Recipe development is built on the assumption that almost anything can be improved — and mostly, I believe that. But writing up the chocolate chip cookie recipe for last week’s newsletter a familiar question surfaced: When does tinkering cross the line from development into damage? The well-known classics present a particular problem. They didn’t survive by accident; they outlasted trends, fads, and the food world’s endless appetite for novelty, surviving up to the present day, intact, because each generation found them worth keeping. This explains why they require a different instinct: not the developer’s urge to improve, but the editor’s ability to recognize when something cannot be improved. Make the thing, and put the pencil (or spatula) down!
And yet….there are always exceptions.
I have committed what might reasonably be described as a culinary atrocity: a chocolate chip cookie tiramisu. On paper, it sounds faintly outlandish — and I won’t pretend otherwise. But in practice, it is so immediately delicious, so unashamedly pleasurable, that any reservations dissolve somewhere around the second spoonful. Think of it less as reinvention, more as an introduction long overdue — two classics that were, it turns out, made for each other.
Part tiramisu, part cookie jar raid — this dessert is nostalgic and grown-up all at once. The dark, bittersweet pull of coffee meets the caramel warmth of a chocolate chip cookie, while whipped airy mascarpone cream draws everything together into something softer.
The pencil, it turns out, is harder to put down than I thought.
A little background: A few years ago, before this newsletter evolved to become what it is now, a rather silly tiramisu video I made went viral on TikTok and thousands of people demanded requested the recipe.
I hurriedly developed a version to share on social, one that involved pressing the cookie dough into neat, measured slabs before baking, then cutting and layering them to resemble a tiramisu. It was undeniably delicious, but the method was exacting to the point of absurdity. At one stage, a tape measure was involved, which feels like a line best reserved for croissants.
The idea stayed with me, though. And, having since sharpened how I write recipes, I kept returning to the same question: What is the point of writing a recipe that no one will actually make? This version is the answer. It works beautifully with good shop-bought cookies, though if you make your own (malted chocolate chip cookies), all the better.
Make ahead
This is a make-ahead sort of pudding and keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It is just as suited to an outdoor barbecue gathering or family table as it is to a quieter moment: a Friday night, an empty kitchen, no plans at all. In that case, make it for yourself and eat it whenever the mood strikes, albeit straight from the fridge.
Technique
You can absolutely make this without the zabaglione (the classic Italian mixture of whipped egg yolks and sugar gently cooked over heat), but I think the extra step gives the tiramisu a richer, silkier texture and a deep, almost custard-like creaminess that makes the whole thing feel especially luxurious.
Before we get cooking, and stepping outside the box, I’ve decided to introduce a new feature to the Sunday newsletter: The Sunday Edit. Let’s face it, we cooks do, in fact, care about things beyond food!
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Blur Primer. A classic! I’ve used this for years and it genuinely blurs (or appears to blur) pores. I put it on after moisturizer and right before makeup and it works every single time.
If you read last week’s letter, you’ll know all about my best-ever malted chocolate chip cookie recipe. Make them now!
The Chez Panisse Café Cookbook. A classic I return to again and again for its emphasis on simple, wonderful, timeless recipes.
Blue painter’s tape. Perfect for labels, dates, and general kitchen organization. I also highly recommend buying deli containers if you haven’t already.
’Tis the season for cowboy boots. Though, to be honest, in my wardrobe it’s always the season for cowboy boots. They’re especially fun in summer with jeans and a white shirt. Outfit complete. And a decent pair is worth the splurge, because you’ll have them forever.
And speaking of fashion: my husband and I went to The Ritz London recently for afternoon tea. The dress code was black tie and I took that very literally. Oh man, did I feel incredible. There is something about sharp tailoring that makes you feel as though you could conquer the world. The suit jacket I’m wearing in the photo is old-season Zara, but I love this jacket from Aritzia.
Extra! Afternoon out recommendation: if you’re in London, I highly recommend booking afternoon tea at Raffles London at The OWO. They’re currently doing an Operation Mincemeat-themed tea, inspired by the extraordinary WWII deception operation partly conceived within the building itself, back when it was the Old War Office. The history alone is fascinating, and the cakes and sandwiches are incredible.
The full detailed recipe is below + downloadable PDF, and prep video to help you prepare the tiramisu.
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