Easy Tiramisu

Rich and creamy with a luscious coffee flavor... slightly sweet and touched with rum! Such an elegant dessert that you can serve at home. Not just a dessert for Italian restaurants!

Easy Tiramisu

Yield: 8 -10 Servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup brewed espresso or very strong coffee, at room temperature
1/4 cup rum or marsala wine, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 ounces Mascarpone cheese (about 1 1/4 cups) or Mock Mascarpone Recipe below
3 large egg yolks
1⁄4- 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar, divided (depending on sweetness desired)
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 frozen or fresh Pound cake or Sponge cake, sliced into 1 X 3” strips
2 - 3 tablespoons Cocoa powder for dusting

Mock Mascarpone:

8 ounces regular or light cream cheese

1/3 cup regular or light sour cream

Equipment needed:

Cutting board
Serrated knife
Liquid measuring cup
Measuring spoons
Wide shallow medium bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Hand mixer
Wire Whisk
8 – 10 (6 ounce) small glass bowls or cups or 1 glass 8 or 9-inch pan

I love Tiramisu and enjoy it when we order it at Italian restaurants! My hubby and I have many Italian restaurants in our local area or Chicago that we eat at often... especially for birthdays and our anniversary. Tiramisu with a candle is always the "free" dessert! Many years ago, I came upon a newspaper Tiramisu recipe using Mock Mascarpone. I cut it out and have used it ever since. In my little town, we often don't have exotic ingredients, so I love easy substitutions! My advanced Foods classes have also made it for our final meal project with rave reviews! This recipe is made ahead too, so perfect for company or a special meal! Grab your supplies and let's make it!

Like the recipe title says... pretty easy to make! So first step is to create the coffee mixture for dipping the cake into so it can cool. To prepare the coffee you have two choices... If you own an espresso machine, make a cup or combine 2 tablespoons espresso powder with 1/2 cup hot water and stir until dissolved. I choose the later, as I always have espresso powder around and not the machine. Never been much of an espresso drinker, as caffeine is not my friend after about 3 p.m! In a shallow bowl combine the warm espresso (or coffee), 2 tablespoons rum, vanilla extract, and a 2 tablespoon of the sugar. Give it a stir and allow to cool to room temperature.

Second step is to prepare the creamy filling! With a hand mixer, blend cream cheese and sour cream until smooth to make the Mock Mascarpone or open the package of the real stuff ...softened. Add egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of rum, and remaining sugar into the bowl with Mascarpone cheese mixture. Blend well, set aside. Next whip 3/4 cup of heavy cream on high speed until soft peaks are formed about 1 - 2 minutes, being careful not to over beat and make it chunky. Remove roughly half to another small bowl and cover/ refrigerate for later. Fold whipped cream carefully into mascarpone cheese until smooth. Remember... folding is not mixing, but a delicate circular motion so you don't crush the volume of the cream.

Now it's time to cut the cake up into thin slices, 1 inch by 3 inches, and about 1/2 inch thick. Don't get out your measuring tape... small slices are what you need. I usually keep them as long as the cake and approximately the size of a lady finger. You can use lady fingers if you can find them at a store... I often make a sponge cake or by a pound cake at the store if I'm in a rush. Set up an assembly line with cake first, coffee mixture and then cream. You might find that you need to break a cake slices into smaller pieces to fit them in the dish. Start by dipping a slice of cake into the coffee mixture so about half of the cake is brown with coffee. Place into the bottom of each of 8 small glass or plastic cups. Clear cups are better so the beauty of the layers can be seen. (If desiring a moister, stronger coffee flavor... spoon a bit more coffee mixture over each cake layer.) For individual portions, spoon dollops, about 1 tablespoon, of mascarpone mixture over the cake. Dust a little cocoa on top, as shown above. Continue layering until glasses are full. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours.

• If choosing to make one larger dessert, line the bottom of the glass 8 or 9-inch dish with dipped cake. Divide mascarpone mixture into thirds for each layer with a dusting of ~ 1 tablespoon cocoa powder for each layer. Spread plain whipped cream over entire pan. Dust with cocoa powder. Wrap and refrigerate.

Don't they look fabulous? When ready to serve individual cups, spoon a bit of the remaining whipped cream and dust with more grated chocolate or cocoa powder. Garnish with chocolate chips or decorative chocolate pieces. Leave out at room temperature about 20 minutes before serving. (Tiramisu can be chilled up to 2 days, but no longer or else the cake may break down and become mushy). Such an elaborate dessert... and you made it yourself! Enjoy!!