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Jewel Johnson

Tiramisu
S35E11 Italian · 2024
Co-owner of Poppa's Custard Company in Philadelphia, Executive Chef at Dirty French NYC
● @poppascustardco

Tiramisu is either a precisely calibrated dessert or a bowl of mascarpone and ego, and the difference is always the sabayon. Jewel Johnson — co-owner of Poppa's Custard Company in Philadelphia and executive chef at Dirty French in New York — has been thinking about custard long enough to know which side of that line she lives on.

Johnson's sabayon runs six egg yolks to 75 grams of sugar, whipped over a double boiler at 140°F — hot enough to pasteurize without scrambling — until the ribbon holds its shape for ten seconds before dissolving. The mascarpone is folded in thirds, not whisked, which keeps the air that took four minutes to build from collapsing in thirty seconds of impatience. The ladyfingers are dipped in cold espresso for exactly two seconds per side — any longer and they become a sponge that collapses the structure.

Drive to Poppa's Custard in Philadelphia and order whatever she's made that day. It will be more carefully thought through than anything Bobby Flay assembled in a twenty-minute heat.

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Tiramisu

30 min Prep
0 min Cook
8 Serves
Ingredients
  • 6 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/3 cups heavy cream, cold
  • 1 lb mascarpone cheese, room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 3/4 cups strong espresso, cooled to room temperature
  • 3 tbsp coffee liqueur (Kahlúa)
  • 2 tbsp dark rum
  • 40 Italian ladyfinger cookies (savoiardi)
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 oz dark chocolate, finely grated
Instructions
  1. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water (do not let bowl touch water) for 8-10 minutes until mixture reaches 160°F and becomes pale, thick, and ribbon-like. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes, whisking occasionally.
  2. In a separate cold bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold into cooled egg mixture until no streaks remain.
  3. In another bowl, whisk room-temperature mascarpone with vanilla extract and salt until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Fold mascarpone mixture into cream mixture in two additions, being careful not to deflate.
  4. Combine cooled espresso, coffee liqueur, and dark rum in a shallow dish. Working quickly, dip each ladyfinger into espresso mixture for 1 second per side (no longer or they will break), then arrange in a single layer in a 9x13-inch dish.
  5. Spread half of mascarpone cream evenly over first layer of ladyfingers. Dip remaining ladyfingers in espresso mixture and create second layer. Top with remaining mascarpone cream, smoothing the surface.
  6. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours (preferably 24 hours) to allow flavors to meld and texture to set.
  7. Just before serving, sift cocoa powder generously over entire surface using a fine mesh strainer. Garnish with grated dark chocolate. Serve cold in chilled bowls.
Inspired by Jewel Johnson’s winning tiramisu. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.
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