A Dessert to "Pick-Me-Up"

Tiramisu. A famous Italian dessert and definitely one of my favorite. Once, a TV program I watched explained that the word tira~mi~su actually means 'pick-me-up' or 'pull-me-up'. I totally agreed. Somehow, indulging in this soft velvety dessert always has an uplifting effect on me.

So, my mum requested that I do this 'pull-me-up' as a birthday treat for my uncle's birthday yesterday. Prior to that, she's been asking for it several times but I keep delaying, partly also be'cos I didn't want her to have too much of it for health reasons. Though I doubted her 'kind' intention *lolz*, I gladly obliged this time since it was requested on 'legitimate' grounds. (^_^)

The original recipe is meant to end up with a tiramisu cake but I prepared in individual cups instead to serve as after-dinner dessert. I also settled on commercial lady finger biscuits (known as savoiardi) rather than baking my own, not wanting to 'burn' my Thurs night after work, & simply concentrated on making the 'mousse' portion.

I love the dessert cups as I feel it adds a nice touch to the look of the tiramisu. It even comes along with dome-shaped cover to make space for decorations on top.

The taste? Simply wonderful. It's so light in texture yet so rich in flavor. Ummm ... am I getting a little dreamy ?!?! I feel like I'm being lifted up to the sky ...... (must be the Khalua working).

Oh btw, I found this website that shares quite a lot of information on Tiramisu.

Tiramisu
Ingredients (Enough to yield 8 servings or a 6" round cake)

2 egg yolks
30g honey
30g icing sugar
2 gelatine sheets*
250g mascapone cheese
250g dairy whipping cream

Coffee liquor mixture

10g instant coffee granules
50g caster sugar
150 hot water
10g coffee liquor (I use Khalua)

Some savoiardi (lady finger biscuit) or vanilla sponge cake base
Cocoa powder

Method

1. Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water to soften.
2. n a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks till slightly thick & pale yellow in color. Add honey, icing sugar & set the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Mix well & increase the temperature slowly till approx. 65 degC. Remove the bowl from the pan of simmering water.
3. Squeeze the gelation sheets to get rid of excess water & mix into the heated egg yolk mixture from Step (2). Add in the mascapone cheese & mix till well blended.
4. In another clean, dry mixing bowl, whisk the dairy cream till soft peaks form.
5. Add the whipped dairy cream into the egg yolk mixture & fold till combined.
6. Lay the base of a 6" round mousse ring /the dessert cups with some lady finger / sponge cake & brush the coffee liqour mixture over generously. Pour in 1/2 portion of the mousse.
7. Repeat with some more lady finger / sponge cake, the coffee liquor mixture and pour in the remaining 1/2 portion of the mousse. Spread evenly.
8. Refrigerate till set & dust some cocoa powder on top. Decorate as desired. Best served chilled.

Recipe from: 轻松学会做点心 by 吴美珠(台湾)

*The gelatine sheets can be replaced with 8g of gelatine powder. You may reduce the amount of gelatine used or omit it if serving in cups/container. Reducing it will result in softer, mousse-like texture while increasing it will result in firmer, cake-like form.

Baking 101 - As raw egg yolks are used in making tiramisu, heating the egg yolk mixture to 65 degC helps to "sanitize" & kill the germs.