OK, tell me your mouth isn't watering just looking at this picture! I am a big fan of tiramisu so maybe it's just me, but this idea wow'd me. The recipe is easy and your guests are sure to love them. Serve these cold to help cool off your guests at a summer wedding or after your guests have been dancing any time of the year. The wow factor in any tiramisu is not the ladyfingers but the filling. That lush mascarpone, whipped cream, run, and coffee combo is what sets these cupcakes apart from the usual ho hum mini cakes. The trick is to use just a small amount of ladyfingers(or cake) and LOTS of filling and topping. YUM!
Yield: 12 Cupcakes
(see how little batter is in the cupcake pans--this will leave you room for lots of filling)
6 egg yolks
3/4 C white sugar
2/3 C milk
1 1/4 C heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 lb mascarpone cheese
1 C strong brewed coffee, room temperature
2 tbsp rum
ladyfingers baked in cupcake wrappers (see my post on ladyfingers for instructions)
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
a small amount of dark chocolate for chocolate curls (optional)
In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well blended.
Whisk in milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils.
Boil gently for 1 minute, remove from heat, and allow to cool slightly.
Cover tightly and chill in refrigerator 1 hour.
Remove from refrigerator and whisk in mascarpone until smooth. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat cream with vanilla until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine coffee and rum.
Drizzle approximately 1 tbsp + 2 tsp of the coffee/rum mixture over each pre-baked ladyfinger. Add it a little at a time and wait for it to absorb into the ladyfingers before adding more. When it stops absorbing, stop adding more.
Spread the mascarpone mixture over the soaked ladyfingers.
Pipe or spread the whipped cream over the mascarpone.
Sprinkle with cocoa powder.
Optionally, top with chocolate curls. Make the chocolate curls using a vegetable peeler on a piece of chocolate. It works best if the chocolate is slightly warm, but not melty.
Cover and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours, until set
Ladyfingers Recipe for Tiramisu Cupcakes:
This ladyfinger recipe is adapted ever so slightly from the ladyfinger recipe on Allrecipes.
4 eggs, separated
2 tbsp + 2/3 C white sugar
1 C all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Line two 17 x 12 inch baking sheets with baking parchment. (Or, if you are going to use these for tiramisu cupcakes, line a 12 cupcake tin with cupcake liners.)
Fit large pastry bag with a plain 1/2 inch round tube. If you don't have one, just cut off the end of a Ziploc bag.
Place egg whites in a bowl and beat on high until soft peaks start to form.
Slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and continue beating until stiff and glossy.
In another bowl, beat egg yolks and remaining sugar.
Whip until thick and very pale in color.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder.
Fold half the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.
Fold in flour, and then add the remaining egg whites.
Transfer mixture to the pastry bag (or Ziploc bag) and pipe strips that look like ladyfingers (or whatever shape you'd like) onto the prepared baking sheet. Alternatively, evenly divide the batter between the cupcake liners. The cupcake liners will not be filled to the top (see the photo above).
Bake for 8 minute
