Baileys Espresso Tiramisu

I have tested many tiramisus, and have combined and tweaked my favourites to make this perfect pick-me-up.

It has a layer of soft sponge cake to soak up the espresso and baileys mixture. A cloud of feather light espresso and baileys zabaglione mixed with mascarpone and lightened by whipped cream. It is served in a small wine goblet for the perfect portion size, topped with a generous layer of grated dark chocolate.

I admit that this tiramisu is more time consuming to make compare to a typical tiramisu that uses store-brought sponge fingers, raw eggs and cocoa powder. But the additional effort will make a difference between an awesome best-ever tiramisu to an average unmemorable one.





Baileys Espresso Tiramisu
(Baileys tiramisu inspired by taste. Sponge cake adapted from Okashi. Zabaglione adapted from Epicurious.)

Makes 4

Sponge Cake
90 grams egg whites
80 grams caster sugar
80 grams egg yolks
40 grams plain flour
20 grams corn flour
35 grams unsalted butter, melted

Syrup
1/2 cup of espresso
1 tablespoon of Baileys

Zabaglione
1 tablespoon of hot water
1 tablespoon of instant espresso coffee
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons caster sugar
250 grams mascarpone, room temperature
1/2 cup of thickened cream, cold
2 tablespoon of Baileys

You will also need a block of 70% dark chocolate.

To make sponge cake:
Preheat the oven to 200 degree celcius (or 180 degree celcius fan-forced). Line 28x28cm square cake pan with baking paper.

Whisk egg white until foarmy. Add one quarter of the sugar and whisk for a while. Then add remaining sugar and beat until stiff peaks form and egg whites are glossy. Add egg yolks and mix well.

Shift both flours into the bowl and fold using a spactula. Pour melted butter into the batter and fold well.

Pour batter into the prepared pan, spread evenly with a scraper and bake for 15 minutes or until when a toothpick is inserted in the center comes out clean.

To make syrup:
Combine espresso and Baileys.

To make zabaglione:
In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon of hot water and 1 tablespoon of instant espresso coffee. Set aside.

Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water using a handheld electric mixer until pale, thick and about double in volume. It will take about 5 to 8 minutes. Make sure the water doesn't take the base of the bowl. The eggs need to be cooked gently so the mixture stays smooth. Remove bowl from heat. Beat in coffee, Baileys and mascarpone into egg mixture until just combined.

In a clean bowl, beat cream until it holds stiff peaks.

Fold mascarpone mixture into whipped cream gently but thoroughly.

To assemble:
Cut rounds out of the sponge cake using either top of wine glass or a cookie cutter. Line wine glass with sponge rounds. Pour about 3 tablespoons of syrup over the sponge. Allow syrup to soak into the sponge cake, add more syrup if required. Spoon zabaglion over glasses. Grate the chocolate over the top. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 6 hours.