Tiramisù

Have you ever heard about this dessert? I think the answer should be yes for all food lovers.  This dessert is well-known all over the world and being given the nick name as " Love Cake" for its look and also the taste. Tiramisu originated from Italy-that can explain why it has a romantic nickname. I decided to make this dessert because last time i had made mascapone cheese(last post) and i really want to use it up ASAP because it would not be good after a week so i chose tiramisu as my target. I know it's an easy dessert but it confused me a lot when i searched for it . Many websites showed a lot of good images with different recipes and i totally lost in 'Tiramisu recipes sea'. But then i made my final decision and i think it's a good decision to follow this food lover who is popular in Vietnamese blogers: kokotaru.

Here are some images of Tiramisu :

Linhihi-Mrlee1912. 2008. "Tiramisù." Photo.Available from: http://kokotaru.com/vn/2008/11/tiramisu/(November 22, 2011)

This recipe doesn't require whipping cream but it's being replaced by choux filling ( I'm not quite sure but the steps and ingredients are 99% equivalent to the pastry cream-except it replaces the vanilla extract for the Rum). The result is... well the texture of the cream layer was not as what i expected it to be . It's kinda grainy in texture-i think it's the mascapone cheese homemade(another failure). Anyway, a big loaf of tiramisu is still sitting quietly in my fridge and no one in my family is willing to eat them but i will try to persuade them to take a bite everyday!!!

Linhihi-Mrlee1912. 2008. "Tiramisù." Photo.Available from: http://kokotaru.com/vn/2008/11/tiramisu/( November 22, 2011)

Those pictures above are to far from my realistic tiramisu!!!

Egg Tart ( Dim Sum)

Last 2 weekends i made these yummy egg tarts as a childhood memory morning treat. When i was young, my family used to have breakfast as a Chinese restaurant and we had "Dim Sum" . at the very end when all the savory dishes had been served up, the dessert came out and it was these egg tarts. The warm egg tarts with eggy smell and the buttery crust was just perfect as a breakfast sweet. I could hardly forget the flavor and the scent of those little egg tarts till now.

As i was searching in the internet, i found a great recipe and tutorial video by a Hong Kong baker so i think it's pretty realiable:
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA1N6dA_dlY&feature=related

I will write down the recipe for easy viewing :

This recipe yields 12 of 3 inches egg tarts ( if you don't have tarts mold you can use small cupcakes tins instead.)

1.  Tart crust:
+140g butter, cut into small cubes, should be soft but not as melting state though
+ Half an egg, slightly beaten
+100g plain flour
+ 70g sugar

Instructions:
-First , combine flour and sugar then add in butter and cut by hands or dough blender of a fork. After that add egg in and work till it form a dough. Sprinkle some flour onto a table surface and continue to work the dough till it's really hold together( don't work to much or else the butter will melt and leave a big mess!). Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes .

2. Eggy filling :
+ 4 eggs
+ 140 caster sugar
+  300 ml water
+ 80ml evaporated milk( you can replace it by milk but the flavor and the scent probably different as not as good as using evaporated one)

Instructions :
-Cook the sugar and water over medium heat. Don't stir or touch it, just leave it there until all the sugar is dissolved and becomes like sugar syrup. Leave to cool down.
-Pour in evaporated milk and egg to the sugar syrup and stir till combined . Pour through a sieve for a smooth mixture.
- Take out the refrigerated dough and start taking a little dough and mold into the tart tins. Try not to have a thick bottom and even sides for even cooked time.
-Pour the filling into the tarts till 80% full and bake immediately. Bake at 200 degree Celsius preheated oven for 15-20 minutes depend on your molds or by inserting a toothpick into the middle of the tart, if it stands, the tart is cooked.
- When finish baking, leave the tarts to cool down and then enjoy.