Monday 28 October 2013

Tiramisu...for breakfast?


Tiramisu......that name rolls off my tongue so languidly as I sit here relishing every single bite. It is 6:20am. I am having Tiramisu for breakfast. Yes, this very morning. Phong Hong!!!! Crazy, ah??? Aren't you supposed to lose some weight? Aih, that can wait, I am in no hurry wah? That must be the rum numbing my senses and all the creamy comforting cream cheese lulling me into a sense of complacency. What's a few extra pounds? If I want to eat Tiramisu, I eat Tiramisu.



My first taste of Tiramisu (I had heard so much about it) was a few years ago at El Cerdo. It was Chinese New Year and my brother and his family took me, my partner, my other brother and my parents for dinner at El Cerdo. There was lots of food as it was my brother's style of ordering many dishes so that everyone can try a bit here and a bit there. That's not quite my preferred style of dining because eating small portions of different dishes leaves me unsatisfied as I cannot make a proper impression of each dish. I prefer to choose one dish and have it all to myself. When it came to dessert, again there was the tasting of a little bit here and a little bit there. And I couldn't even remember what the Tiramisu tasted like.



Fast forward to September 2012, I made a lunch date with my youngest brother (he is my occasional makan kaki) and we headed out to El Cerdo on a quiet Sunday for lunch. You can see what we ate here. When it was time for dessert, without hesitation I asked for Tiramisu. Finally, I can taste Tiramisu properly. And yum! It was delicious!



It did occur to me that I could make my own Tiramisu but I wasn't motivated enough. Until one day in July this year, I thought of making Tiramisu for a family gathering. My parents were flying in from Terengganu for a holiday and when they are here, one of the things I look forwards to is cooking for our family gathering.


Sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

I thought Tiramisu would be a nice dessert to serve after dinner. My first quest was to look for sponge biscuits. At Cold Storage, I was delighted to find one packet of Savoiardi Sponge Fingers. Since it was the last packet, I quickly grabbed it. 



I watched the video on Joy of Baking a few times before I was confident enough to venture out on my own. The Tiramisu filling I used was not the traditional one and since I was too stingy to buy can't afford Mascarpone cheese, Philadelphia Cream Cheese would do just fine. 



What I did was double the filling recipe from Tiramisu Cake and it was just nice for two loaf pans. Each loaf pan could accommodate 16  sponge fingers. Which meant that I had some leftover sponge fingers which I stored in an airtight container.



Assembling the Tiramisu was not difficult at all. I did not bother to line the loaf pans. When dipping the  sponge fingers into the coffee mixture, do not linger for too long. Dip and remove the sponge finger immediately or else you will end up with very soggy  sponge fingers. That was what happened to me. When I ate the Tiramisu, I could feel that the  sponge fingers were very wet and oozed coffee. Not good. But overall, it tasted very good as the filling was creamy and delicious.



I prepared the Tiramisu one day in advance. To serve, I simply sliced the Tiramisu and removed the slices using a cake server. The first slice was difficult to remove but thereafter, it was quiet easy.



Since I had leftover sponge fingers, I decided to make Tiramisu again :) This time, I made half recipe and used a deep square plastic container. I made sure I did not dip the sponge fingers for too long in the coffee syrup. And just for research, I froze the Tiramisu. I read from the internet that Tiramisu can be frozen but there are mixed opinions. Of course, fresh is best as freezing can alter the quality and textures of foods.



I read from Sonia's blog that she did not have a good experience with Tiramisu at an Italian restaurant (in Italy!!) as the Tiramisu was watery with iced water. Apparently it was frozen and thawed before serving. I froze the Tiramisu for 3 weeks and thawed it in the fridge the night before. So what was my verdict with frozen Tiramisu? 


My breakfast. Naughty huh???

Yesterday morning, I sliced the Tiramisu and had a taste. Obviously, the Tiramisu was not completely thawed as I chewed on icicles in the sponge fingers. It was later in the afternoon that the Tiramisu was fully thawed and tasted almost as good as when it was freshly made. From this experience, I can safely conclude that Tiramisu can be frozen but make sure that you thaw it in the fridge at least 24 hours before serving. And this morning, it was still good!












Tiramisu
Recipe source : Adapted from Ms Su Chan's Tiramisu Cake here.
This recipe is enough for 2 loaf pans.

Ingredients :

Filling :
- 500g cream cheese
- 200g castor (superfine) sugar
- 6 eggs yolks (please use pasteurized eggs for your safety)
- 2 tbsp rum
- 400ml double (heavy) cream, whipped
- 200g chocolate shavings
- Cocoa powder for dusting

Coffee Syrup
- 1.5 tbsp instant coffee granules
- 1 tbsp castor (superfine) sugar
- 300ml hot water
- 1 tbsp rum

Ladyfingers
- I used 32 Savoiardi Sponge Fingers (16 per loaf pan)

Method :

For Filling
- Beat cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl until light.
- Add egg yolks one by one.
- Add rum and fold in whipped heavy cream.

For Coffee Syrup
- Dissolve coffee granules and sugar in water.
- Cool, then add sherry and set aside.

To assemble the Tiramisu :
- Dip each  sponge finger briefly in coffee syrup (don't dip for too long)
- Arrange the  sponge fingers in a single layer in the pan.
- Top the  sponge fingers in each pan with 1/4 of the filling.
- Sprinkle with chocolate shavings to cover the top of the filling.
- Continue dipping  sponge fingers in coffee syrup and arrange in a single layer on top of the filling.
- Top the  sponge fingers with the the remaining filling, dividing equally between the two pans.
- Dust with cocoa powder to completely cover the surface of the topping. 
- Cover pan with cling film and chill in the fridge overnight.

To serve :
- Take the pans out of the fridge and slice the Tiramisu.
- Use cake server to remove from pan and serve.

60 comments:

  1. Hi Phong Hong, wow... my top favorite. I always eat tiramisu for breakfast .....so it's nothing weird about it. In fact it can boost up our morning blues especially Monday. LOL
    Yours look so tempting, wish I can have 2 huge serving now. :))

    Have a nice day.

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    1. Amelia, you always eat Tiramisu for breakfast? You lucky girl!

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  2. Wow! very rich and delicious tiramisu!!! I can have it at anytime :)

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    1. Esther, next time I want it for dinner :)

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  3. very nice ! Let me write down the recipes first。 Thanks for sharing。

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    1. Joceline, I know your Tiramisu will be beautifully photographed!

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  4. Wish I could taste that - as they say, the test of the pudding is in the eating.

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    1. Arthur, no need to test. Guaranteed good! Hee..hee...

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  5. Hi Phong Hong
    The sponge fingers sit so nice into the loaf pans and making this Tiramisu looks so perfect and beautiful. I dont mind having a big piece for my breakfast. Any more left?

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    1. Mel, all gone within 2 days. I want to make some more.....

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  6. Replies
    1. It was, Jozelyn! I still want some more hee..hee...

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  7. I'd love to have your tiramisu for breakfast!

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  8. hahahaha! you r so funny! 620... tiramisu.. .. (reminds me of how my colleagues used to criticise me having muesli for dinner) but hey! you are so right! we eat what we want when we want.. and what beats eating your very own bake? sensational! just love your character!

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    1. Victoria, I used to eat cornflakes and cereals for dinner too just because I felt like it. High 5!

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  9. this is definitely my favourite Italian dessert
    and for breakfast? why not:)

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  10. Phong Hong your tiramisu is real yummy I did really enjoy it yah lah want to eat just eat don't think of putting on weight and so on life is not worth it if you dare not eat this and that you don't eat you will also die you eat you will also die might as well eat enjoy and be happy hope to be able your tiramisu again

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    1. Thanks, EE! Glad that you enjoyed my Tiramisu even though the sponge fingers were soggy :)

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  11. Tiramisu oh tiramisu, looks like I don't have to help you to finish this dessert, hahaha! We can shake hands as we just eat anything that we like at any time. My hubby is a very boring person whom he will only eat proper breakfast. And forever, when he eats dessert, it must come with a cup of tea, so troublesome! Like your tiramisu!

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    1. Jessie, shake hands! My partner also like that lah. Must have rice for dinner one. If no rice means, not proper dinner hee..hee....

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  12. Looking at the tiramisu, I can't help but imaging that I wish to have it for breakfast too! Haha! Anyway, once in a while will make a great morning, right!

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    1. Hi Tze! It was definitely a great Monday morning. Monday blues forgotten until I reached office hah! hah!

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  13. Hi Phong Hong, how I wished I could have tiramisu for breakfast too. There's nothing wrong!!! If you feel like having it anytime of the day, just go ahead. Don't torture yourself and that's me! hahaha... If one day I am able to make my own tiramisu, well, and if I have the craving for it, be it supper or breakfast, just go ahead and enjoy it!! Your home made tiramisu is so awesome and tempting. Should be knocking at your door at 6 in the morning! hahaha... Have a great week ahead, Phong Hong!

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    1. Hi Ivy! Thanks for the words of encouragement hah! hah! You have a great week too!

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  14. Your tiramisu is too damn tempting to avoided even in the eraly morning....
    i guess i'm ready to break some bone righ after your tiramisu...hehehe

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    1. Don't think a dentist would approve of this breakfast hee..hee...By the way, I brushed my teeth again after the Tiramisu :)

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  15. you think you're naughty? I eat cakes for breakfast all the time and I refuse to feel guilty for doing so! We need a little 'Pick me up' in the morning too! - pooihan

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    1. Hi Pooihan! Looks like I am not the only naughty one :)

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  16. PH I bet your morning breakfast of tiramisu put you in a terrific mood for the rest of the day. My family love Tiramisu too. Glad you enjoyed it so much. I can imagine you smiling as you stuffed yourself with this rich and creamy dessert, oops sorry breakfast I mean 😉

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    1. Hi Veronica! Oh yes, Monday morning didn't feel like Monday morning hah! hah! Not until I sat at my office desk that is hee..hee....

