Saturday, January 27, 2024
Recipe Round Up: Tiramisu and Sourdough Crackers
This recipe came to me through an Italian designer friend of mine. However, even though she said that in Italy there is no alcohol in this dessert, I am used to that flavor and like it, so I added a few tablespoons of Kahlua. Since the recipe uses eggs raw, they must be the freshest eggs you can get. It is both light and rich and the same time, and much better than any version that includes whipped cream. While you can chill this for only 4 - 6 hours, it really is better if you let it chill at least 10 hours or overnight.
500 grams mascarpone
4 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
800 grams of ladyfingers (savoiardi in Italian)
1 3/4 cups of espresso coffee
1/4 cup Kahlua liqueur
1/3 cup dark cocoa powder, to dust on finished dessert
In a large bowl, beat yolks and half of the sugar until the mixture is light and creamy. Add mascarpone a little at a time continuing to beat well to combine thoroughly.
Separately, beat the egg whites until stiff, slowly adding remaining sugar. Gently fold egg white mixture into the mascarpone cream.
Pour the cold espresso and Kahlua in a shallow dish suitable for dipping the cookies. Quickly dip each ladyfinger in the espresso, turning for a few seconds until they are nicely soaked.
Line the bottom of a 9" X 13" glass dish with half of the ladyfingers. Spread half of the cream over the top. Cover with the remaining biscuits and spread the remaining cream over that. Dust with the cocoa.
Chill in the fridge for 4 - 5 hours, or better, overnight.
Sourdough crackers
This recipe is super simple, Lenten, and delicious. It uses sourdough discard, for which people are always seeking recipes. We found the recipe through a friend, but have tweaked it a bit, and now the website where the recipe was is gone. You can double or triple it, depending on how much starter and discard you have.
1 cup pastry or all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. Add the discard and olive oil and mix well, until it is a smooth ball.
Divide dough in half. Place a large piece of parchment on a rolling board. Roll out one piece of dough as thinly as you can, then roll it a little more. Brush the dough with a little of the olive oil and sprinkle with any coarse salt or toppings that you wish. Place the parchment with the cracker dough on a baking sheet. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and crisp. Break into small pieces and cool. These can be stored in an airtight container or ziplock bag, but we never have any left at our house. Labels: Fasting as a Family, Homemaking, Recipes, Tales from the Kitchen
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sourdough starter discard
1/4 cup olive oil plus more for brushing crackers
coarse salt, seeds, herbs, for topping (optional)
