I thought this dessert would be very fitting for Christmas Eve, as I’m Italian and TIramisu “Pick Me Up” is a delicious Italian dessert! As tradition goes, Italians don’t eat any meat on Christmas Eve ( much like good friday) so we have a delicious feast of all things Seafood! Prawns, Mussels, Clams, Baccalà, Salmon and much more! (I’ll post some pictures of that too!) I had seen Tiramisu cakes before and thought it would be fun to try it as an alternative to the regular Tiramisu. Of course I found an excellent recipe in one of my favorite books, Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan. I made a few adaptations which made it very delicious!

Recipe: Adapted from Dorie Greenspan Baking: From My Home to Yours

For the Cake:

• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• Cocoa Powder, for Dusting
• ADAPTATION: Lady Fingers ( Optional for the Middle Layer)

For the Filling and Frosting:

• 1 8-ounce container Marscapone
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp kahlua, amaretto or brandy
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• Strong Cup of Espresso or Coffee for the Syrup

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My Version of Tiramisu Cheese Filling and Frosting:

• 1 pkg Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 tub Cool Whip, unthawed
• 1/2 pkg vanilla pudding ( 4 servings )
• 1-2 tbs Milk
• Vanilla 

Getting Ready:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 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. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

To make the cake:

Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

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. 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.

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 Syrup:

Brew a strong pot of coffee or espresso, add some sugar to it and let it cool. 

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.

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My Version of Filling:

In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add Cool Whip slowly and mix until blended. Add Vanilla, about 2 tsp. 

In seperate bowl, stir Jell-O powder and 2 Tbs Milk until dissolved. Add mixture to the cream cheese and cool whip and continue to beat on medium until smooth. You can add more milk if needed. 

Stir until desired consistency. Set aside. 

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To assemble the cake:

Place the First 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 frosting over the layer – user about 1 1/4 cups – Dust with Cocoa using a sifter.

Adaptation*** For the Middle Layer, I added Lady FIngers ontop of the 1st layer of cake, and brushed them with the coffee mixture, then spoon over top the frosting/filling and dust with cocoa powder. 

Put the Third 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.
With a long metal icing spatula, smooth the frosting ontop of the cake, and around the sides. Dust the top of the cake with cocoa using a sifter. 

Adaptation** I placed lady fingers around the outside of the cake. Measure one and cut all of them the same size so they fit nicely against the cake. 

Refrigerate the cake for a couple of hours (or for up to 1 day) before serving – the elements need time to meld.

This seems like it would be a long process but believe me it isn’t! And my version of the filling is just as yummy and easier to make. Don’t be intimidated by the recipe, the results are delicious!

Enjoy! Hope you all had a delicious holiday!! Here are some pictures from our Italian Christmas Eve Feast!

Nonna Serving Up Something Delicious!

My Favorite!! Prawns! 
Clams and Mussels! 

It was all very delicioius! Thanks Zia!

 Happy Holidays! It’s baking time. And here’s one from Martha Stewart’s Cookie of the Day! With these delicious Chocolate Thumbprints!  I have been baking up a storm today! I hope this makes up for my absense for most of december! But again, I’m a busy student! (not a starving student, clearly!) But all the exams are finished and all the gifts are wrapped! So enjoy all my christmas baking and hope you have a wonderful holiday! (Scroll down for all the latet baking posts for christmas!)

These are my favorite pecan tarts! I made them before here. They are great to make and store in the freezer until you need em!

Heres the recipe again!

Decadent Mini Pecan Tarts

Ingredients: 

• 20-24 Tart Shells – If frozen, take out of the freezer before you begin for about 5-10 mins
• chopped pecans
• pecan halves – one for each tart
• Semi Sweet Chocolate – broken up into small chunks (Bakers secret or any other rich chocolate)
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup dark corn syrup
• 1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325º F.
2. Place tart shells on baking sheet – about 20-24 on a large baking sheet
3. In the bottom of each tart, add 1 tablespoon (or more) chocolate chunks and 1 tablespoon + chopped pecans, then place a pecan half on top of each.
4. In a mixing bowl:-whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla. Pour the filling over the pecans, just until it almost reaches the top of the sides of the tarts.
5. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, until the crust is golden, and the middle is set. Remove from the oven and transfer with a lifter to wire racks to cool

Enjoy!

I found these cute little things from Whisk Blog! What a cute idea for the holidays. I substitued the frosting for Nutella and sprinkled the tops with crushed candy canes! Really simple and pretty for the holidays and great to bring to a cocktail party.

Recipe – From Whisk: A Food Blog
Makes 1 8×8 pan or 2 dozen minis

½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
½ cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
¼ teaspoon baking powder¼ teaspoon salt
Nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350˚F. Grease a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add eggs, and beat well. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to egg mixture, beating until blended. Stir in nuts, if desired.

Fill a piping bag (or freezer bag) <– This is a must, makes it very easy to fill and make them all even! And fill the mini muffin cups. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

I mixed Nutella with some icing sugar and piped it onto the tops, and sprinkled them with crushed candy canes!

Enjoy!

These are a favorite in my house! My brother almost ate the entire bowl before i even got them onto the cookie sheet!! 

Ingredients:

2 cups Chocolate Chips

1/2 Butter

Coconut ( about three cups )

Directions:

Pre heat oven to 350.

Place coconut onto baking sheet in single layer and toast until slightly browned. Be careful to watch it and using a spatula or lifter sift the coconut often so it evenly browns. Once it has reached the color you desire take it out of the oven to cool.  The smell of coconut will fill your house! Ooh it smells so good!

Once it’s cooled Melt chocolate and butter in microwavable safe glass bowl. Microwave until almost completely melted then stir by hand to completely melt. 

Stir in the coconut. I ususally add some non toasted coconut to the mix as well. 

Once it is all covered in chocolate, scooping with a small ice cream scoop, or dropping by spoons, place small clusters onto a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Let cool in refrigerator until set. You can freeze these easily and take out about 15 mins before serving.

Enjoy!

These little babies are melt in your mouth good! Especially when you eat them straight out of the oven and place the toblerone on top..mmmm. OK back to the recipe. I make these every year, and I think they’re my moms favorite! The recipe comes from Kraft Canada, but they used segments of Terry’s Chocolate orange. Im sure either way would be good!

Toblerone Shortbread

Ingredients: