Taste Buds: Tiramisu Parfait

I have posted a tiramisu recipe once before here on Taste Buds, and that is definitely still my number one. However, for Chef’s birthday dinner last month, I decided to try this quickie version I found on Foodista. I remember revising the recipe a bit just to taste so the one below is based on my notes. What sold me to try this version is just how it was served. I loved the individual glasses so I went out to Crate and Barrel to purchase these simple yet elegant staples in the household, and it definitely was a great addition to my formal menu for a formal evening.

 

Ingredients for 8 servings:

16 oz mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons light rum (if you’re using rum extract or dark rum, use less)

24 pieces ladyfingers or savoiardi

1 cup espresso

3 teaspoons light rum (yes, again, for the espresso)

cocoa powder for dusting

raspberries for garnishing

 

How it’s done:
1. Combine heavy cream and rum in a bowl. Beat the cream with rum until soft peaks form.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Once you have the soft peaks (left picture), set this aside for a while. In another bowl (right picture), prepare your mascarpone cheese.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Add the powdered sugar and the vanilla.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Beat this mixture until completely combined. Once you have a pretty homogenous mixture, fold in the whipped cream. The whipped cream is very light, and its color is not too different from the cheese mixture. But, do your best to combine these mixtures very well. Otherwise, you might get a creamy dollop one time, and a cheesy dollop on another time. And believe, the flavors of these combined is divine!

 

5. This next part is barely pictured. Place your espresso in a rather shallow container. Add rum to the espresso. I put 3 teaspoons, but really, this is your choice. So add it to taste. I remember adding a bit more because this will be combined with the very creamy cheese just made, and I wanted to make sure there’s a hint of alcohol.

6. Snap your ladyfingers in half. Dunk them in the espresso. Do not let them sit there too long, otherwise, you’ll get a soggy instead of bready/cake-like tiramisu. Basically, it’s more like a dip in the espresso. Don’t worry, they are very spongy so it will definitely get soaked in the liquid somehow, only on its own terms. Place a layer of dipped ladyfingers in the bottom of the glasses.

 

7. Add a tablespoon full-ish of the cream cheese mixture over the lady fingers. Place another layer of dipped ladyfingers on the cream cheese. Push it down a bit so you get a nice even layer. Then add another layer of the cream cheese mixture, and then another layer of the ladyfingers. Finally, top with a final layer of the cream cheese mixture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Smoothen the top layer of cream cheese mixture with the back of a spoon. Also, wipe the rim of the glasses in case you got cream on it, which you most likely will.

Let this sit for a day or two. I did a hold study on this and the one I let sit for 2 days actually came out better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. When you are ready to serve and only when you’re absolutely ready to serve, dust some cocoa powder on each glass using a sifter. Don’t add this ahead of time otherwise, it will combine with the cream. Then, garnish each glass with 2 pieces of raspberry.