The autumn season calls for a different style of yummy desserts, and my personal favorite seasonal treat has always been tiramisu cake. Recently, I’ve decided to experiment with making tiramisu myself. Although it was difficult to locate a recipe that captures the true essence of the dessert, I think I’ve finally found a winner. This recipe by Zoe Bakes is absolutely amazing, what I really liked about it was that the cake turned out very moist and not overly sweet. I’ve never been a big fan of excessive sweetness in desserts, so this recipe was perfect for me.
First off, you need to make the spongecakes. You can choose to save yourself the trouble and buy spongecakes at any grocery store, or follow this recipe:
- 4 eggs, separated
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup espresso, hot
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Pinch salt
Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. In a stand mixer, combine the egg yolks, espresso, and 1/3 cup of sugar for 5 minutes on medium to high speed until thick and light in color. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed for 1 minute while slowly adding the remainder 1/3 cup of sugar until stiff peak. Fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture with a rubber spatula. Sift the flour over the mixture and gently fold it into the mixture. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Let the cake cool completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap and place it into the fridge while you prepare the mascarpone filling.
To make this filling, you’ll need:
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup Amaretto
- Pinch salt
- 3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
In a double boiler, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, Amaretto and salt until the mixture thickens. When this happens, quickly place mixture into a bowl of ice and stir occasionally until cool. In a stand mixer, beat together the mascarpone and heavy cream until they hold stiff peaks, try not to over beat the mixture as this causes it to become grainy. Fold the cooled egg mixture into the mascarpone mix.
To decorate and assemble the cake, you’ll need:
- a coffee and Amaretto mixture (I just used equal parts coffee and almond extract)
- coca powder
- Ganache :
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- Fresh Raspberries for garnish
Heat the cream on medium heat until it simmers, then add the chocolate pieces. Turn off the heat and let the mixture sit for 3 minutes. While you’re waiting for it to thicken, it’s time to assemble the cakes!
To assemble the cakes, this recipe calls for the cake to be cut and fitted into tiny cups, but if you are unable to obtain these cups like I was, feel free to decorate the cake as a big piece. Brush the cooled spongecake with a coffee and Amaretto mixture to add flavor without making it too moist, then dust off with coca powder. Spread the mascarpone cream over the cake evenly with a spatula, then dust off another layer of coca powder. Lightly stir the ganache and spread it over the cake. Add raspberries to garnish.