Upon seeing the film 'No Reservations', I was fascinated by an Italian dessert the main character brought to a dinner he was catering.
Upon further research, I have found tiramisu to be the most delicious and among the easiest of layered dessert recipes. So heavenly; the pudding is smooth and creamy and the soaked ladyfingers melt in your mouth in a blend of chocolate and coffee and licquor flavours.
And so beautiful!
One of the best parts of it is that you can add as much licquor as you wish, and it can only taste better.
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TIRAMISU EXCELLENTE
2 cups prepared vanilla pudding *
3 tbsp amaretto
8 oz. (1 cup) softened cream cheese or marscapone
1 3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup brandy
2 tbsp. Kahlua (or any coffee licquor)
3/4 cup triple-strength coffee (or espresso) **
20-24 ladyfingers ***
1 cup dark chocolate, grated ****
* It is unbelievably better to make the pudding from scratch; please do not use the artificial/canned vanilla pudding; take the little added time and make it for real and its flavour is amazingly better
** You can use savoiardi, the traditional crisp ladyfingers, but I prefer the soft ladyfingers; they soak better
*** Of course, the better the brand of coffee, the better the result; I recommend Mystic Monk's, Peet's, Gevalia or even Starbucks
**** Dark chocolate melts less, allowing for easier grating.
This is one of Italy's favourite desserts, and the name Tiramisu literally means to 'pick me up', perhaps referring to the alcoholic blend.I cannot stress how important it is to remember that this recipe really must be made early inday if not the day before, so to flavours can blend and soften together.Serve this version, which can be completed up to 2 days ahead of time, to surprise your family on a weekend night or for company after an elegant Italian meal.Personally,
I always double the recipe as I make this for big family parties, and make three layers of the ladyfingers and pudding-cream instead of only two.Concerning the liquor, put as much as you want; no holes barred there; the cream can be as spiked as you want, and will only taste better.
Homemake everything, no bought 'whipped topping' nor ladyfingers nor pudding, and it's the best! I hope one day to make my own chocolate for grating; then it'll be totally homemade, haha!
METHOD
1. Prepare the pudding according to package directions using whole mold (makes 2 cups). Cool.
2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the cooled vanilla pudding, 2 table spoons of the Amaretto, the cream cheese and 1/2 cup of cream. Mix thoroughly.
3. Combine sugar, brandy, coffee licquor, remaining Amaretto, and brewed coffee in a bowl. Stir and let cool.
4. While coffee mixture is cooling, in the bowl of our electric mixer, whip the remaining cream and cinnamon until firm. Using a spatula, fold* the pudding mixture into the whipped cream.
5. Dip the ladyfingers in the coffee mixture** and make a layer in a 3-quart trifle-type bowl. Cover with half the pudding-cream, and sprinkle with half the grated chocolate. Repeat. You may decorate the top with chocolate curls.
6. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 2 days before serving.
