Tiramisù in Mason jars

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This post is about two firsts: my first Tiramisu and also the first time I make something in the famous and so cute Mason jars. I love the idea of using Mason jars. Especially this small wide mouth ones. They are perfect for individual cakes, pies, beverages or any other delicious treats. I have seen around the web so many creative uses for this jars that I can't wait to try and to come up with some new ones myself.

About the Tiramisu: this is a basic and traditional recipe, and you will absolutely love it! I was never a big Tiramisu fan, but for some reason, maybe because I made it, and also had so much fun while making it, I absolutely loved this one, and can't wait to make it again. Make this dessert ahead of time, as it needs to chill for several hours before served, so plan accordingly. Is best to make it the day before, so it has time to chill over night. 

Tiramisu is a relatively new Italian dessert, it seems to have been first mentioned in cookbooks around 1982-1983, although there are some that establish the creation of it in 1969. "Tirami su" means "pick-me-up" in Italian, and it most probably refers to the effect of the coffee and cacao used in the recipe, and I can attest it is quite accurate: we made the mistake of eating some before going to bed, the other night, and we could not fall asleep for a couple of hours. So yes, it does pick you up indeed. It is a good idea to avoid eating it at night. That is, if you can resist. 

Most of the recipes are using Savoiardi biscuits, the Italian Lady fingers, the same ones I used for this bread pudding. But I wanted to use instead my favorite sponge cake recipe, (pan di Spagna or chiffon cake) that is as easy to make as going to the store and buying the Savoiardi, so please try it.

This recipe made 12 portions (12 half pint jars ; half pint=236 ml) of Tiramisu. 

Ingredients:

For the sponge cake:
7 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
7 tablespoons vegetable oil (canola, sunflower or corn)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (I started using pure vanilla bean paste lately, as I adore seeing the small vanilla seeds in my desserts, and is more economical than using vanilla beans)

For the syrup:
1 cup strong brew espresso (I made 6 regular espressos, but you can make less, and dilute it with water to get to one cup, if you don't want it to be too strong, especially if you have kids ;) )
1/4 cup sweet Marsala wine
1/4 cup granulated sugar

For the Mascarpone cream:
5 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine
1 cup Mascarpone cheese
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2-3 tablespoons confectioner's sugar (powder sugar)

You will also need:
3-4 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder
12 half pint jars

Optional for garnish:
1 pint of raspberries or other fresh berries/fruit of your choice 
fresh mint

Method:

Start by making the sponge cake, so it has time to cool:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C), and prepare a baking pan (9x13 inch) with parchment paper, or butter and flour. 
Separate the eggs, putting the egg whites in the clean bowl of your mixer, and the yolks in another bowl and set aside.
Beat the egg whites on lowest speed for 30 seconds-1 minute, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes until soft peaks form. Add the sugar gradually and continue beating on high for other 3-4 minutes to stiff peaks. Careful not to over beat it though. It has to look glossy not grainy for best results. But hey, no one will know that you over beat it, so don't worry, it should be OK. 
Mix the egg yolks and oil very well. I use my blender for this step. Add the vanilla extract and mix.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in another bowl.
With the mixer on low, or even better with a wooden spoon or spatula, add the egg yolk mixture to the egg whites, slowly folding them in, just a few seconds. Add the flour mixture, and fold in gently, just until incorporated. This should mean 10-15 folding moves, or 10-15 seconds with the mixer on low.

Pour the batter in the pan, spread evenly using an off set spatula, and bake on the middle rack for 23-25 minutes. Check on it after 20 minutes pass. It is done when the cake springs back after gently pressing your finger on it, in the middle of the pan. 
When done take out and let it cool completely.

While the cake bakes, make the mascarpone cream:
First we will make a Zabaione:
Place a sauce pan or other small pot with an inch of water on fire, to get to a simmer. 
Beat the egg yolks and the sugar on medium-high, preferably in a heat proof bowl, until fluffy and light, for about 5 minutes. Mix in the Marsala wine. Sweet Marsala is a delicious wine! Pour yourself a glass and cooking will be even more fun! You can substitute Marsala with Port or Madeira wine, any sweet wine you like really, or brandy, cognac, even rum.
Put the mixture in a heat proof bowl, over the pot of simmering water, on low heat. It is important for the water not to be boiling at all, just simmering, and the water not to be touching the bowl, otherwise you will end up with sweet scrambled eggs.
With a whisk keep beating the mixture, constantly, for about 15 minutes, until it cooks and becomes thicker, airy, and super creamy and well, insanely delicious. Take off heat. You just made Zabaione! Zabaione is another Italian dessert staple. It is traditionally served simply over figs. Keep this recipe, you can use this cream in many delicious treats, or just by itself. It is highly addictive, though, be careful! 

