Tiramisu (:

went market shopping with my mum and bought 20 over fresh, sweet, big, quality and cheap mango! plus longan, guava, banana, papaya, strawberry and blueberry. yes, we LOVE fruits! (:

yesterday was my bro-in-law's birthday. my sis told me he love tiramisu. so i search for recipe. OMG, there's so many yummy recipe out there. which to choose? i choose the simplest one yet recommended by the person (: decided on HHB's recipe and i modified it and topped it off with FRESH fruits that we bought.

big THANK YOU to jess and cathy for their help and suggestions! love you lots (:

so, im submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #5 : Fruity March hosted by Jess

presenting to you, TIRAMISU (:

because it tasted soooo DELICIOUS and it was finished right on the spot after singing HAPPY BIRTHDAY song, my mum request to make another one for my aunt! so i made another one today (: im sure i'll keep this recipe and my mum request this for her upcoming birthday!

TIRAMISU, attempt 2 (:

fresh longan that's fleshy, sweet and juicy!

this is the sponge fingers that i used

TIRAMISU

Ingredients:(makes a 8" cake)

Espresso Syrup:
1 tablespoon instant espresso/ strong coffee powder
1/2 tablespoon sugar1/2 cup (125ml) boiling water
1 tablespoon Marsala (I used Baileys Irish Cream) 50ml Kahlua

Filling:
250g mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 2 tablespoons icing sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons Marsala (I used Baileys Irish Cream) Rum
1 cup (250 ml) heavy/whipping cream

about 1 1/2 pack of sponge fingers
50g dark chocolate Valrhona dark choc crunchy pearls

cocoa powder, to dust
dark and white chocolate shavings (optional)fruits for decoration

Method:

To make the Espresso Syrup:
Dissolve instant espresso coffee powder in boiling water. Stir in 50ml Kahlua. Set aside.

To make the Filling:In a mixing bowl, with a manual whisk, whisk mascarpone cheese with sugar, vanilla extract, rum and 1 tablespoons of the espresso syrup until blended.

With an electric mixer whisk the whipping cream until soft peak (do not over whip). With a spatula, fold in 1/4 of the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture.

To assemble the cake:
Cut off one end of the sponge fingers so that each one is about 3" in length. Line the sides of a 8" round baking pan* (with a removable base or use a springform pan) with the sponge fingers (do not dip them in the espresso syrup). If the last sponge finger cannot fit in nicely, trim away part of it to fit it in. Save the leftover small pieces.

One at a time, gently dip (do not soak) sponge fingers in the espresso syrup and use them to line the base of the pan. Cut the sponge fingers into shorter lengths if necessary. Use the leftover pieces to fill the gaps.

Spoon over one third of the filling. Spread evenly. Repeat with another layer of sponge fingers and spoon over filling. Sprinkle crunchy choc pearls (gives the tiramisu bit of crunch that's nice) generously then put a layer of sponge and spread remaining filling. Spread and smooth the top. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, best left overnight.

Just before serving, unmold the cake and dust the top with cocoa powder. Decorate with dark and white chocolate shavings and strawberries (as desired).

(*Note: If you do not have a springform pan or a pan with a removable base, you can improvise by lining a normal round pan with a large sheet of aluminium foil. Give allowance of about 1~2 inches for the foil to hang over the rim of the pan. Place a cake board inside the lined pan. Follow the steps above. To unmold, simply lift up the cake from the pan by gripping the foil. Transfer the cake onto a serving plate and carefully remove the foil. )

dear all, i'll be taking a short break to think about and decide on stuffs. thank you for your concern, im fine (: after sorting out and thinking about it, actually it isnt too bad? that's how i console myself . . let's just hope for the best that can happen. yours till is decided . .