Tiramisu

Last week we had small groups at Jordan and Loramys house.  The theme was Italian, so I decided to make an Italian dessert.  The most popular Italian dessert being Tiramisu.

Tiramisu is traditionally made with mascarpone cheese and beaten egg yolks.  While I have no problem with the “raw egg” in my desserts, there are many that do.  So in a effort to please more dessert eaters I compromised my recipe.  I replaced the eggs and mascarpone cheese with cream cheese and heavy whipping cream.  Mascarpone is hard to get your hands on around here anyway.  Lady fingers, which are sponge cake that are about 3 inches long and oblong, are not easy to find either.  Check for these in the bakery section of well stocked grocery store.  I have to go to Kroger to get mine, wal-mart and IGA do not sell them.  For the Rum, I chose a coconut flavored rum and it was yummy.  It gave a slight hint of coconut, and had a mild rum flavor.  I will use this kind again.

Here are the ingredients that you should assemble.  For a 9 x 13.

3 packages of “lady fingers”

2 bricks of cream cheese

1 cup of powdered sugar

1/4 Cup of Rum

2 Cups of Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 cup of Rum + 1/2 cup of STRONG coffee mixed in the same cup.

1/4 cup cocoa powder

Here’s how to put it together.

1. Line the bottom of your 9 X 13 pan with a layer of lady fingers with the flat side facing up.
2. In a Large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar, and slowly add 1/4 cup of rum.
3. In a smaller bowl, pour 2 Cups of heavy whipping cream and whip till peaks form.
4. Fold the two white mixtures together to make your tiramisu filling.

1. Now take your Rum/Coffee mix and a basting brush, and moisten the lady fingers in the pan.
2. Put half the filling over the soaked lady fingers, and then add another layer of lady fingers to the top of the filling.
3. Baste Again with the Rum/Coffee.

1. Put the rest of the filling on top of the 2nd layer of lady fingers, and then add a dusting of cocoa powder.

This was a hit!  It was very good that day, but it tasted even better the next day.  The coffee flavor and the rum really mixed and the cake really sucked up all the liquid.

Ezra ate 4 pieces of this before it was gone!  And I lost count of Xanders, he’s growing so fast!  Zoe didn’t care for the Tiramisu, but loved eating the leftover lady fingers.  Even Matthew, who doesn’t care for coffee, said that he would eat it again.  🙂

All in all a good first time experience with new ingredients and a “patchwork” recipe.