Tiramisu literally means "pick me up" or "cheer me up" in Italian, and this divine coffee-flavoured dessert lives up to its name. Tiramisu is made of ladyfingers biscuits dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese, flavoured with cocoa.
Ingredients
- 1 sponge cake (10 to 12 inch about 3" tall)
- 3 ounces strong black coffee or instant espresso
- 3 ounces brandy or rum
- 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese or mascarpone, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups - superfine/powdered sugar
- unsweetened cocoa powder
How to Make Tiramisu Dessert
- Cut across middle of sponge cake forming two layers, each about 1 1/2 inches high.
- Blend coffee and brandy.
- Sprinkle enough of mixture over bottom half of cake to flavor it strongly.
- Don't moisten cake too much or it may collapse on serving.
- Beat room-temperature cheese and one cup sugar until sugar is completely dissolved and cheese is light and spreadable.
- Test for sweetness during beating, adding more sugar if needed.
- Spread cut surface of bottom layer with half of the cheese mixture.
- Replace second layer and top this with remaining cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle top liberally with sifted cocoa.
- Refrigerate cake for at least two hours before cutting and serving.
