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tiramisu and chocolate hearts...no, not together :)


chocoera

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ok, so valentines day is around the corner and i had a request from a very old man for tiramisu. he said he had some in florence that was just amazing...amazing! i was trying to get him to explain what was so amazing, and he just sighed and said "i can't even tell you what it was, it was just amazing" so, yes , that gives me a lot to go on :)

question being, he wants tiramisu for his wife for valentine's day to mimic the trip they had when they were younger, but i don't know what makes an AMAZING tiramisu. what do you guys think makes one super awesome? i myself barely know the components, let alone ratios and trying to make it "indescribable" :P but this man is too darn cute not to try. so....thoughts?

also, i would love to make chocolate boxes, or hollow chocolate heart boxes for V-day and have no idea how to proceed. is there a mold for something like that? does anyone know how to make something like that or where i could find a mold for a choc box or a choc heart box?

thanks so much you guys!

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Chocolate heart box mold from Chocolat-chocolat. I like this mold for making the two sizes of box.

For tiramisu - I like a recipe that uses the Savoiardi biscuits rather than cake (or even the soft ladyfingers).

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There's all kinds of versions of tiramisu out there.

Never been to Italy, so I'm not sure what it is like there.

But, I have made it a lot, and I tend to use an Italian sponge cake that is made with potato starch or pipe my own ladyfingers. Or, when it's a really big event, we get the authentic ladyfingers from Italy.

I use really strong coffee or straight espresso to soak the layers, sometimes mixing with Amaretto (a chef I work for sometimes likes that in it). I made it this way at an event in Pebble Beach, and everyone raved.

I did use Marsala in the filling, which I tend to shy away from, but it worked.

When mixing your filling, be gentle with the mascarpone. Everyone wants to beat it to death, and it will separate if you do that. It will have a grainy texture and look bad.

And I like to use grated chocolate instead of cocoa in the layering, but use it on top for decoration.

Here is one I made for a dinner party, I made the ladyfingers and used them to line the mold I built the tiramisu in.

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Erica:

I like to use savioardi and soak them in a mixture of brewed espresso and brandy.

The eggs are separated and whipped, then mixed with the mascarpone so that the whites lighten the mixture.

I've made the tiramisu in cassarole / hotel pan type of dishes, as well as individual martini glasses. It would present beautifully to your customer

if you made it in a springform pan, as in RWood's photo.

If you PM me, I'll be happy to send you the recipe.

Beaches Pastry

May your celebrations be sweet!

Beaches Pastry Blog

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There's all kinds of versions of tiramisu out there.

Never been to Italy, so I'm not sure what it is like there.

But, I have made it a lot, and I tend to use an Italian sponge cake that is made with potato starch or pipe my own ladyfingers. Or, when it's a really big event, we get the authentic ladyfingers from Italy.

I use really strong coffee or straight espresso to soak the layers, sometimes mixing with Amaretto (a chef I work for sometimes likes that in it). I made it this way at an event in Pebble Beach, and everyone raved.

I did use Marsala in the filling, which I tend to shy away from, but it worked.

When mixing your filling, be gentle with the mascarpone. Everyone wants to beat it to death, and it will separate if you do that. It will have a grainy texture and look bad.

And I like to use grated chocolate instead of cocoa in the layering, but use it on top for decoration.

Here is one I made for a dinner party, I made the ladyfingers and used them to line the mold I built the tiramisu in.

that is gorgeous! wow!

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There's all kinds of versions of tiramisu out there.

Never been to Italy, so I'm not sure what it is like there.

But, I have made it a lot, and I tend to use an Italian sponge cake that is made with potato starch or pipe my own ladyfingers. Or, when it's a really big event, we get the authentic ladyfingers from Italy.

I use really strong coffee or straight espresso to soak the layers, sometimes mixing with Amaretto (a chef I work for sometimes likes that in it). I made it this way at an event in Pebble Beach, and everyone raved.

I did use Marsala in the filling, which I tend to shy away from, but it worked.

When mixing your filling, be gentle with the mascarpone. Everyone wants to beat it to death, and it will separate if you do that. It will have a grainy texture and look bad.

And I like to use grated chocolate instead of cocoa in the layering, but use it on top for decoration.

Here is one I made for a dinner party, I made the ladyfingers and used them to line the mold I built the tiramisu in.

that is gorgeous! wow!

Thanks! I like making it that way. It's more presentable than scooping out of a trifle dish or casserole pan.

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I always made individual ones in 6 oz ramekins lined with plastic wrap so they could be easily unmolded to order. You have to cut the biscuits in half to fit height and width. I much prefer the dry lady fingers than starting with soft. I make a mousse with mascarpone and some sweetened cream with gelatin to make it light and easily pipeable. Soak the biscuits in espresso and kaluah with a little sugar added. Tastes run toward the very sweet here in the midwest and don't seem to like too much of an alcohol flavor. Alternate soaked biscuit, piped mousse, cocoa powder.

Reb

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