Advice on Sesame Tiramisu

[Sethro]

I need to make a white sesame tiramisu, and I really am drawing a blank. Usually I would infuse the cream with sesame seeds, but the mascarpone:cream ratio is going to make the flavor undetectable. I don't like the flavor of sesame paste at all either. Has anyone here used an extract before?

Also, what should I soak the ladyfingers in? I think espresso or brandy is also going to knock the sesame flavor out of the park.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have to have this thing 100% by Thursday.

[Desiderio]

Umm maybe something like a light simple sugar syrup with some frangelico ?

[Abra]

I'd use a bit of roasted Asian sesame oil in the cream. A small amount delivers a lot of flavor and really tastes like sesame. Maybe make a little sesame brittle for the garnish. The soak is more problematic. You could go for either a neutral or complimentary flavor, perhaps a matcha syrup, or an orange liqueur.

[alanamoana]

rather than using ladyfingers, i'd make a sponge of some sort with freshly toasted and ground sesames. i guess the goal would be to layer the sesame flavor so that it comes to the forefront in the final dessert without being too aggressive.

[miladyinsanity]

I'm reasonably sure infusing won't work very well. Abra is right on the sesame oil, but it can leave a funny aftertaste.

I'd go with alanamoana's idea, except that I'd look at getting sesame flour rather than making my own--if you grind them, they'll become paste just like most nuts.

[dejaq]

I like Abra's idea of the brittle, depending how this this this thing is going out, I would still use Ladyfinger cake baked in sheets, two to a deck, two layers of cream and for the top layer with a sesame tuile sheet baked to an amber color, as far as Tira is concerned, remember, it gets Marscarpone and its supposed to punched with coffee, at least that is what your client probably expects...Cointreau would work well, the addition of a thin layer of a Mirepoix of diced fresh fruit nested in a gelee' on one of those layers would add contrast, texture and dimension, I envision this dessert as either a triangle, or an oblique, knock yourself out.

Michael

[Swisskaese]

I know you said that you don't like the taste of tahina, but have you tried a Tahina Cake?

I am not sure how it would work in a Tiramisu, but you could give it a shot. This is a Greek Lenten cake and it is delicious.

Tahini Cake

[Sethro]

The roasted sesame oil...is it significantly different in flavor than regular sesame oil? If it really tastes like toasted sesame than that might be a good idea. Not sure how well oil will emulsify into whipped cream though.

I shuld specify the tiramisu will be in parfait glasses, accompanied by caramelized banana and milk chocolate sorbet.

I kind of want to stick to ladyfingers so my production list doesn't get any bigger. I would like to reinforce the sesame flavor somehow there too though..I need to make some sort of sesame syrup. Hmmm. Sesame syrup, anyone?

Thanks for the help. My creative engine is close to burnt out right now and it really helps to hear suggestions.

[miladyinsanity]

The roasted sesame oil...is it significantly different in flavor than regular sesame oil? If it really tastes like toasted sesame than that might be a good idea. Not sure how well oil will emulsify into whipped cream though.

←

Roasted and non-roasted sesame oil have different taste profiles. I'd say try both and see which you prefer, though it's generally agreed that roasted is more aromatic.

Also, Chinese/Japanese sesame paste is different from tahini, and then there's both black and white sesame.

[Swisskaese]

The roasted sesame oil...is it significantly different in flavor than regular sesame oil? If it really tastes like toasted sesame than that might be a good idea. Not sure how well oil will emulsify into whipped cream though.

I shuld specify the tiramisu will be in parfait glasses, accompanied by caramelized banana and milk chocolate sorbet.

I kind of want to stick to ladyfingers so my production list doesn't get any bigger. I would like to reinforce the sesame flavor somehow there too though..I need to make some sort of sesame syrup. Hmmm. Sesame syrup, anyone?

Thanks for the help. My creative engine is close to burnt out right now and it really helps to hear suggestions.

←

I just had an idea. Here, restaurants make a halvah parfait, which is made with halvah, which is made from sesame seeds. I think Daniel Rogov has a recipe for it. Scroll down, the recipe is the next to the last:

Halvah Parfait

This might give you just enough sesame flavour. Make sure you buy sesame halvah. You could put this between the lady fingers. It has cream and amaretto and the halvah.

Edited May 14, 2006 by Swisskaese (log)

[Pam R]

I just had an idea. Here, restaurants make a halvah parfait, which is made with halvah, which is made from sesame seeds. I think Daniel Rogov has a recipe for it. Scroll down, the recipe is the next to the last:

Halvah Parfait

This might give you just enough sesame flavour. Make sure you buy sesame halvah. You could put this between the lady fingers. It has cream and amaretto and the halvah.

←

I read this thread last night and came back to it today to suggest halvah - but of course Michelle got there first!

I wonder how it would taste if you processed some halvah in a food processor and then mixed it into the cheese/cream mixture. Probably good!

[muichoi]

That's easy-DON'T! what a terrible idea.

[Sethro]

I decided I'm going to soak the ladyfingers in a water/sugar/chocolate liqeuer mixture. There's chocolate in one of the other components so I might as well reinforce that.

As for the custard, I'm going to try two ways. First I'm going to try the halavah waith the mascarpone, so I'll let you know how that goes. Second I'm going to try infusing cream with toasted sesame, and then using that cream both in the anglaise and as the whippec cream. I've had sucess with sesame anglaise this way before, so its just a matter of wether it can hang with all that mascarpone in the mix.

Be back with results.

[Sethro]

So, the infusing method actually worked great, to my surprise.

Sesame Tiramisu

8 oz sesame cream

3 oz egg yolks

5 oz sugar

¼ tsp salt

16 oz mascarpone

8 oz whiped sesame cream

The sesame cream is one cup toasted white sesame to one quart cream, brought to a boil and covered for 30 minutes.

I soaked the ladyfingers in 2:1 chocolate liquor to water.

Edited May 16, 2006 by Sethro (log)