“I’m not going to waste my time explaining what tiramisu is,” writes Shannon Martinez in her new cookbook Vegan Italian Food. “All you need to know is – this recipe has crossed state lines. Vegans have travelled far and wide to eat my tiramisu.”
This take on what’s usually a very non-vegan dessert (hello, mascarpone and eggs) is just one Italian classic that gets a plant-based spin by Martinez – the chef-proprietor of Melbourne vegan venues Smith & Daughters and Smith & Deli – in her new book. There’s vegan cacio e pepe, arancini and lasagne, as well as naturally plant-based dishes like salads and giardiniera.
Martinez’s tiramisu recipe is the one found in her restaurants, and “now you can make it at home and take the credit for it” she writes. “I don’t mind.”
Shannon Martinez’s vegan tiramisu
Serves 6–8
Preparation time: 1 hour, plus cooling and at least 4 hours refrigeration
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
Cocoa powder, for dusting
Biscuit/cake layer
40g besan (chickpea flour)
300ml hot water
340g caster sugar
60ml vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
230g plain flour, or use gluten-free flour
18g baking powder
60g cornflour
Custard
40g custard powder
750ml soy milk
100g caster sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
80ml marsala
⅛ tsp black salt
Cream
750ml vegan whipping cream (avoid coconut)
Coffee soak
300ml black coffee
60ml marsala, or your preferred liqueur
Method
Start by making the biscuits or sheet cake. Preheat the oven to 170˚C.
In a bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour and hot water. Add the sugar, oil and vanilla extract and whisk until light and fluffy.
Mix the flour, baking powder and cornflour in a small bowl, then gradually whisk into the wet mix until you have a smooth batter.
Pour into well-greased finger biscuit silicone moulds, or into a shallow baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 10–12 minutes, or until lightly golden.
Leave to cool for 15 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. If you’ve baked the batter into one large sheet, cut into pieces to fit your serving dish.
To make the custard, mix the custard powder with a splash of the soy milk until you form a smooth paste. Whisk in the rest of the soy milk and the remaining ingredients until well combined.
Pour into a large saucepan and cook over a low heat until thick, whisking the whole time to avoid any lumps.
Pour into a bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin forming. Allow to cool to room temperature. While the custard is cooling, whip the cream to medium-firm peaks.
Once cooled, give the custard a quick mix and gently fold through the whipped cream. Combine the coffee and marsala in a shallow bowl.
To build, soak your biscuits or cake pieces in the spiked coffee then cover the base of your dish with them.
Spoon over a thick layer of the custard on top, spreading it out evenly, then repeat the layers until you have used up all the ingredients. Finish with a layer of the custard, then dust liberally with cocoa powder and place in the fridge. Leave for a minimum of 4 hours before serving, overnight is best.
This is an edited extract from Vegan Italian Food: Over 100 Recipes for a Plant-based Feast by Shannon Martinez, published by Hardie Grant Books. Available in stores nationally from October 29. Photography by Kristoffer Paulsen.
For more Shannon Martinez recipes, check out our Shannon Martinez recipe collection.
