Tiramisu

Tiramisu

I am a fan of desserts. Anything sweet and gooey you name it....i love it (but not the tapioca pudding they serve in Chinese eat outs!!!!). I used to try Rainbow food cakes once a week, the convenience is that they sell special gourmet cakes in small single serves. I meet tiramisu then, but i was not impressed (i could say this not until i tasted better version). Then came this wonderful, soft, creamy but not dense real "tiramisu" i would say, from olive garden in a friends place.
the dense coffee taste was the first one i liked with the subtle cream flavour...mmmmm

Then when it was my snack turn in our group meet, the first thing that came to my mind, for a desserty snack, was this.

As usual i crossed my fingers, browsed over 20 recipes and trusted my usual recipe source at last. (ppsst!..that's a secret!) this one calls for cooking the raw egg yolks which made me choose 'cause for the snack will be consumed on large, by kids and a pregnant lady. And i omitted the large quantity of rum they called for.

Well the procedure was simple, but once i came to the cooking raw eggs part ...i was, well....... scared....the recipe calls for cooking the yolks until it turns thick. But i wanted to know when exactly will the yolks get cooked..like a temperature.....run to google...when the yolk is on stove.....found that egg yolk coagulates and cooks at 158degree F (http://www.enc-online.org/f_a_q.htm).

run back to the kitchen, grab a thermometer...now the temp was....160....but know what?? .....the gollum inside me threatened me again and finally to be sooo sssuuureee...i waited until it read 185.....and proceeded on...

The result was good and nice..as friends commented....but i am gonna try it out again...perfect it more and post it back here for me.

now to the real cooking...

TIRAMISU

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups strong black coffee , room temperature with 2 tbsp of sugar
6 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 pounds mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup cream for adding to yolks
3/4 cup cream for whipping
14 ounces ladyfingers or half sheet plain sponge cake
3 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate , grated (optional)

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1. Stir coffee and sugar set aside.

2. In bowl beat yolks at low speed until just combined. Add sugar beat at medium speed until pale yellow, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add 1/3 cup cream to yolks and beat at medium speed until just combined, 20 to 30 seconds; scrape bowl. Set bowl with yolks over medium saucepan containing 1 inch gently simmering water; cook, constantly scraping along bottom and sides of bowl with heatproof rubber spatula, until mixture coats back of spoon and registers 160 degrees. Remove from heat and stir vigorously to cool slightly, then set aside to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.

4. Add mascarpone to this cooled yolk mixture and beat at medium speed until no lumps remain, 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer mixture to large bowl and set aside.

5. In another bowl beat 3/4 cup cream at medium speed until frothy, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Increase speed to high and continue to beat until cream holds stiff peaks, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Using rubber spatula, fold one-third of whipped cream into mascarpone mixture to lighten, then gently fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Set mascarpone mixture aside.

6. Working one at a time, drop half of ladyfingers into coffee mixture, roll, remove, and transfer to 13 by 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.

5. Spread half of mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers; use rubber spatula to spread mixture to sides and into corners of dish and smooth surface. Place 2 tablespoons cocoa in fine-mesh strainer and dust cocoa over mascarpone. If using sponge cake, cut into small fingers and proceed.

6. Repeat dipping and arrangement of ladyfingers; spread remaining mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers and dust with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa. Wipe edges of dish with dry paper towel. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 to 24 hours. Sprinkle with grated chocolate, if using; cut into pieces and serve chilled.