TIRAMISU CAKE - FIRST SWEET PUNCH
>> Monday, June 7, 2010 –
Baked Foods,
Desserts,
Home made mascarpone,
Mascarpone,
Sweet punch,
Tiramisu cake
I am very much excited to post my first Sweet Punch challenge hosted by three wonderful girls Ria, Divya and Maria. For the first sweet punch it is Dorie Greenspan's Tiramisu Cake. I really enjoyed doing this Tiramisu cake which is one of my favourite cake. I exactly followed the same recipe, the outcome was fabulous. I made 1 small block of cake and 4 cakelettes and arranged the leftover sponge and mascarpone in a pie dish dusted with icing sugar and cocoa powder. The mascarpone used in this recipe is home made which I always love more than store bought one. Here comes my First punch !!!!!!!!!!!
TIRAMISU CAKE
Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
For the cake layers:
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
For the espresso extract:
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons boiling water
For the espresso syrup:
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon amaretto, Kahlua, or brandy
For the filling and frosting:
1 8-ounce container mascarpone (store-bought or homemade)
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon amaretto, Kahlua, or brandy
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 1/2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, or about 1/2 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips
Chocolate-covered espresso beans, for decoration (optional)
Cocoa powder, for dusting
Getting ready:
1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter two 9×2 inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess, and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment or wax paper.
3. Put the pans on a baking sheet.
To make the cake:
1. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy.
3. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, and then the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
4. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be golden and springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Transfer the cakes to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them, and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right-side up.
To make the extract:
1. Stir the espresso powder and boiling water together in a small cup until blended. Set aside.
To make the syrup:
Stir the water and sugar together in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil. Pour the syrup into a small heatproof bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon of the espresso extract and the liqueur or brandy; set aside.
To make the filling and frosting:
Put the mascarpone, sugar, vanilla, and liqueur in a large bowl and whisk just until blended and smooth.
Working with the stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until it holds firm peaks. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir about one quarter of the whipped cream into the mascarpone. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream with a light touch.
To assemble the cake:
If the tops of the cake layers have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. Place one layer right-side up on a cardboard round or a cake plate protected with strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a pastry brush or a small spoon, soak the layer with about one third of the espresso syrup. Smooth some of the mascarpone cream over the layer – user about 1 1/4 cups – and gently press the chopped chocolate into the filling. Put the second cake layer on the counter and soak the top of it with half the remaining espresso syrup, then turn the layer over and position it, soaked side down, over the filling. Soak the top of the cake with the remaining syrup.
For the frosting, whisk 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining espresso extract into the remaining mascarpone filling. Taste the frosting as you go to decide how much extract you want to add. If the frosting looks as if it might be a little too soft to spread over the cake, press a piece of plastic wrap against its surface and refrigerate it for 15 minutes or so. Refrigerate the cake too.
With a long metal icing spatula, smooth the frosting around the sides of the cake and over the top. If you want to decorate the cake with chocolate-covered espresso beans, press them into the filling, making concentric circles of beans or just putting some beans in the center of the cake.
NOTE :
Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours (or for up to 1 day) before serving – the elements need time to meld.
Just before serving, dust the top of the cake with cocoa.
Home Made Mascarpone
Adapted from Vera's Baking Obsession
Adapted from Vera's Baking Obsession
Ingredients:
500 ml whipping (36 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
500 ml whipping (36 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Preparation:
1. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering.
2. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating.
3. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir.
4. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time).
5. Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.
1. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering.
2. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating.
3. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir.
4. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time).
5. Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.
Yay! I hope I'm the first one to comment! Tiramisu looks awesome - love love love the little cups of delight. Can you please send me one? or two? or all? You can make more for yourself?
Yes!!!!! I was the first one. I need tiramisu now to rejoice this big occasion!!
Thanks for the quick and lovely comment anu.. unfortunately we ate all the cakes :( only the bowls are left. Sure will pass it on to U when I make next time :)
ohhhhh yeah you made it!!...wonderful! awesome pictures!
Looks awesome, very nice pictures.
hi pavitra ....ur recipe looks yummy n very tempting...and wonderful presentation like always...i am trying to control my weight but i think i have to work hard more :)
Dear, that is one of the best tiramisu cakes or cakelettes I have seen and I am not even exaggerating it. It is the best I have seen so far and I am very very sure that it is the best in taste as well :)
Pavithra...they look awesome...loved ur pics too.
Never made mascarpone at home but ur step by step recipe looks less troublesome n easy to make...will keep in mind to make my own cheese next time.
Very inviting Tiramisu.
Pavithra...Awesome clicks....Lovely cake..I have a sweet tooth and cant resist to have one..
Looks absolutely professional..
Gr8 gng dear....
Pavithra,
Tiramisu cake looks really good.
Tiramisu is screaming to be picked up. Heavenly!
Tiramisu looks divine...
That looks too good Pavithra...and you have made it in so many different ways..Loved all the pics.
wow!!!! you are becoming a great baker.Good luck for more recipies like this.
