This Tiramisu is a popular version that you can find in a few cafe’s in Malaysia. (Hello all you China House and Alexis fans!) When I met Dan, one of our first dates (where he knocked over my cup of coffee by accident) was at a cafe, where they served this particular type of Tiramisu. Since then, we have gone back and had it time and time again over many more unspilt coffees!

Until Dan had asked if I could try and replicate it, I honestly never really considered it assuming it would be complicated. Now that I have, it is definitely going to be a recipe that I will use again as it is a lot easier than it looks.

Built on top of a simple Italian sponge cake – this cake is creamy with hints of coffee, chocolate and Amaretto, coated with caramelised almonds for an added crunch.

Recipe

Sponge Cake
8 inch

4 eggs (about 240gm)
120gm cake flour – ( 105gm plain flour + 15gm corn flour)
120gm caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence

(Basically the weight of the eggs = weight of sugar + flour)

Method
1. Whisk eggs, vanilla essence and sugar for about 15- 20 minutes till white/pale yellow and fluffy. The eggs should be at room temperature.
2. The mix is ready once it doubles in volume.
3. Slowly sift flour bit by bit into the eggs mixture and fold in with spatula.
4. Take care not to over mix and lose the air and ensure that you add the flour gradually or it will all sink to the bottom.
5. Grease baking tin and bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes at 175 degrees Celcius.
6. Turn off the oven and leave cake in for an additional 10 min – 15 mins.
7. Let cake cool on wire rack. Once cool divide into two.

Chocolate layer
150gm dark chocolate (75%) /milk chocolate – grated

Coffee drizzle
1. 220ml black coffee (I used Nespresso, you can also use instant adjust according to your coffee preference – 1 1/2 tablespoons)
2. 3 tsp sugar
3. 50 ml Amaretto

Method
1. Make coffee as you usually do and add sugar
2. Once coffee has cooled add Amaretto

Cream cheese Filling

Mascarpone filling
250gm Mascarpone cheese
250ml double cream
50gm of icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp Amaretto

Method
1. Whisk double cream, icing sugar, vanilla essence and Amaretto liquer till there are stiff peaks.
2. Whisk in softened mascarpone cheese into mix and let set in fridge

Caramelised almonds
100gm whole almonds with skin
150gm caster sugar

Method
1. Heat sugar over medium heat on a non stick pan. Stir often to avoid burning the sugar as it turns golden brown
2. Add almonds and stir so they are coated evenly.
3. Tip onto a lined tray, spread evenly and let cool.
4. Once cooled and hard, crush in food processor
(I like a mix of large and really small pieces , so go crazy!)
5. Store in airtight container till ready to use!

Putting it together

1. Place one of cake halves in a baking tin, drizzle with half of coffee syrup.
2. Layer with 3/4 of the mascarpone filling
3. Spread grated chocolate over mascarpone filling
4. Place second cake layer on top of chocolate layer
5. Drizzle remaining coffee syrup over cake.
6. Cover with cling film and let set overnight in fridge
7. The next day, cover cake with a thin layer of the remainder of the mascarpone filling
8. Cover with crushed almonds.
9. Let set for 2 hours in fridge and serve!

I promise you this cake sounds complicated but is not a difficult one to make and is worth the effort.

Do let me know if you try it!