Tiramisu-Bánh Ý với Mascarpone và bánh Sâm Banh

Tiramisu means "Pick me up" or "Cheer Me Up" or "Lift Me Up" is a popular coffee flavored Italian dessert.  It is somewhat like cheesecake.   It contains of one or two layers of lady fingers softened by dipping  in liqueur-spiked coffee, layered with a mixture of cooked, or raw egg yolks, sugar (Zabaione) and Mascarpone cheese, whipped egg white or heavy cream, flavored with cocoa powder.  This version uses cooked egg yolks, heavy cream, Kahlua and gelatin powder.  Adding gelatin help cutting pieces neatly as well as free standing rounds or squares.  if you make single servings in cups, ramekin, etc. omit gelatin.  A thin layer of yellow or sponge cake (1/4 inch) can be used instead of ladyfingers.

Recipe #1
Make 5x9 inch rectangle pan.  6-8 servings
3 egg yolks
1/2 cups granulate sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2  pound  ( 8 ounces) mascarpone cheese,
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 package (4 gram, about 1.5 teaspoon) gelatin powder
8 (1 inch x 4 inch) lady fingers or double for 2 layers, store bought or homemade

Coffee flavored Syrup
1/2 cup espresso or very strong coffee
3 Tablespoon to 1/4 cup Kahlua
1/2 cup sugar
Cocoa powder for dusting
Chocolate curls, flake for garnish (optional)

1. Line the pan with plastic wrap if you want to unmold Tiramisu onto a serving platter.  Mixing coffee, sugar and Kahlua together until sugar dissolved.  Dip lady fingers into syrup and line them at the bottom of the pan. Brush or spoon more syrup on the lady fingers.  They should be totally moistened.  Set aside.
2. Place gelatin powder in a small bowl, add about 2 tablespoons cold water  just enough to moist the powder.  Set aside.
3. Whip heavy cream until just thicken/ very soft ribbon.  Set aside.
4. Fill a medium saucepan (1.5-2 quarts) or a double boiler with a small amount of water.  Bring it to a boil then low the heat down to gently simmer.  In a heatproof mixing bowl, whisking egg yolks and sugar together.  Place the bowl over simmering water (water should not touch the bowl) whisk constantly until the egg yolk reaches 165 oF and forms a thick ribbon falling from the whisk about 4-5 minutes.  Remove from heat .  Whisk gelatin into yolk mixture.  Add mascarpone cheese, vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.  With a rubber spatula, gently  fold mascarpone mixture into  soft whipped cream  until well blended and smooth.  Spread the mascarpone mixture over lady fingers immediately.  Chill in the fridge over night or  at least 2-3 hours or freezer 1-2 hours until set.  Sprinkle with cocoa powder, chocolate curls .  Cut into squares or rectangles to serve cold.  It can be frozen before cutting.

Recipe #2, make denser texture Tiramisu
Make 8-12 servings using more cheese than recipe #1, follow the same steps as above
4 egg yolks
2/3 cups granulate sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound mascarpone cheese,
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 package (4 gram, about 1.5 teaspoon) gelatin powder
16 (1 inch x 4 inch) lady fingers, store bought or homemade
8x8 square cake pan

Chocolate curl
Melt a little semi, dark chocolate over double boiler.  Then spread it over a cold surface like upside down baking tray.  Wait a few minutes until chocolate firming, using a knife or bench scrape to scrape chocolate into chocolate curls.  Check out youtube for how to do it from Howcast.