I LOVE RICH CAKES, they are definitely my weakness…
I love this cake so much that when I was pregnant with my fourth son, I was entertaining and I made tiramisu for dessert. I remember having contraction pains and going into labour as I was preparing to serve it. I had to stop and breathe as I was handing out the plates. My friends packed my bag as I was pouring the coffee to go with the cake. I refused to go to hospital without having a slice. My friends thought I was nuts but there was NO WAY I was going to hospital without eating a piece of my favourite cake.
We came to an agreement and I ended up eating a slice in the car on the way to the hospital breathing between bites. That’s how committed I am to this cake. For my beautiful sister’s birthday I made this trifle tiramisu, the quantities are LARGE and it’s ideal if you are entertaining a large number of people. I have included the recipe for the tried and tested traditional tiramisu cake, if you don’t want to make the trifle.
My beautiful sister Anat, I am so lucky to call you sister. You’re creative, smart, beautiful, kind, generous and thoughtful, an amazing mum, wife and friend. All one has to do is visit your home and all the beauty that fills it is a reflection of you. Stylish, elegant, creative but above all full of LOVE. Love is in every corner of your home. What cake do I make for you, darling sis? Tiramisu an Italian desert of course. Not many people know this but when Anat moved out of home, she slept on a mattress on the floor. She worked hard and saved her money, not to buy a bed but to purchase the most beautiful, elegant, stylish towel rack (which I later inherited and held onto for years). Just like your towel rack, this cake is top of the range, made of the best ingredients, and expertly assembled. It has layers of home-made sponge cake, soaked with good coffee, high quality and strong, just like your values, principles and integrity, and it’s covered with a sweet, mixture of mascarpone that mirrors your soft and loving side and finally its peppered with delicate flowers to make it beautiful, creative and extra special just like you. Happy birthday beautiful sis, Love you always Your big sister Nava
Ingredients (Traditional Tiramisu)
500g ladyfinger biscuits
Tiramisu filling
3 eggs, separated
½ cup caster sugar
50ml bottle Kahlua minus 2 tablespoons
250g mascarpone
1½ cups good quality coffee (strength is up to you)
Cocoa for dusting optional
Method
Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and egg yolks for 8-10 minutes at high speed or as long as it takes for it to almost be white and for the consistency to become thick.
On slow speed, beat in two tablespoons of the Khalua and mascarpone until they combine into a smooth mixture.
Transfer the Mascarpone mixture into another bowl and put in fridge.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff.
Gently fold a third of the mascarpone mixture at a time into the egg white until nicely blended.
Mix remaining Kahlua and coffee together.
Cover the bottom of the square or rectangular dish (about 20cm in size) with ½ a packet of the ladyfinger biscuits or less (depending on the size of your dish).
Using a teaspoon, I poured coffee mixture over biscuits a teaspoon at a time.
Spread half of the cream over the biscuits then add another layer of biscuits on top.
Pour coffee over the fresh layer of biscuits and spread the remaining cream on top.
Place in fridge for several hours before serving.
Give it a dusting of cocoa powder just before you serve this beauty up.
Ingredients - Nava’s trifle tiramisu
Sponge cake
6 eggs separated
1 cup caster sugar
½ cup plain flour
½ cup self-raising flour
½ cup corn flour
Method Preheat oven to 180c.
Sift flours three times.
Using an electric mixer, beat eggs at medium-high speed for 8-10 minutes, or until thick and creamy. Add sugar one spoon at a time.
Using a metal spoon gently fold sifted flours into egg mixture until combined.
Divide cake mixture evenly into 2 round 22cm baking tins, lined with baking paper.
Bake for 20 minutes or until cake has shrunk away from the sides.
Turn out onto baking paper-lined wire racks top side up. Carefully peel away baking paper, then leave to cool.
Once cake has cooled completely, slice each cake in half through the middle, then cut around each one to make sure it fits your trifle dish. You will end up with 4 round cakes.
Tiramisu filling
Double the tiramisu filling quantities above, except for the coffee: the sponge cake absorbs more than the biscuits. If you want more coffee you can always add.
Divide the tiramisu filling into 4 equal amounts and assemble the same way instructed above.
I whipped thickened cream with a tablespoon of sugar and used a piping bag to decorate the top of the tiramisu.
Love,
Nava.
PS - I love hearing from you! Let me know how it went and feel free to spread the word/passion/love, the more the merrier!
