Tiramisu Redux

Tiramisu is one of my go-to desserts. It is definitely a crowd pleaser with its luscious layers of chocolate, espresso, and mascarpone cheese. In fact, it was the very first food post on this blog.

This time, I made it as a charlotte. The cake mold was lined with ladyfinger biscuits and then filled with the custard. This recipe made a filling that was firm enough to be free-standing when unmolded. This version of tiramisu makes a delicious and unexpected birthday cake.



Tiramisu Cake
Serves 12

1/2 of a 17.6 oz package of ladyfinger biscuits (recommended: Balocco Savoiardi)

Syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
1/4 cup rum

Filling
1 (8 ounce) container mascarpone cheese
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup dark rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream

Topping
2 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, grated (or cocoa powder, if preferred)

1. To make the syrup, stir together 1 cup sugar, boiling water, coffee and 1/4 cup rum until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
2. To make the filling, combine mascarpone, 2 cups confectioners' sugar, dark rum and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk together until completely smooth, scraping the bottom of the bowl to remove any lumps. Gradually whisk in the heavy cream. Whip with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Stop whipping when the mixture shows the first sign of graininess.
3. To assemble, line the sides of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment or waxed paper. Cut ladyfinger biscuits in half and line the inside edge of the pan, so that the sides are completely covered.
   
4. Lay down 1 layer of ladyfinger biscuits on the bottom of the pan. Brush generously with syrup. Spread half of the filling mixture over the first layer in the pan. Build a second layer of ladyfinger biscuits on top of the filling. Soak the second layer with syrup. Spread the remaining filling over that and smooth the top. Sprinkle with grated chocolate. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
5. To serve, remove the sides of the pan and carefully remove the parchment or waxed paper from the outside of the cake.
   

Recipe adapted from HBIC on allrecipes.com, image property of beetsandbites