Tiramisu

Ingredients List:
8 large eggs yolks (or 9 smaller yolks)
½ cup Caster Sugar + 2 tbsp (Caster sugar is just fine white sugar)
1½ cups Marsala Wine - Creamy
750g Mascarpone Cheese
500ml Cream
2 cups strong Espresso Coffee
3 tbsp Kahlua (or other liqueur that you like)
2 packets Savoiardi Sponge Finger Biscuits

Block of darkest chocolate.
Large Lasagne Dish

Note: Cups used are metric - 250ml. The tablespoon is 15ml.

Zabaglione:
Whisk the egg yolks and ½ cup caster sugar together until pale and thick.

Over simmering water in a double boiler slowly add ½ cup Marsala to the yolk/sugar mixture. Keep on stirring until it thickens like custard (this takes about 7-8 minutes). Set aside to cool and whisk it occasionally as it cools so it is thick and creamy. I have some cold water ready in the sink so I can dip the bowl in it and stop the cooking quickly once the zabaglione is ready.

Tiramisu Cream
Stir (but do not beat) the mascarpone until well blended and smooth.

Whip the cream until thick - just past the soft peak stage.

Fold together the mascarpone, whipped cream and zabaglione one at a time (for example, add zabaglione to the mascarpone, and then add the cream to that mix).

A variation on this recipe keeps each of the three ingredients above separate and layers them up individually on top of the dipped biscuits. Try it both ways!

Dipping Mixture
Mix together the coffee, 2 tbsp of caster sugar, 1 cup of Marsala wine and 3 tbsp of Kahlua. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved.

Assembly
Dip Savoiardi sponge finger biscuits into the cooled dipping mixture until they are moist but not sodden and line the bottom of the dish with them. The time varies due to variation in the sponge fingers.

Layer half of the Tiramisu Cream over the top of the biscuits. Grate chocolate over.

Repeat another layer of dipped Savoiardi biscuits and Tiramisu Cream, and chocolate. Bang the dish firmly to make the Tiramisu Cream settle into the gaps between the biscuits. Cover and chill overnight.

Just before serving dust liberally with grated chocolate.

Stuffed Cabbage with Rice, Ricotta, and Mint

Serves 4

2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter
1.5 oz (45 g) vermicelli noodles (not the rice kind)
scant 1 cup (150 g) basmati rice
10 oz (300 ml) water
1 medium white cabbage or Savoy cabbage
2 oz (60 g) pine nuts, toasted and coarseley chopped
5 oz (150 g) ricotta
1 oz (20 g) Parmesan, grated
3 tbsp chopped mint
4 tbsp chopped parsley, plus extra for serving
3 garlic cloves, chopped
6.5 oz (200 ml) dry white wine
3.5 oz (100 ml) vegetable stock
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Break the vermicelli by hand into small pieces and add them to the butter, stirring for 1 or 2 minutes, careful not to let them burn. When the noodles start turning golden add the rice and give it a good stir. Then add the water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to a minimum, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes before removing the lid and letting cool.

While the rice is cooking, cut the cabbage vertically in half. Peel off the leaves and blanch in boiling water for 6-8 minutes, or until semi-soft. (You can do this in batches, depending on the size of your pot.) Refresh the leaves under cold running water, drain, and pat dry.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Add the pine nuts, ricotta, half the Parmesan, the herbs, garlic, salt and pepper, to the cooked rice. Mix well with a fork. Use the cooked cabbage leaves to make parcels of whatever size you’d like, filling each one with a generous amount of the rice filling.

Arrange the stuffed cabbage leaves in an ovenproof dish (use cabbage trimming to fill in any gaps). Whisk together the wine, stock, sugar, olive oil and plenty of salt and pepper. Pour this over the cabbage and put the dish in the oven, baking for about 40 minutes or until almost all the liquid is evaporated. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan, return to oven and bake for another 10 minutes, so the cheese melts and turns golden. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Note: Next time I might be adventurous and try adding sauteed shiitake mushrooms to the filling mixture, or about 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest, or when it’s springtime, fresh peas—even though my grandmother said, “Don’t mess with it!”

Baked Lemon Cheese Cake

+ 250g cream cheese, softened

•  500g ricotta
•  4 eggs
•  1⅓ cups (295g) caster (superfine) sugar
•  ¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice
•  1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
•  ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1½ tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
•  1½ tablespoons water

base

•  ⅓ cup (40g) almond meal (ground almonds)
•  ⅓ cup (105g) plain (all-purpose) flour
•  ¼ cup (55g) caster (superfine) sugar
•  4 ginger nuts crushed
•  90g butter, grate it into the bowl 

Preheat oven to 300°F. To make the base, place the almond meal, flour, sugar and butter in a bowl. Rub the mixture with your fingertips until a rough dough forms. Be careful not to rub too much or the butter will melt. Grease the inside of a  20cm-round spring-form tin with BUTTER. Using the back of a spoon, press the mixture into the base. Bake for 15 minutes or until light golden. Set aside. To make the filling, place the cream cheese and ricottain a bowl and blend with the blender. Add eggs, sugar, lemon juice and rind and vanilla and blend for a good while. Combine the cornflour and water until smooth and add to the cheese mixture. Process the mixture until smooth. Lightly grease the sides of the tin and pour the filling over the base. Tap the tin lightly to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and stand the cake for 1 hour, leaving the door closed. Refrigerate until cold and serve with fresh berries. Serves 10.