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  17. sedapnyerrr... I belum pernah buat any tiramisu lagi tau... selalu gak nampak cookies utk tiramisu kat kedai bakeri... tp belum ada hati nak mencuba... nampak sgt yummy tu..

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    1. MaDiHaA, cubalah! Pasti digemari sekeluarga, Gerenti sedap!

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  18. I hate you for doing this... Looks highly addictive Phong. Lucky you

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    1. Vimitha, make Tiramisu and have it for breakfast!

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  19. Hi Phong Hong,

    Eating Tiramisu for breakfast??? Feeling naughty naughty or guilty guilty? Nay! If you are going to drink coffee in the morning, you might as well consume coffee in the form of Tiramisu!!! - LOL!

    I really enjoy reading your Tiramisu story! Interesting that we have different ways and experience to explore different food :)

    Zoe

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    1. Hi Zoe! Now that I have many supporters, I don't feel so guilty anymore hah! hah! Thanks for your support! Dessert for breakfast everyone! Yay!

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  20. Hi Phong Hong.
    Thumbs up to you! I have always wanted to make Tiramisu! It was a craze more than a decade ago, all the birthday cakes that I've eaten are Tiramisu, Tiramisu, Tiramisu! Come to a point that, enough of Tiramisu! LOL! But I do not mind eating this once in a while. Have always wanted to make this, perhaps one day!
    Yours looks wonderful and so good! Having it for breakfast is norm to me!! Haha, we sometimes have leftover birthday cakes for breakfast! :)

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    1. Joyce, if I didn't have a weight issue, I'll be having cakes for breakfast all the time hah! hah! Tiramisu is a joy to put together. One of the easiest dessert after trifle. Love it a lot!

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  21. well done...hmm...good can masuk freezer and eat whenever felt like it :)

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    1. Yeah, make and freeze in smaller portions. Very convenient!

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  22. Hi Phong Hong,
    Having tiramisu for breakfast..I don't mind to join you :D
    I sometime make cake that need to chilled overnight and the next day can't wait to try it so just have it as breakfast with a cup of hot tea or coffee ;p

    Your tiramisu looks fab..it is nicely layered between sponge fingers and filling!!
    Thumbs up for Kak PH :D
    mui

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    1. mui mui, come come lets have Tiramisu for breakfast! I have to make some more soon, keep in the freezer and I can enjoy it anytime. And thanks for the compliments!

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  23. Hi Phong Hong, I haven't been home since I posted my last post nearly one week ago...doggie sitting for my daughter and family, while they were away. (no access to their computer) so I'm so behind with commenting again!

    YES, I would love to eat your Tiramisu for breakfast...lunch...and dinner. LOL...dessert first, then the meal.
    You made it so amazing, even with the cream cheese, which is just fine, BTW! Can't really tell the difference from the Mascarpone with the addition of the eggs, and the rum; You are darn right, even here in the US. Mascarpone is at least 'not twice...but three times more expensive for the same 500g. of the Philadelphia Cream Cheese. You can make Italian desserts just like the 'Italians'...ha, ha! Drooling, seriously! Will be pinning this on Pinterest to link back to you! xo

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    1. Hi Elisabeth! Oh, I thought that Mascaporne would be less expensive in the US. Now that I know Tiramisu can be frozen, I would make some more and freeze them in smaller portions. It made for a great breakfast hah! hah! And thanks for pinning :)

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  24. I bet your Tiramisu definitely better than the restaurant in Italy I had tasted, hehehe..Thanks for sharing the tip on how to enjoy with a frozen Tiramisu.

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    1. Sonia, I was quite surprised the one you had in Italy was disappointing. Yeah, want to make some more and put in the freezer. So convenient!

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  25. Hi PH, your tiramisu looks perfect! I am a huge lover of tiramisu and I would definitely love a slice of your homemade one.

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    1. Thanks, Yen! I love Tiramisu a lot too :)

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  26. So rich, so sinful but always so good... :D

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  27. actually do sound a bit unusual eating tiramisu at 6.20...but what the heck..want to eat then eat la..i also sometimes eat cakes for breakfast but just not as early as six. i was expecting you to say the frozen tiramisu taste like coffee and cream cheese ice cream...hehe..thx for the tips on the cake freezing.

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    1. Hi Lena! I eat breakfast early as I have to go to office early. It didn't have the texture of ice-cream but still very good!

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  28. Tiramisu breakfast? Why not? :p

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  29. May i ask whether cooking egg yolk using double boiling would have same results becos i am afraid to eat non cooked egg yolk

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    1. Hi Leong! If you have concerns about raw eggs, I suggest that you make a custard instead. Cooking the egg yolk using double boiling will result in scrambled eggs. Please refer here for the custard recipe : http://www.joyofbaking.com/Tiramisu.html

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