Tiramisu

I'm back! After a 5 month absence I am blogging again! I have no voice at the moment, allergies have removed my top octave and I cannot project worth anything, but I can still work magic in the kitchen! I'd like to tickle your taste buds without expanding your waistline with a tantalizing dessert and a few original variations.

From Wikipedia:

Tiramisu (Italian: Tiramisù; Venetian: Tiramesù " [tirameˈsu]) is one of the most popular Italian cakes. It is made of savoiardi (otherwise known as lady finger biscuits) dipped in espresso or strong coffee or rum, layered with a whipped mixture of egg yolks, mascarpone cheese, and sugar, and topped with cocoa.

Oh, my good, good God thank you for this dessert!

Scalpel please...now removing the eggs, mascarpone cheese, most or all of the sugar, and most of the alcohol (which turns to sugar in your blood!) .

This dessert is so amazing it makes me feel a bit like this:

Lady fingers are hard cookies that act like little sponges. They are frequently available at your neighborhood Big Lots for a fraction of the cost at most stores. At just $2.50 a package, $5.00 will give you enough lady fingers for three 8X8 baking dishes full of tiramisu! Unused ladyfingers keep for ages if kept in an air tight bag or container.

Please read beyond the recipe if you do not like coffee or just want try a variation!

The Recipe: (See update 7.11.10 at bottom of recipe)

• 28 Lady finger cookies (just 30 calories a piece)
• 16 oz Neufchâtel cheese (or 1/3 fat reduced cream cheese)
• 1 c. fat free sour cream
• 1 c fat free plain yogurt
• 1/2 t. vanila extract
• 2/3 c. sugar or splenda granulated for baking
• 2/3 c. espresso or strong coffee
• Optional: 1 - 2 tablespoons rum, Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur, or 1/2 teaspoon orange extract.
• Cocoa powder for dusting

In a mixer, combine Neufchâtel cheese, sour cream, fat free plain yogurt, vanilla and sugar (or splenda). Mix until completely combined, scrapping the bowl occasionally.

Place 14 ladyfingers in a single layer in the bottom of an 8X8 baking dish. You may need to trim the ends of one row to allow them to lay flat.

Combine coffee and optional add in (if using). Brush 1/2 of coffee over lady fingers.

Pour 1/2 of creamed mixture over the coffee soaked ladyfingers.

Repeat with remaining 14 ladyfingers, brush with remaining coffee, and top with remaining creamed mixture.

*Do not worry if the creamed mixture seems a bit runny. The Lady fingers will soak up the excess moisture and it turns out perfect every time!

To dust cocoa of the top, use a fine wire mush strainer or a mesh tea infuser to hold the cocoa powder. Tap the edge with your finger to encourage the powder to dust the top of the dessert.

Refrigerate for 3 - 24 hours. Makes 12 serving.

Calories per serving with sugar: 242
Calories per serving with Splenda: 119
Fat grams per serving : 9
Saturated fat grams per serving: 5

(UPDATE - 7.11.10 : I just made this with fat free Cream Cheese instead of Neufchâtel cheese. It's wonderful! So don't hesitate to remove the fat and calories from this recipe if you wish.)

If you do not want to make this dessert with coffee you can use any fruit juice instead. You can even add chopped or sliced fruit between the layers. Another variation is to use flavored syrup , but dilute the syrup a little. Use just under 1/2 cup syrup and add enough water or fruit juice to equal 2/3 cup or liquid.

This dessert goes together in as little as 15 minutes! It keeps for about 3 days if covered tightly and is amazing!


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