Tiramisu

As you may have noticed, my blog is currently going under some major re-construction. I figured that it was about time I stopped depending on my pre-designed template (which was also very constricting) and revert back to the basics...and slowly construct it via my own html. Of course, that's going to take a very very long time...but then again, my blog's not going anywhere anytime soon.

So as previously mentioned in my ladyfingers post, I've been working hard in my attempt to make homemade tiramisu from scratch...and it came out quite pretty, I must say! It doesn't exactly look like the traditional tiramisu, but I had to make a few changes for the sake of photography. I would have wanted to take a shot of a slice with the ladyfingers poking out, but I was afraid that cutting into such a delicate custard might just make the whole thing cave in...still delicious but not very pretty. Plus, I actually froze this one for a bit so that I wouldn't have to freak out rushing back and forth between the fridge while my custard melted during the photography. It's okay...it still tastes good, and I still have another tiramisu that is actually legitimate.

I somewhat wish I had added more rum to it...I had wanted to soak my ladyfingers in rum and coffee, but the bad thing about homemade ladyfingers is that they hardens really quickly if you don't bag them immediately, so they didn't absorb as much of the rum as I wanted. Oh well, Dad still seems happy enough to eat it.

On a completely random note...I have less than a week before my big move! I can't help counting down the days. Yesterday Mom and I underwent the daunting task of packing, which was literally a workout on its own. Plus, it didn't help that every few minutes we'd realize that we had forgotten something upstairs, and then one of us would have to climb those horrible stairs again to retrieve it.

Tiramisu (adapted from Sugar and Spice)

Ingredients:

1 recipe Zabaglione
1 recipe Vanilla Pastry Cream
1 recipe Whipped Cream
1 cup coffee
1/3 cup cream cheese
36 ladyfingers
Cocoa powder for dusting

1. Mix the cream cheese until smooth. Fold in the pastry cream and zabaglione. Gently fold in the whipped cream (as little folding as possible).
2. Obtain a 8x8 container (or whatever shaped container you want). Line with saran wrap.
2. One at a time, dip the ladyfingers in the coffee. Line along the bottom of your container.
3. Over the first layer add 1/3 of the cream mixture.
4. Repeat with another layer of coffee-soaked ladyfingers.
5. Repeat until you have 3 layers of ladyfingers and 3 layers of cream.
6. Cover with saran wrap and leave in the fridge overnight.
7. Remove the top saran wrap. Turn the tiramisu over onto a plate and, using the saran wrap around it, remove your trifle from the container.
8. Gently remove the saran wrap. The tiramisu should retain the shape of your container.
9. Dust with cocoa powder and serve with coffee or tea!

Zabaglione:

2 large egg yolks
3 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup rum
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon zest

1. Heat about 1 in. water in a pot.
2. In a glass/ceramic bowl that can fit over the top of the pot, mix the egg yolks, sugar, rum, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix until the mixture looks smooth.
3. Place the bowl over the pot (make sure it doesn't touch the water) and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it resembles a thick custard.
4. Cool to room temperature, cover, and leave in the fridge 4 hours to overnight.

Vanilla Pastry Cream:

1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp AP flour
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup whole milk

1. In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, flour, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Add the egg yolk and half the milk and mix until smooth.
2. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly.
3. Add remaining milk a little at a time, stirring constantly. Continue until the mixture resembles a thick custard.
4. Transfer to a container, cover, and leave in the fridge 4 hours to overnight.

Whipped Cream:

1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Combine everything and beat until stiff peaks form.