Let it cool, and place in the fridge for at least an hour, to cool completely.
In another bowl mix the Mascarpone cheese gently, until soft, with a fork. Don't whip it.
Using again your trusted mixer, beat the heavy cream and confectioner's sugar on medium-high for 3-4 minutes, to stiff peaks. 
Gently fold in together the softened Mascarpone with the whipped cream. Pour the cold Zabaione on top, and mix everything, still very gently, just until combined... this is such a dainty delicate dessert! 
It would be best to let the cream chill in the fridge for a couple of hours. I did not. I have no patience what so ever! It still worked out fine.

Make the syrup:
Mix the espresso, wine and sugar in a sauce pan, and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Set aside and let it cool.

Now assembly everything:
Line you cute jars, the cake, syrup, cream and powdered cocoa, like in a assembly line. You can use any type of glasses too. This recipe would look very elegant in Martini glasses, for example. 

You will need some round biscuit or cookie cutters, in same diameter as your jars, a small sifter, and optional an ice cream/cookie dough scoop.
Using the cookie cutter cut out circles of cake. Cut them very close to one another, so you get as many cake rounds as possible. 

Place a tablespoon of Mascarpone cream in each jar. Place a cake round on top of it, with the bottom side (with no crust) facing up. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of coffee syrup over the cake. 

Put two heaped tablespoons of Mascarpone cream on top of the cake round.  I use an ice cream scoop, to make sure I put equal amounts of cream between the layers.

Using the small sifter, add a fine layer of cocoa powder on top. 
Place another cake round, then syrup, then two tablespoons of cream, then sift cocoa. Repeat. 

The last layer has to be Mascarpone cream, dusted with a generous layer of sifted cocoa. 
Chill in the fridge for several hours... at least 4, over night would be better... Eh, if you can't resist, go ahead an eat one immediately! 
Garnish with the fresh fruit or whipped cream and fresh mint before serving or leave as it is. 

The great part of using jars, besides cuteness of course, is that you can cover them with lids, so they keep fresh longer, and they are so easy to transport, to a picnic or to work even! 
It is past 3 AM now and all I want is the last jar of Tiramisu we have left in the fridge. Must resist! Goodnight!

Rustic fish

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Last night wanted to cook something fast and simple, and it turned out to be one of the best things ever. The bad photos don't do this meal justice, but trust me, you will love it! So please try to make this! 
Fish in tomato lemon sauce, creamy polenta and roasted tomatoes.

Here is how to make it:


Start with the polenta, as it takes the longest to cook:
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Mozzarella or other cheese of your choice.  


Place a small pot or a medium sauce pan with 2 cups of water and pinch of salt on medium heat. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cornmeal on the water, this will help the water boil faster. Or you can use a an electric water kettle to have hot water fast. Now that the water is boiling, slowly add the cornmeal, whisking continuously with a wire whip, so you don't get any lumps. After adding all the cornmeal turn the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 20 minutes. In the meantime you can start cooking the fish.
When the polenta is done, warm the heavy cream in a sauce pan and add it to the polenta, mixing well. Let rest in the pot covered, until ready to serve. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top before serving.

For the fish : 
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion , cut in half inch cubes
4-6 Campari tomatoes (or other tomatoes you like, I just prefer Campari), peeled and cut in quarters. To easy peel tomatoes drop them whole in boiling water for 10 seconds, then the peel will come off super easy. 
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
15 oz (around 400 g) white fish fillet cut in 2-3 inch pieces (your choice of fish)
Salt and fresh ground peppercorns , to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (spicy red peppers)
1/2 teaspoon paprika 
1 bay leaf
3 slices of fresh lemon, seeded


In a deep pan on medium heat stove top, melt the butter and olive oil. When hot, add chopped onion, mix, and cook for 2-3 minutes, sprinkled with a little salt. Add the cut tomatoes, turn up the heat on medium-high, and cook for 2-3 minutes , stirring once or twice. Add the garlic, stir, and immediately add the fish pieces on top, sprinkle the seasoning and add the bay leaf, then stir carefully once, not to break the fish. Place the lemon slices on top of the fish, and let cook for 3 minutes.  Gently turn the fish on the other side and cook for another 3 minutes. Turn of the stove. Give it another gentle stir and cover the pot to keep it warm until serving. 

