Tiramisu

For the few people that are following this and may be checking up on it I do apologize. It has been way too long since I have posted up a blog. I had planned on making this Tiramisu for a good while actually but that may have been the demise. Demise is the wrong word to use, but it may have been the reason it took me such a long time. I think I work better when the work is more spontaneous. I tend to get up and go, just do it, get to it faster when the planning is maybe a days worth and not two weeks worth.

Anyway, it's up, I did it, it's done. But it does need to be done again, only this time better. As good as this stuff tastes, i messed it up. The texture mainly, and I'll tell you exactly when it happened. During the whisking, the churning, the beating of the mascarpone mixture. And then once again during the churning, mixing, whisking of the heavy cream. Within a 30 second window I changed the entire texture of this most delicious of desserts to the entirely wrong texture. Not creamy and smooth as it should have been, it was now basically curdled. I don't want to use that word because it didn't go bad, but it took on the texture and look of curdled cream. I used the standing mixer to over-mixed these sensitive dairies by about 30 seconds, and noticed right away. Such a frustating thing to happen! and yet, not the worst I suppose. I did not ruin the Tiramisu as Mr. J says. He wound up eating most of it throughout the few days following as I could not bring myself to love it, as good as it tasted, it was not perfect. Such as we, the creators of whatever it is we create, are our own worst critics.

Read on to see the latest masterpiece (gone wrong)...

Recipe taken from William Sonoma http://www.heavenlytiramisu.com/rcp-138.htm

p.s. I made the Ladyfingers used in this recipe from scratch and will blog that next but if you'd like to make them and use this recipe here it is for the Joy of Baking... http://www.joyofbaking.com/Ladyfingers.html



Tiramisu!

Ingredients

6 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1 lb. mascarpone cheese, softened
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
2 tbsp. rum
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 cups plus 2 tbsp. brewed espresso, cooled
5 egg whites
40-50 Ladyfingers
cocoa powder

In the top of a double boiler, over simmering water, beat the egg yolks and sugar till the mixture is pale yellow and thick ribbons fall from the whisk. 4-5 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer (or use a hand-held electric mixer).

Add the mascarpone cheese and beat till smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.

In a chilled large mixing bowl. beat the cream to stiff peaks.
(I over-mixed by maybe 30 seconds or so and this is how it turned out)

Add the rum, vanilla and 2 tbsp. of espresso and beat till smooth.

In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks.

With a rubber spatula, gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the cream till blended and smooth.

Add about 1 cup of the beaten egg whites and fold gently till blended.

Add the remaining egg whites and fold gently till mixture is smooth and blended.

Submerge each ladyfinger into the remaining espresso. The recipe I used says to use a 6-quart glass or ceramic baking dish. I didn't have one that big so I used a 4.8-quart dish, about 2 inches deep, and it seemed to work just fine. I had a few extra ladyfingers, but may not have had enough if I had used the 6-quart-er. Line each lady finger along the bottom of the dish as the first layer.

Continue to form a complete layer.

Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the soaked ladyfingers until evenly covered.

Arrange another layer of soaked Ladyfingers over the mascarpone cream, then spread the remaining mascarpone cream evenly over the top.

Dust the Tiramisu with cocoa powder to create a rich and dark topping.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 1 day before serving to well-deserving people.