Monday 11 May 2009

Tiramasu

I am not a huge maker of desserts as generally we don't eat them very often. When we are having company I usually fall back on old faithfuls like cheese cake or pavlova as they always work so well, are popular and are easy to put together. On my husband's birthday I was having the family round by way of a small celebration..........well maybe not that small as there were fourteen of us. I was browsing through Nigella Lawson's "Christmas" and I spied this. It was a large cake so would be perfect and it is not so much about baking as assembly. I could not find the chocolate cakes she spoke of but used some chocolate chip muffins from my supermarket in store bakery. They worked very well. Highly recommended for a gathering when you have lots of other things to organize as it can be mad well in advance. It looks good on the table and tastes wonderful. Very rich so it stretches a long way.

You Need

3 x 350gm/12oz
300 - 400mls Tia Maria
1-2 teaspoons cocoa for dusting
23cm/9 inch spring form cake tin wrapped with cling film or foil on the outside to prevent any leaks.

For the Filling

2 eggs
75gms/3oz caster sugar
500gms/ 1lb 2oz mascarpone
250 mls double cream
125 mls Tia maria

Slice the cake thinly and pour the 300 mls Tia Maria into a shallow dish ready for soaking the slices as you kneed them.

Before you start layering the cakes, whisk the eggs and sugar, and then beat in the mascarpone and double cream.
Gradually add the 125 mls Tia Maria to make a creamy spreadable layer for the cake

Using approx 1 cake per layer, dunk the slices in Tia Maria before lining the tin with them.
Each layer should not be too thick but juicily compact and solid

Spread a third of the cream mixture over the soaked cake slices.

Repeat with another layer of cake and cream. Finish with a layer of cake and reserve the last third of the cream in a covered bowl.

Press the cake layer down to make it as smooth as possible, then cover it with cling film and put the fridge overnight or for up to four days.

When you are ready take the cake out of the fridge, unmould it onto a plate. Spread with the last of the cream then dust with cocoa.

The cake is too damp to take it off the tin's base but the cake is so good looking you'll never notice the base.


30 comments:

Sally said...

OMG, that looks sooooo good. Am sure if I make this I will drink a lot of the Tia Maria as well. LOL.

Noodlegirl said...

I just love tiramisu!

Mary said...

This tiramisù came out perfect , so inviting ....put on a cuppa i'm coming over so we can share a piece of dessert.
cheers!

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

that's one of my favorite desserts! Yours looks fantastic

cheers,

Rosa

Nickki said...

Gorgeous! I've been eying up this cake in NC for a while now :)

Elizabeth said...

I've never seen tiramisu made with cakes or muffins before... but I really like the idea! Tiramisu has always been a favourite of mine. A favourite I don't indulge in nearly enough.

Maria♥ said...

Brenda, that looks amazing and Tiramisu is one of my fave desserts!

Maria
x

Coby said...

If only I liked coffee! It looks beautiful Granny:D

Oh my! Apple pie! said...

I can vouch for this recipe....gorgeous dessert! So much reward for so little work, lol.

Rhyleysgranny said...

Sal - That makes it an expensive cake with a drunken hostess to boot x


Noodlegirl - Hi and thanks for dropping in with a comment:)

Mary - I have the kettle on :)

Rosa - Thank you x

Nikki - You need to make it x

Elizabeth - You will enjoy :)

Maria - I just love that pink Gerbora x

Coby - You could use something else other than Tia maria. I thought of using Amaretto or Baileys. You could just leave the booze out too. x

Erica - Great isn't it? x

Gloria Baker said...

This look wonderful dear Brenda. really!!! xxGloria

La Bella Cooks said...

Beautiful!! I never tired of a good tiramisu!

George said...

Oh this looks just perfect Brenda, so good.

kristel said...

This tiramisu it's amazing, it looks really good! And it's very original the idea to use muffins.

Rhyleysgranny said...

Gloria Bridgett and George - Thank you :)

Kristel - How nice of you to drop in. A great complement from an Italian foodie. Thank you :)

♥Rosie♥ said...

Oh my goodenss granny your tiramisu looks fantastic!

Apologies for not calling by earlier due to my back circumstances.

Rosie x

Kana said...

Pass the tiramisu and Tis Maria!

hungryandfrozen said...

All those layers of cake and cream look divine! I've heard nothing but good things about this recipe :)

Chef Jeena said...

Wonderful tiramisu I love all of those tasty layers. :-)

Rhyleysgranny said...

Rosie Maya Jeena and Laura
Thank you all. It really is so easy and looks so good on the table. A real winner of a quick dessert

Mary said...

Hi , i thought it would be quicker to answer you here about the flour you can't find for the bread , it is a particular flour maybe you should try and look for it in an italian shop , i'm sure over there you have these types of shops ...you know with international products . You can still make the bread with normal white flour but the duram gives that particular coloring . Anyway let me know.
Cheers!

Kelly-Jane said...

Looks lovely :)Yum!

Silvy said...

Hello Granny, when you have a moment free pass from me that there is a reward for your cleverness. A abbraccione! Silvy

manila houses said...

sooo tummy tempting :) yum yum yum

La said...

Tiramasu... well really looks so good for my eyes

Display homes said...

My mom do really love making tiramasu..

NuKiwi said...

Oooh...probably my ALL TIME FAVE dessert in the world!!! Looks DIVINE! (bookmarking now)

Anonymous said...

This looks great and I love the idea of using muffins!

Instead of using cream in the mix though (the only 'cream' in a tiramisu should be the mascarpone), try beating the egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the mascarpone and fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites - this makes for an AMAZINGLY light tiramisu! :)

laura said...

wow great recipe, love it!

Julia Balbilla said...

I love tiramisu, but I use amaretto instead of Tia Maria. JB xx