Tiramisu Cupcakes

2 posts in one day. I'm just crazy like that! I couldn't help it, I had to share these tasty morsels!!

It's winter here in the great state of Ohio. It's a cool, rainy, 40 degrees. Yes, I said WINTER! No need to go into that again, I don't want all of my posts to be about the weather in Ohio.   

Anyways, Tiramisu Cupcakes.

For those of you that have ever tasted Tiramisu it is made up of a very light and fluffy filling with a whipped cream topping and ladyfinger cakes. Personally the only kind I've ever tasted is from Olive Garden. I'm sure the traditional Italian, homemade version is much better, but hey, I don't live anywhere close to Italy, so Olive Garden will have to do.

Today I decided to try it in a cupcake. With a simple request from a friend, I searched for a recipe that I thought sounded good. As always, I didn't have to search too far. Stef at Cupcake Project has a Tiramisu Cupcake recipe that sounds absolutley wonderful. Here's her recipe, with a few of my little changes (of course, since she has perfected this recipe I don't have to do much to make myself happy).

Yield: 12 Cupcakes

• 6 egg yolks
• 3/4 C white sugar
• 2/3 C milk
• 1 1/4 C heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 lb mascarpone cheese
• 1 C strong brewed coffee, room temperature
• 2 tbsp rum (I used Kahlua here instead)
• ladyfingers baked in cupcake wrappers (Stef has instructions on how to make these here.)
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• a small amount of dark chocolate for chocolate curls (optional)

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well blended. 
2. Whisk in milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. 
3. Boil gently for 1 minute, remove from heat, and allow to cool slightly.
4. Cover tightly and chill in refrigerator 1 hour.
5. Remove from refrigerator and whisk in mascarpone until smooth.  Set aside.
6. In a medium bowl, beat cream with vanilla until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
7. In a small bowl, combine coffee and rum.
8. Drizzle approximately 1 tbsp of the coffee/rum mixture over the cupcakes (if you want them a little more "soaked" you can always add more)
9. Spread the mascarpone mixture over the soaked ladyfingers.
10. Pipe or spread the whipped cream over the mascarpone.
11. Sprinkle with cocoa powder. 
12. Optionally, top with chocolate curls.  
13. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours, until set.

Dear hubby tried these cupcakes as seperate parts. He was skeptical after each individual element, but I have to say, when they were together as one piece of art, they tasted amazing! My friend that requested this recipe asked though for a tiramisu cupcake without the coffee. I'm sorry Kris, but I just couldn't do it. I had to stick with the coffee content in these cakes. I know you wanted your coffee in your cup, but I think that would taste great along side one of these babies!

So what's up next, well you'll have to check back and see just what we venture into. If I remember correctly there's a big game or something coming up!  See ya soon!!