While the fish cooks is time to make the roasted tomatoes:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 Campari tomatoes, cut in half
1 small pinch of salt

The fastest way to get "roasted tomatoes" is actually searing them in a pan. In the oven it would take longer, so I prefer to do it this way. Grilled or roasted tomatoes are so delicious, they make a good side to any dish. 
Heat the olive oil on medium high heat in a pan. Add the tomato halves , cut side up, sprinkle with salt, and cook for 2 minutes, then turn them over and cook for another 2-3 minutes. 
You can also grill them if you have a grill.


Enjoy this hearty but easy to make dish!

On the plate you can see also some potato fries, just because my hubby asked for them. :)

Quick spin on Croque Madame

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We often have dinner very very late... hubby is a workaholic... sometimes I get confused and don't know if to consider it a dinner, supper or even breakfast, as we sometimes eat at 3 or 4 AM... We had such a situation last night. Started cooking at 1 AM. Dinner. Or... Anyway, I wanted to make something fast and easy. I had planned to have grilled salmon and salad for dinner, thinking we would have a "normal" dinner, but at 1 AM I wasn't going to grill fish and get the house all smelly. So we had to improvise. And made Croque Madame, with smoked salmon. This is my first try at this dish, and wanted to make it for a long time now. It is also quite different than the classic recipe, as I had to make some substitutions, so this is my "quick" spin on it:

I usually have Croque Madame for breakfast or brunch, and my favorite is the one at Douce France, a nice French bakery in the Town and Country Village, in Palo Alto. If you are in the area you should try this place out, for brunch or breakfast, (they open at 7!)  as they have delicious treats, good coffee, and also nice service and seating outside, and I love to eat al fresco. 

This is how to make a midnight, quick and easy French inspired food:

Ingredients for one portion:

2 slices of french bread. My favorite is the LaBrea Bakery French loaf that we buy from our local Whole Foods

1 tablespoon butter

2 slices of cheese. Gruyere or other cheese you like to use for grilled cheese sandwiches. 

2 slices of smoked salmon (you can use ham instead)

If you stop here, you would have a Croque Monsieur. But I prefer to take it further to make it a Croque Madame, and add:

2 fresh eggs

1 tablespoon mayonnaise 

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Fresh ground black pepper

Pinch cayenne

Nutmeg

2-3 tablespoons wine vinegar, or lemon juice

The classic Croque Madame recipe calls for Hollandaise sauce. But hey, at 1 AM, I didn't want to make it, so I substituted it with a sauce made simply with mayo and mustard. It works great!

Method:

Place a pot with water on heat, with the vinegar or lemon juice,  to get to a simmer. You need 1 tablespoon of vinegar per cup of water. Also, if you use a nonstick pot, the water should be 1 inch deep. If is a regular pot, it needs to be about 3 inches deep. You will need this to poach the eggs in. The vinegar/lemon juice will help the eggs keep their shape, and not spread in water. 

Place a skillet on medium heat. 

Spread the butter on both sides of the bread slices. Toast bread in skillet on both sides. 

Place the slices of cheese on top of the bread, turn off the heat, cover, letting them melt. 

At this point the water in pot should be simmering. Carefully break the eggs, one at a time in a small bowl, to make sure the yolk is intact, and the egg is good. 

Gently drop the egg in the simmering water. Do the same with the second one. Stop the heat, cover, and let the eggs cook for 4-5 minutes. This will make the egg yolk barely runny. If you want them softer, keep them less. Also, if you cook more eggs at once, you have to keep them longer, 7-8 minutes for 4 eggs, for example, as they absorb more heat, therefore they need to cook longer to get the same consistency.

I recently bought this cute egg poacher on my last Williams Sonoma spree, but trying both methods, I kind of prefer to just drop the eggs directly in the pan, it works better.

Very carefully spoon out the eggs, and place on a paper towel for a few seconds to dry them.

Place the slices of smoked salmon on top of the melted cheese.

Add one poached egg on top of each slice.

I let them in the skillet up till before serving, so they stay warm.

Place them on a plate.

Spoon over some sauce.

Season with little salt, not too much as the cheese and salmon are already salty, fresh ground pepper, some cayenne and/or little grated nutmeg.

Enjoy warm, with a side of salad, or just as it is.