Expert: Davide Giovanni Papa - 7/9/2009

Question
Dear Sir,

When I was little a tasted a wonderfully delicious Italian coffee-layered cake. When I visited Rome I had it again as a desert. But unfortunately I do not know that name of that cake. Could you please help me identify it? I think it's made of Expresso coffee but I don't think it's 'tiramisu"

Many thanks for your help.
Carole

Answer


Dear Carole


TIRA ME SU- (Tea- RAH -ME - SUE) "Means lift me" up in native Sicilian- It's not a classical Italian recipe but an authentic regional recipe that has made it into the big time world wide-

There are many variations to this recipe- but if you are looking to closely make one to what you have tasted in Italy it's a very simple application-

Visualize the quantity needed-I will give a basic guide only as i don't really give regional dessert recipes out-


Ingredients-

Strong cup Black coffee - use percolated fresh ground coffee beans- i.e: Lavazza- Leave to cool

Quarter/Half   cup of Marsala

Quarter cup of cocoa for sprinkling-

Lets say 10 oz "Marscapone cheese" or if unavailable soft  Philadelphia cream cheese will do

Quarter  cup of thickened cream.

Sugar to taste -

( Some put an egg yolk- No need and can do without-)

Get a packet of Italian finger sponge biscuits  or make a firm plain sponge cake- Get a small tray lets say six or seven   inches by 12 inches long  ceramic or glass- or 12 inch spring loaded round cake tin-

Place coffee on flat plate, beat the Marscapone and cream  together until  smooth add sugar and Marsala ( I would say quarter of a cup of each should do or less)  until just  sweet- combine well-


Cut your sponge at least 3/4 of an inch thick slices ( or use sugar coated sponge finger as is)

Don't SOAK sponge cake  - simply very very quickly dip the sponge into the coffee , and layer the tray-Do it so hardly no coffee soaks in-because it will soak through when left to set overnight-
Uneven gaps simply cut the sponge finger or cake to fit-If you soak it through it will turn into mash-(disaster)


Pour all cream cheese mixture over the top, smooth out-

ADD ANOTHER LAYER OF  COFFEE LACED SPONGE ON TOP- fill in gaps as needed-

GENTLY PRESSES DOWN LIGHTLY-  And very generously cover the whole lot with a s dusting of good cocoa chocolate-

leave over night in the refrigerator, serve directly from tray using a large spoon or  if using a spring loaded cake tin- run a small knife on the inside edge to un stick the Tira mi su from the side- and spring open the tin and gently serve as slices-

second time around you can balance out what you do wrong the first time- practice makes perfection-

Variation: You can mix the Marsala and coffee together before  dipping the sponge and put vanilla essence in the cream and cheese mixture with sugar-


The Magic is created  not the coffee but the Marsala- (Try this - Any commercial  sweet biscuit,quick dip only Marsala, add freshly whipped cream with vanilla essence added, and build your cake like a lasagna in layers- cream, Marsala dipped biscuits layer at a time- -Place in refrigerator for the Marsala to do it's magic- it's addictive.)







Regards
Chef Davide
www.chefdavide.freeservers.com