice the one pear in the recipe very thin. The next day I took out the leftover mascarpone mixture and let it come to room temp. When I turned the cake over and frosted it, I really thought that there was just too much mascarpone. It either needed more lady fingers or less cream. I am not sure if I will make this again. If I do, I am going to use more than the 27 lady fingers. I will do the three layers but also put an outer layer horizontally in the pan – there was plenty of room. I will probably also pour my alcohol mixture in a shallow dish and soak the lady fingers instead of drizzling on top by the tablespoon. I prefer my traditional tiramisu to this that I make with coffee and Kahlua.
I wanted to love this, but I didn’t. Tried to find pear brandy…nearly impossible. The liquor store had bottles ranging in price from $29.95 – $65.00. A little too pricey for 1/2 cup the recipe calls for. I doubled the pear nectar instead. I thought that one pear wasn’t enough and the pepper was a little overwhelming and I like pepper. The cake was easy to make and very pretty. It probably really needs the brandy. What would be a cheaper alternative?