Tiramisu
+ my favorite things from 2025
Since this is the last week of the year, I thought I’d share a list of my favorite things from 2025 (which so happens to include this tiramisu recipe) in no particular order.
Inez olio nuovo- I will put this on just about anything… A drizzler’s dream!
Dr. Sebagh deep exfoliating mask- My “glass skin” regimen is a combo of this and the following product. I use these once a week or the morning of a big event.
Dr. Sebagh skin perfecting mask- This can also be used as a spot treatment for blemishes.
BOOST oxygen- I discovered this on a trip to Santa Fe, NM and it was quickly added to my Amazon subscriptions. My physical reminder to stop and take a breath (of 95% pure oxygen).
AmiGo app- For type A and spontaneous travelers alike! I’m currently planning my trip to the DR and this has been wildly helpful. Use code KAROLYN to skip the waitlist :)
Augustinus Bader eye patches- It’s actually crazy how well this works… I’m shocked everytime (and I fucking better be considering the price).
Dr. Stolberg rest + digest tea- I can’t say enough good things about this tea. I get really bloated on flights and this is SO helpful.
Olauto car fragrance- Strong but not sickly… A tough balance to strike for a car fragrance. Jason and I are currently using OMW and Root 66.
Lab-grown diamonds- I’m not big on lab diamonds for symbolic/heirloom pieces like engagement rings etc., but I do think they’re great for daily jewelry like tennis bracelets and earrings. Jean Dousset is the great-great grandson of Louis Cartier so if you’re gonna go lab, this feels right.
Lido swimwear- Great quality, cut, and colors.
Thistles “The Al” sunglasses- I’ve been wearing these nonstop.
Integrative Therapeutics cortisol manager - Kirsty Godso put me onto this and my sleep has improved significantly. No more replying to emails at 3 AM…
The Brick- …Which brings me to this next time item, a “gift” from Jason. I resisted at first and took a tiny bit of offense upon receival, but it really has minimized my late-night/early-morning doom scrolling.
L.L. Bean boat & tote, mini- Inexpensive and customizable. It’s my everyday bag for workouts, the market, beach, etc.
Tiramisu- my favorite dessert since I was 5? 6? Basically my whole life. All to say, I’ve probably consumed more tiramisu than the average person… and therefore choked on more cocoa powder than I’d care to admit (IYKYK). This recipe is a choke-free rendition of the best dessert in the world.
TIRAMISU (SERVES 6-8)
1 cup hot espresso
3 TBSP brandy or rum
1 TSP vanilla extract
1 TBSP cocoa powder
1 cup (8 oz) heavy cream, whipped into stiff peaks
5 egg yolks
2 TBSP sugar
1 cup (8 oz) mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1 x 7 oz package of ladyfinger cookies (Savoiardi)
6 oz fresh raspberries
1/2 cup pistachios, finely chopped (for topping)1
1 dark chocolate bar, shaved into curls (for topping)2
THE COFFEE SYRUP: In a wide bowl, whisk together hot espresso, brandy, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder. Set aside.3
THE MASCARPONE FILLING: Whip the heavy cream into stiff peaks, set aside.4
Fill a medium-sized sauce pot with a few inches of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium to maintain a steady supply of steam.
Cream together egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer set over the pot of simmering water. Whisk constantly until mixture is thick and creamy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool (about 2 minutes).5
Add the mascarpone cheese and use the stand mixer to beat until homogenous.
Gently fold in the whipped cream in 2 batches using a rubber spatula. Set aside.
TO ASSEMBLE: Dunk 1 side of the ladyfinger in the bowl of coffee syrup.6
Arrange the dunked cookies so they completely cover the base of your dish. I used a 11x17” rectangular dish.7
Cover the cookies with half of the mascarpone cream and evenly place about half of the raspberries on top of the cream.
Arrange another layer of dunked cookies, and top with the remaining mascarpone cream.
Cover with plastic wrap and let it set in the fridge for at least 12 hrs.8
Evenly coat the top with a layer of chopped pistachios, dark chocolate curls and the remaining raspberries. No graceful way to plate this, so best to use a large spoon to scoop each serving.
Save yourself some time and chuck it in the food processor.
I ran a peeler down the length of a room temp Lindt chocolate bar.
The bowl should be wider than the length of a ladyfinger.
If you’re using a stand mixer, transfer the whipped cream into a separate bowl so you can use the stand mixer bowl for the next step.
Important to keep this mixture moving as you don’t want the egg yolk to set. It should resemble the texture of melted chocolate.
Don’t over-soak the ladyfinger! I promise it’ll soften with time.
I cut some ladyfingers in half, lengthwise, to completely cover the base. They may break in the process, but don’t worry nobody will see this.
Last footnote I promise- the lady fingers need time to soften, so plan to make this a day before.