WOW, gorgeous Tiramisu cake dear! Loved to have that some now..huhu!!! Great effort! :D
Wow! Gorgeous cake! Send me a piece:)
Wow.... looks great..
Tiramisu looks wonderful
Yum..looks wonderful Pavithra.Glad that you could participate and lovely to know that you enjoyed the challenge!!
Tiramisu cake looks delicious. thanks for providing step by step illustrations of the preparation method.
Deepa
Hamaree Rasoi
The cake looks beautiful!! I love the cute individual servings!!
Fabulous baking Pavithra. It indeed looks moist and delicious.
The cake looks too good!! And Tiramisu - I love that!!
oh wow Pavithra, this tiramisu is heavenly!! so so so tempting and beautiful presentation.
Tats a lot of effort Pavi...looks wonderful..looks so tasty
Tiramisu looks wonderful...
BTW is there a event going in any blog?
Gorgeous Tiramisu Pavithra!!
I liked your presentation very much, really nice :)
awesome pavitra, cute pictures
Awesome and excellent effort pavi,great result too,hope you enjoyed the TIRAMISU!
wow swwt punch is delisious dear...nice work done...........
Tiramisu is very tempting!!!!! Love those clicks!!!
Oh wow... I love Tiramisu though i dont like coffee. I dont know how that works... I have had loads in the USA from an Italian bakery. Of course its calorie building. But just cant stop having it. Incidently just had one here in India last weekend. It was no where near the original taste. Your pics look very very tempting and lovely.
Omg look at those beauties, wat a beautiful work Pavi..Looks tremendous dear..
After seeing the sweet ppunch all around,i feel like having some for myself....slurp....ur pics and garnishing looks real good.
Drooling big time her and shamelessly!!:-)) Looks sinful and oh so gorgeous!!!
Opps.. ,meant to say drooling big time here..
Awesome pavithra .. it looks directly from bakery !
Looks too good ! beautiful pics !
Oh God Pavithra this is to real killl us...looks at the pics..awesome...am doing seriously drooling now...wonderful dear....
I am drooling here... can't take my eyes off the pics..Gorgeous cakes and delightful presentation. One of the best I have seen here.
brilliant...
I am most certainly not going to attempt baking such a beautiful cake Pavithra. But I can have a piece of that right away. What an effort girl!
pavithra awesome cake...i need a piece 4rm that, i can finish off in a sec
Very neat work with the frosting and cocoa powder dear. The cake looks awesome.
cake looks gorgeous dear!!!!!
wht a presentation, Hats off dear:-)
Beautiful looking and so so yumm.
The cake looks fabulous and so does your photography..
Cake looks sooo yummy..Beautiful presentation and clicks.
Wish I could have some!!
Tiramisu looks awesome. Its one of my favourite desserts :-)
This is just amazing n it came out very well.
Hi pavi, really its mouth watering and lovely presentation. Awesome.
Hi pavi, really its mouth watering and lovely presentation. Awesome.
Awesome pics!! Love the recipe, I've always wanted to try tiramisu cake. Bookmarked it.
This could make for a great entry in to our Sizzling Summer Contest. check it out in ST. you could win one of two $50 prizes.
A beautiuflly presented Italian sweets....I too want a large slice!
OMG! u shud not do this pavithra..tiramisu looks out of the world.lovely
Wow, you totally outdid yourself. Excellent job.
OMG ! pavithra cake look so awesome...wish I could have some...
Wow......... cake looks awesome and fantastic. As usual nice clicks and beautiful presentation.
Wor, this sound amazing, even with the homemade cheese,well done!
WOW! Cake looks fantastic...I am so tempted to make this right away!
Cake looks awewsome..U r rocking :)
Beautifully done, Pavithra! Thanks for joining us at Sweet Punch!
looks fantastic.. perfect and yummy to the core :)
Perfect cake Pavithra....
Fabulous tiramisu cake...very tempting:))
Hey, your cake and cakelettes have turned out extraordinarily beautiful. It's so humble of you to have called my cake gorgeous... I am a total novice when it comes to decorating my cakes. Request you to make a post on cake decoration for starters coz you sure seem to be an expert dear.
Pavitha ur tiramisu cake looks absoultly marvellous dear ...
can i get a bite from ur cake ..
makes me hungry now ...
i love tiramisu but worried abt the cheesecontent so i always stop my self but looking at urs again going back and making it again dear
I am ardent lover of Tiramisu. Loved the thought of making them home. Nice recipe to start with for ur sweet punch. Surely a great treat!
Awesome cake!!!!Lovely presentation!!!
As usual your pictures are awesome. Love the cake too. Shall definitely try this.
Tiramisu is a dessert for gods. And you have made it excatly that way :) Lovely and heavenly :) Awesome clicks. You have presented it like a pastry chef! Are you one??? :)
Tiramisu looks awesome and just perfect !
Wow, that Tirmisu looks sooo good!!! and the post shows how much effort you put into making these!
btw, I'm hosting a Magic Bullet giveaway on my blog, and it'd be great if you could participate!
hope to see you around!:)
Oh My My!!luscious!!N seductive!!thats all I can say!!!illustrations are very clear.