Breaking Down the Bucket List

If you haven't already heard, Stacy and I created a second semester senior bucket list of all the things we want to accomplish before we graduate.  Last spring, my friend, Ariel, and I talked about making tiramisu from scratch together.  Then we ran out of time in the semester, but figured we'd get time in the fall when we were living together.  We somehow never got around to it while she lived here, either, so I decided to put it on the bucket list, so it HAD to be accomplished.

We're approaching the middle of the semester, and I'm not quite half-way through the bucket list.  Last weekend we attempted to find red dresses and then ate at First and Last Tavern (where we had tiramisu for dessert).  I decided that this was the weekend for our own tiramisu.  I went to Price Chopper and bought the mascarpone, and then to the liquor store to buy the Kahlua.  If we were going to do this, we were going to do it right.

Homemade Tiramisu
Recipe from here
Lady Finger recipe from Joy of Baking

*Notes- I made my own lady fingers, and they were disappointing.  It's really much simpler/probably a better quality to just use store-bought ones.  We also learned the hard way that the half and half you have left in your fridge and want to use up does not whip up the same way that heavy cream does...

Ingredients

1 package store-bought (or homemade) lady fingers (about 36)
3 large eggs, separated
1 cup heavy cream
1  8 oz package Mascarpone cheese
1/4 tsp vanilla
6 tsps granulated sugar
1 cup very strong coffee
2 Tbs Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur
3 Tbs Kahlua Liqueur
1/4 cup grated or finely chopped bittersweet chocolate

Ingredients

In a small, shallow bowl, mix together coffee and liquors.  Set aside

In one large mixing bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form.  Add 2 Tbs granulated sugar and continue beating until glossy.  Set aside

In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow

Then beat in mascarpone until fluffy

Finely chop chocolate

In a 3rd large mixing bowl, beat heavy cream, vanilla, and Tbs sugar until thick

Gently fold heavy cream into egg yolk and mascarpone mixture.  Then fold in egg whites

Soak lady fingers in coffee mixture until just-before soggy.  Place a single layer at the bottom of a medium, transparent bowl

Spoon a layer of the mascarpone mixture over lady fingers and then sprinkle chocolate shavings.  Repeat two more times

Ideally, it should sit at least several hours- but look at this.  Who has that kind of patience?!

Here's to accomplishing long-awaited goals!

Love and cookies,