Tiramisu Ice Cream

I've found my new favorite ice cream. I have made it twice--less than two weeks apart. Oh my! The first time I made Tiramisu ice cream, I had to share. This time, I made French vanilla ice cream as a freezer decoy! It is conveniently placed in front of the Tiramisu ice cream.

Betty Crapper does not like to share her ice cream! Don't judge me.

The cast of characters. Do you see that teeny tiny can of cocoa? That cocoa was incredibly difficult to find. More about that in the notes that follow. Among the cast of characters is the item I mentioned yesterday that is near and dear to my heart.

Don't skimp on the dairy. You won't be sorry. This mascarpone brand has almost twice the fat of my supermarket brand. Betty Crapper believes more fat yields tastier ice cream. 

I love that this ice cream has alcohol. If you do not partake, this is not the ice cream for you. The alcohol keeps the ice cream from getting hard in the freezer. It also makes it taste and smell wonderful. This is definitely an adult only ice cream.

Once you have all your ingredients, blend and place in your refrigerator to chill overnight. I left the mix in my blender. One less thing to wash.

After you blend the ingredients for the ice cream make the Mocha Ripple. Refrigerate in a bowl overnight. Don't worry if the chocolate seems runny. It will thicken up (not to hot fudge consistency) overnight.

In the morning it's time to make your ice cream. It took about 30 minutes to churn up. Due to the alcohol, it will not be as solid as other ice creams (soft-serve consistency). 

I love watching ice cream churn. Betty Crapper can't help watching with a spoon in hand. She is just checking for doneness! 

When the ice cream is done churning, it is time for my favorite part. Grab your chilled container and alternate spoonfuls of ice cream and Mocha Ripple. Place in the freezer for a few hours to harden before indulging.

Tiramisu Ice Cream

(adapted from David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop)

2  cups mascarpone

1 cup half-and-half

2/3 cup sugar

pinch of salt

1/4 cup coffee-flavored liqueur (I used Kahlua)

3 tablespoons brandy or dark rum (I used Bacardi Gold rum)

Mocha Ripple

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup strongly brewed espresso

6 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa (I used Green & Black's)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

The night before you are ready to churn your ice cream, puree the mascarpone, half-and-half, sugar, salt, Kahlua, and rum in a blender. Chill overnight in the refrigerator. 

That night, also make the mocha ripple. In a medium saucepan whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, espresso, and cocoa powder. Whisking constantly, heat over medium heat until bubbles form at the edges. Continue to whisk until mixture comes to a low boil. Stop whisking periodically to check for the light boil. Cook for one more minute, whisking often. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. When cool chill overnight in refrigerator.

The next morning freeze the ice cream in your machine. (My machine took 30 minutes). As you remove it from the machine, alternate layers of the chilled Mocha Ripple with the frozen ice cream in your storage container. Place in freezer for a few hours before indulging.

Notes

• I've made this ice cream twice. It will work with natural cocoa, but it won't taste as amazing. The first time I made this recipe I did not have Dutch processed cocoa on hand and used Hershey's natural cocoa. I liked the mocha ripple, but noticed the bitter aftertaste. It was good, but I knew it would be incredible if I could get my hands on Dutch processed cocoa. I searched high and low all over my surrounding regular supermarkets in South Florida. It seems no one here carries Dutch processed cocoa anymore. Hershey's even stopped making it several years ago. Hershey's special dark is not all Dutch processed. Boo to Hershey's and my local supermarkets for not carrying Dutch processed cocoa.
• In the past I have used Green & Black's organic cocoa. It is alkalized (Dutch processed), so I decided to hunt for it. This was not an easy feat in Miami, or even online (Amazon was out of stock). My local Whole Foods told me they discontinued it from their local stores and that the warehouse might have a few left. I was told I could try and order a case of 12. I was sad. As I was leaving, I walked passed their coffee aisle. I spotted a few dust covered cans. I snatched them up real quick! They told me those were the last of them.
• I found that mascarpone at Whole Foods. It is produced from milk and cream that is rBST-free.
• David Lebovitz is my new guru/idol. If you love making ice cream you must buy his book. Everything I've made from The Perfect Scoop (link from D. Lebovitz's Amazon store) has been amazing and far better than any other recipe I've used for the same flavor.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Do you share?

Plea to my South Florida readers

If you spot Dutch processed cocoa, and most especially the Green & Black's cocoa (not the Hot Chocolate) contact me via my blog/email. I will love you forever!!!!!!

Upcoming Giveaway

I've passed 100 public Google Friend Connect Followers. Yippee!!!!

