A Touch of Tiramisu

Now, I'm not going to swear that I'm brilliant at making Italian food, but I certainly do love it. Just recently for my daughter's 21st birthday, we had a family dinner and our love of Italian food dictated the menu.

Starters:

A platter with Italian meats (prosciutto, salami, pepperoni,) sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, and rosemary and garlic bread rolls.


Main:

Lasagne
Coleslaw
Mixed salad

Dessert:

Tiramisu

Now, it's the Tiramisu I feel I should share with you. I've made this a few times recently and wondered where I was going wrong. I use to make it for special occasions and everyone loved it, but after quite a while without doing one, I suddenly found it wasn't quite so good.

And then, the day before youngest's 21st, it clicked!

Condensed milk.

You see, I don't tend to use recipes. I read them once, vary it according to taste and each time I make it thereafter, its in my head. But the Tiramisu had leaked out of my head to make a mess.

But then I remembered, and it was wonderful. So here it is.

Tiramisu:

Sponge fingers (I make them myself, or will buy them if I'm in a rush, 2 packets if bought)
Strong black coffee - enough to make up 1 pint
Camp coffee - 4 tbsp
Rum - to taste
Brown Sugar 2 tsp
500g Mascapone
1 397g tin Condensed milk
50g dark chocolate
Large glass dish

1. Mix coffee, Camp coffee, rum and brown sugar together in a bowl.












2. Grate chocolate












3. Whip together Mascapone and condensed milk













4. Soak sponge fingers a few at a time and only for about 20 seconds in the coffee mixture (otherwise they'll disintegrate)

5. Make a layer of sponges, then about the same depth of mascapone mix, sprinkle on grated chocolate and repeat.

6. I prefer to leave it in the fridge overnight. The flavours seep through and make it even yummier.














See. Simple.