BY POPULAR DEMAND! EASY TIRAMISU RECIPE

One hour is all it takes to make this tasty Tiramisu!

Whip, chill & serve!

This is my signature dessert whenever I get invited for 'makan' with friends or when I host family and friends at home. A couple of friends have tried their hands at making it using this recipe so I daresay it's a fail-proof recipe ;-))

Tiramisu

2 packets of savoiardi (Italian sponge fingers - 12 pcs in each pack)

2 tubs of mascarpone cheese (250 g each)

300ml of freshly-brewed coffee of your choice

3 eggs (alternatively use 2 eggs + 200 ml whipping cream)

2 tablespoons of Bailey's Irish Cream (alternatively use 1 tbsp of brandy)

3 tablespoons of sugar

2 teaspoons of cocoa powder

some grated chocolate (optional)

Methods

1. Separate egg yolks from egg white into different bowls.
2. Beat egg yolks while adding sugar little by little to it. Whisk until sugar has been used up and mixture turns pale cream in colour.
3. If you are using whipping cream, add it in at this point. Whip on high speed using a handheld mixer until the cream turns smooth, fluffy and well incorporated with egg & sugar mixture. (Note: If you prefer not to use eggs for this recipe, it is ok to use whipped cream only. Just whip cream on medium speed until light and fluffy, sprinkling sugar into the mixture as you go along. However, I find eggs do give the dessert a nicer, more flavourful 'eggy' taste.)
4. Fold (not stir) in mascarpone cheese gently. (Tip - I used the lowest speed on my handheld mixer to blend this evenly).
5. Then whip egg whites (I use the highest speed on my mixer) until they turn shiny white and stiff. (Tip - to check if the egg whites are stiff enough, just turn your mixing bowl upside down. Believe me, they won't budge or fall off from the bowl! If the whites are still sliding around when you tip the bowl even just a little, continue the whipping process.)
6. Fold egg white mixture gently into the earlier cheese/egg/cream mixture. Do not flatten the whites too much as this will drive the 'air' out.
7. Pour coffee into a wide width bowl and add Bailey's Irish Cream or your choice of liqueur to it. Stir well.
8. Dip each piece of savoiardi (horizontally) into the liquer-laced coffee. (Tip - It is best to let only half of the sponge fingers soak up the coffee or else they can turn too soggy. Alternatively you can line the sponge fingers at the base of your container and brush the top generously with the coffee mixture.)
9. Line these coffee-laced sponge fingers at the bottom of a rectangular serving dish as the base of your tiramisu.
10. Pour some of the mascarpone cheese mixture onto the sponge fingers to cover them adequately. If desired, smoothen the creamy layer and sprinkle some grated dark chocolate on top. This will give the dessert an unexpected chocolatey taste.
11. Continue layering another batch of coffee-soaked sponge fingers on top of the creamy cheese mixture.
12. Cover this layer with the balance of the cheese mixture and garnish with more grated chocolate.
13. Chill tiramisu in the fridge for at least an hour or more. Dust the top with cocoa powder prior to serving.

Final note: if you want to reduce the sugar by half a tablespoon, I reckon it won't affect the taste too much. Also I'd prefer to use stronger coffee as the taste comes through clearer. If you don't want the bother of brewing your own coffee, buy a takeaway cup from your favourite coffee outlet!

I hope you will enjoy this fabulously indulgently smooth, rich and heavenly treat!

LABOUR OF LOVE

These are my first few stories out in a magazine! The Koffee Kulture story focuses on the coffee-drinking trend that's brewing in Kay-El (Kuala Lumpur to the uninitiated). Food of course, play a prominent part in food-loving Malaysian lives as highlighted in my Festive Flair story. It also touches on the major festivals Malaysians celebrated over the last quarter of 2005 and first quarter of 2006.

The Hilt magazine by the way, is the quarterly glossy publication of KL Hilton. So if you want to read these articles in their original glory, try and nick a copy from the hotel! Otherwise you'd have to be contented with what I have posted here.

Juicy, tender & mouth-watering! Jack's Special Steak 

Substantial salad to keep you healthy at Jack's Place 

A plateful of crispy bites - chicken wings, oysters & squid rings...yummy! 