I appreciate all your comments and have really enjoyed getting to know you all these last few months. Tomorrow I will let you know about my first giveaway. One lucky reader will receive something that I love and use daily. Making this ice cream and the Tiramisu cake would not have been possible without it. 

Look for my first giveaway post tomorrow. 

Tiramisu Cake

This cake is time consuming, but it is worth making for a special occasion. Betty Crapper chose her husband's birthday to make this cake; however, I underestimated the time it would take to make, assemble, and chill and we ate the cake the following day. Don't let that dissuade you from making the cake. Remember, Betty Crapper has an 11 month old.

  

Begin by buttering and flouring two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper and place pans on a baking sheet. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 F. 

Sift together your cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside. Grab your room temperature butter, sugar, 3 large eggs, 1 large egg yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk. 

Beat butter on medium until soft and creamy. Add sugar and beat for 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, and then the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each. Beat in the vanilla. Betty Crapper would not want to mix this cake batter with a hand held mixer. Her wimpy arms would get really tired. 

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk. Divide batter into both pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 28-30 minutes, rotating cake pans halfway through. Cool on rack for 5 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and remove parchment paper. Cool to room temperature right side up.

When you are ready to assemble your Tiramisu cake you will need espresso (or instant espresso powder), water, sugar, Kahlua, mascarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla, heavy cream, and bittersweet chocolate. You will be making espresso extract, espresso syrup, and a frosting. These were my favorite parts of the cake.

For the espresso extract, I made Cuban coffee with my stove top espresso machine. I grabbed the first four tablespoons of cafe that came out. These first drops tend to be the richest and thickest.

To make the syrup, you heat water and sugar just until it comes to a boil. Then you add 1 tablespoon of espresso syrup.

The frosting is made by whisking the mascarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla, and Kahlua until blended. Use your stand mixer to whip the heavy cream until it holds firm peaks. Using a rubber spatula, stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. LIghtly fold in the rest of the whipped cream.

To assemble, place one layer on your serving plate right side up. Soak the layer with 1/3 of the espresso syrup. Smooth about 1 1/4 cups of the frosting over the layer. Press the chopped chocolate into the frosting. Soak the other cake layer with half the remaining syrup. Place the cake layer, soak side down, on top of the chopped chocolate. Soak the top of the cake with the rest of the syrup.

Whisk 1 tablespoon of the remaining espresso extract into the remaining frosting. Frost your cake and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 1 day. Before serving dust the top with cocoa.

Tiramisu Cake
(Adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking From my Home to Yours)


cake


2 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
10 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk


espresso extract


2 tbsp espresso powder
2 tbsp boiling water


or about 4 tbsp espresso


espresso syrup


1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp Kahlua


frosting


8 ounces mascarpone
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp Kahlua
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped


cocoa powder, for dusting


Making the cake


Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour two 9-inch rounds. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper and place pans on a baking sheet.


Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.


In a large bowl beat butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add sugar and beat for 3 minutes. Add eggs individually, and then the yolk. Beat for 1 minute after each egg. Beat in vanilla.


Reduce mixer speed to low and add dry ingredients (3 additions) alternately with the buttermilk (2 additions).


Place the batter in the pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula. Bake for 28-30 minutes until cakes test done. Place on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and remove the parchment paper. Place cakes right side up on wire rack and cool completely.


Making the extract


In a small bowl, stir espresso powder with boiling water. Or make espresso. Set aside.


Making the syrup


In a small saucepan stir the water and sugar and bring just to a boil. Pour syrup into a bowl and then stir 1 tablespoon of the espresso extract and the Kahlua. Set aside.


Making the frosting


In a large bowl whisk the mascarpone, sugar, vanilla, and Kahlua until smooth. In another bowl whip the heavy cream until it holds firm peaks. Using a rubber spatula stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. Very gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream.


Assembly


If the layers are not even, use a serrated knife to level. Place one layer right side up on cake plate. Protect plate with strips of parchment paper. Use a pastry brush or spoon and soak the first layer with 1/3 of the espresso syrup. Smooth 1 1/4 cup of the frosting over the layer. Gently press the finely chopped bittersweet chocolate onto the frosting. Put the second layer on the counter and soak with half the remaining syrup. Turn layer over and place (soaked side down) on top of the first layer. Soak the top of the cake with the remaining syrup.


Whisk 1 tablespoon of the remaining espresso extract into the remaining frosting. Frost the sides of the cake and the top.


Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to one day. Just before serving dust the top with cocoa.