A Revisit to Tiramisu

This is the cake that I was baking (kind of) for the occasion. It is a birthday cake made to surprise two of my closest friends in my life. Having decided not to buy a cake from outside bakery, I read through quite a number of food blogs and my recipe collection and decided to stay on the safe side – and made something that I’m familiar and confident in, instead of trying to bake a whole new cake that I’ve never attempted. I was inspired by madbaker’s post on her tiramisu cake and decide to reproduce something similar.

Well I’m an amateur and obviously my cake did not turn out as nice as hers but I think it’s somewhere there… (or is it not?)

I used the same recipe as my previous tiramisu for this cake. It consists of 2 sponge layers made up of Savoiardi biscuits (which I broke some of them up to form a circle) – I didn’t have the time to bake a sponge cake and my sponge cake baking skills aren’t seriously that good yet – and 2 layers of mascarpone cream (zabaglione mixture). After layering the first layer of mascarpone cream (zabaglione mixture), instead of dusting with cocoa powder, I sprinkled a thick layer of grated dark couverture chocolate (you can also use any dark chocolate with minimum 60% cocoa). Then I finish the top layer with a thick layer of cocoa powder.

To surround the cake with the extra Savoiardi biscuits, I first arranged the Savoiardi biscuits in a 9-inch springform tin (with the base removed) on a 10-inch cardboard. Then I arranged the base with Savoiardi biscuits to make sure all the space was filled up before carrying on with the dipping of the biscuits into the espresso. I used around 1 1/2 packet of Vicenzi Savoiardi for this whole cake, including the sides and the bases.

I haven’t had a taste of the cake yet, but I hope they’ll like it!

Here’s the recipe once again, just slightly tweaked to fit into this cake.

Baileys Tiramisu (makes a 9-inch cake, serves 8-10)
adapted from Food & Travel – Tiramisu with Raspberries

300 grams double cream
250 grams mascarpone cheese
6 tablespoons caster sugar
6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream
2 egg yolks
100 ml Italian espresso coffee, warm
36 Savoiardi (Lady Fingers)
75 grams grated dark chocolate (min. 60% cocoa)
Cocoa powder, for dusting

Beat double cream till soft peaks formed. Keep it refrigerated.

Beat mascarpone cheese with 3 tablespoons of sugar till incorporated, then beat in 2 tablespoon of Baileys. Set aside.

Combine egg yolks, 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons Baileys in a heat-proof bowl. Whisk till blended. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk till glossy and pale, light and fluffy for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk until the mixture holds a trail when dropped from the whisk. Whisk till cool. This is called zabaglione.

Fold in the whipped cream into the zabaglione and then mix the zabaglione mixture into the mascarpone mixture.

Get a 9-inch springform tin and remove the base. Position it on a clean and dry 10-inch cardboard and tape it down to prevent the tin from moving. Cut one end of the Savoiardi and position them upright around the springform tin, sugar-coated side facing outwards. Arrange remaining Savoiardi in the ring, trimming them when necessary.

Pour the warm espresso into a shallow bowl and sweetened with remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons of Baileys. Dip the Savoiardi into the coffee quickly (once on each side only, 1 second for each side) and replace them into the tin. Spoon half of the zabaglione mixture and spread evenly. Top with grated chocolate. Repeat another layer, topping with zabaglione mixture and ending with a thick layer of cocoa powder. Cover with plastic wrap (cling film) and refrigerate overnight for the flavours to develop.

Before serving, remove the plastic wrap and dust with more cocoa. Cut into slices and serve.

I’m still finding a chance to make my own Savoiardi. But I guess they’ll have to wait until after exams. Meanwhile, I guess I can only stick to store-bought Savoiardi.

Oh, and I saved some cream and made myself an individual portion in a glass. Enjoy! =P

I know it’s a little bit too early, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY in advance anyways!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BENGS AND LIRONG! =)

Edit: The cake was simply beyond words. Love it!  =)