It's A Steak's Up At Jack's

Jack’s Place is famous for its great value sizzling steaks and sumptuous cakes amongst Singaporeans for the past 40 years.

Hainan Island-born Say Lip Hai came to Singapore and learnt how to cook roast beef and Yorkshire pudding for the British troops in Sembawang. His delicious meals impressed a British housewife so much, she persuaded Say to start a joint catering business at her husband, Jack Hunt’s pub in Killiney Road. Although Jack Hunt later sold his share of the business, his namesake – Jack’s Place became synonymous for choice steaks and grilled items, salads, seafood, pizza and pasta dishes in Singapore.

Now Jack’s Place is drawing in famished shoppers and local steak lovers to its inaugural Malaysian outlet at the New Wing of 1 Utama Shopping Centre. Sporting a modern, cordial ambience with sleek, earth-toned dining tables neatly set with its trademark white and green checked tablemats, attention is drawn to its wall-mounted life-size colour photos of happy customers and close-ups of its house specialities.

Its extensive, family-oriented menu profers a wide selection of steaks, grilled items, seafood, salads, pizzas, pastas and dessert. You don't have to pay through the nose for a steak here as pricing is reasonable. Jack’s Place also offers pocket-friendly dining deals priced from RM13.80++ onwards. They even throw in a complimentary glass of orange juice and a scoop of ice-cream for any orders from the Kids’ Menu.

The Jellicious Mango Float (RM7++ per glass), a yummy concoction of diced mango jelly in mango juice blended with vanilla ice-cream reminded us of those whimsical sundae treats dished out by old-fashioned ice-cream parlours in our childhood days.

Another delightful classic that brought back great memories of our salad days is the Prawn and Mango Cocktail (RM13.50++). Those of you who are old enough will recall this classic salad of succulent prawns, sweet mango slices and mixed lettuce laced with Thousand Island Dressing was all the rage back in the 70s.

Feeling peckish while waiting for the main courses, we ordered the Crispy Sampler Platter (RM26++) which has chicken wings, mushrooms, onion rings and oysters breaded and deep-fried. These appetizing morsels are guaranteed to quell initial hunger pangs of both adults and children.

Weight-conscious diners can opt for the Jack’s Chef Salad (RM16++), a substantial portion of mixed greens with sliced turkey and chicken ham, cheese, roast chicken and beef strips. It is a wholesome, balanced meal by itself.

The Jack’s Special Steak (RM39.50++) also lived up to its reputation. The succulent, juicy steak was cooked to specifications and accompanied by roast jacket potato, corn kernels, broccoli and mushroom with a choice of either black pepper, mushroom or barbecue sauce.

For kids, the Chicken and Mushroom Spaghetti (RM14++) will come out tops with its enticing topping of rich, tangy and cheesy tomato sauce, and diced boneless chicken.

We passed on dessert but the outlet’s famous Mango Mousse Cake looks extremely tempting! Needless to say we intend to return real soon for a slice of the action.

The only innocuous flaw that marred our experience somewhat was the dissatisfactory level of its service staff’s personal hygiene. Freshness of staff uniforms and personal grooming of frontliners (especially body odour) should be dealt with seriously as these factors can break customers’ dining experience!

JACK’S PLACE (pork-free)
F346 First Floor Rainforest Zone
I Utama Shopping Centre (New Wing)
No 1 Lebuh Bandar Utama Damansara
47800 Petaling Jaya Selangor
Tel: 7725 1433

Good tidings abound with Ho See Fatt Choy (Braised Dried

Oysters with Seamoss & Broccoli)

A sweet & silky smooth start to the Lunar New Year...Green Tea Tofu

with Angled Loofah, Scallops & Pumpkin Puree

Laughing all the way - hopefully to the bank after partaking these Sichuanese & Cantonese-style prawns

'Nian nian you yue' - enjoy yearly abundance with

this steamed garoupa in a tantalising green chilli-garlic sauce

Chick Combination - Sichuanese Pang Pang Chicken
(left) and Wok-fried Spiced Crispy Chicken