Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Chocolate Berry Tiramisu Cake

Chocolate Berry Tiramisu Cake 
(Serves 8)

Ingredients :
600ml thickened cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup caster sugar
500g mascarpone cheese
1-1/3 cups freshly brewed strong coffee, cooled
2/3 cup hazelnut-flavoured liqueur
500g packet sponge finger biscuits
250g frozen raspberries
250g frozen blueberries
100g dark chocolate, grated

Steps:

  1.  Line a 24cm (base) springform cake pan with non-stick baking paper.
  2. Whip cream until soft peaks form.  Stir in vanilla and sugar.  Whip until thick.  Add mascarpone and stir gently to combine.
  3. combine coffee liqueur in a shallow dish.  Dip biscuits, 1 at a time, into coffee mixture and use to line base of pan (Cut to fit, if necessary).  Top with a third of the mascarpone mixture, half the berries and a third of the chocolate.  Repeat Layers.
  4. Top Chocolate with a final layer of soaked biscuits, remaining mascarpone mixture and remaining chocolate.  Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow biscuits to soften and flavours to develop.  Serve.
Notes:
  • Mascarpone is a soft Italian cream cheese with a rich, buttery texture and a slightly tart flavour.  Well known for its use in tiramisu and cheesecakes.  It is also great dolloped on fruit.  Take care when mixing mascarpone. - if over mixed, it can separate and become grainy.
  • Take care not to over-whop cream lest it breaks down into water and milk solids!
  • Hazelnut-flavored liqueur can be replaced with actual rum.  Or add 2-3 teaspoons of rum flavor (syrup in a small bottle sold in baking stores like Phoon Huat) to 2/3 cup of water.
  • (Hershey's) Cocoa powder can take the place of dark chocolate int he recipe 
  • Sponge Fingers - found in Cold Storage.  Look for them under the label of Cantreau's Lady's Fingers.
  • Frozen berries are hard to find - can be omitted from recipe.

Got this recipe from my friend and thought I better type it out before I loose the piece of paper.  She did it for me once using decaf coffee and I loved it.  (^_^)v