Friday Fave: Tiramisu

One of my all-time favourite desserts is tiramisu!! I love everything coffee flavoured... From mochas to the old Cadbury Roses coffee sweets! If it's chocolatey and gives a coffee kick, I'll devour it! 

One of my favourite comfort foods which doubles as a sophisticated dessert is Dunnes Stores' delicious version for under €5 in their chilled food section!

Recently I decided to try to make a tiramisu from scratch- the Italian way! 

I couldn't find Kahlua so I substituted it with Bailey's Irish Cream. The addition of icing sugar acted as a thickening agent and sweetener. To garnish I used hot chocolate powder instead of the usual cocoa and it made the dish all the more sweet!

You will need:

250g carton of mascarpone cheese
25 piece pack of lady finger sponge biscuits
Strong Coffee
Bailey's Irish Cream
~30g Icing Sugar
Hot chocolate powder/ Cocoa powder

1. Brew coffee and leave to cool slightly in a large Pyrex dish (put a spoon in there to make sure the glass doesn't crack). Add a dash of liqueur, Kahlua or Bailey's. Once tepid, place the lady fingers in the liquid so they soak the liquid. [If you put them in piping hot coffee they will dissolve into mush!]
2. Beat the mascarpone in another bowl with sieved icing sugar. Add more icing sugar, to taste. Add a dash of liqueur and beat again until mixed evenly through.
3. Line a (preferably rectangle) dish, with the coffee-soaked lady fingers.
4. Spoon the mascarpone mixture on top, smooth with a spatula or back of spoon.
5. Repeat steps three and four.
6. Cover dish with cling film and chill for between four and twenty-four hours; the longer it's left the more intense the flavour of the dessert.
7. Before serving dust the hot chocolate or cocoa powder over the top of the dessert.

Enjoy!