Tiramisu with Homemade Ladyfingers

This weeks pick on Project Pastry Queen was Tiramisu. I told my husband about the selection and I wasn't sure if I wanted to make it. He said, "Well, that is too bad." He loves coffee and dessert so this dessert is perfect for him. He didn't even want to share.

After I made the ladyfingers, my children kept eating them. My first attempts of the ladyfingers were not perfect. I was informed some of my ladyfingers resembled a lady's forearm, a man's finger, a witch's finger, and an Easter egg. I figured out (on my last batch) to make a template of the desired shape onto the back of the parchment paper. They may not have looked perfect but they tasted good.  At one point, I wasn't sure if I had enough ladyfingers left. I also used white whole wheat flour so I think my ladyfingers didn't rise like they should have. I should have doubled my layer of ladyfingers in my tiramisu.

In addition to the traditional tiramisu, I made a children friendly version. I guess the children's version could be called more of a trifle? I am really glad I made a 2nd version since my son kept asking if he can have some. He was not happy when I told him no but then I showed him that I had made him a smaller one for them and life was good again. Please visit Sarah's blog for the traditional recipe and the ladyfingers recipe. 

A piece lacking espresso and liqueur

Children's friendly version of Tiramisu/Trifle:
Ladyfingers
Soaking Syrup (recipe below)
Filling (recipe below)
Cocoa powder
Bittersweet chocolate, grated


Assemble:

1. Coat a mini loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. Dip both sides of a ladyfinger at a time in the soaking syrup.
3. Place a bottom layer of ladyfingers in the dish. 
4. Top the layer with some of the filling then repeat the soaked ladyfinger layer.
5. Add another layer of the filling.
6. Top the 2nd layer of filling with cocoa powder and grated chocolate.

Soaking Syrup for the kids:
1/4 cup water
3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract


Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, simmer the water and sugar over medium heat for 10 minutes.
2. Remove the syrup and stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Set aside to cool.

Filling for the kids:
1 (6 oz) package of cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
4 oz mascarpone cheese, at room temperature


Directions:

1. Cream the sugar with the cream cheese until fluffy.
2. Add the mascarpone cheese until well incorporated.

Recipe adapted from the Pastry Queen cookbook.

Should have doubled the layers of Ladyfingers

Did you already know.........
-Ladyfingers was created in the eleventh century by the French House of Savoy. 
-Ladyfingers are a sponge cake.
-A popular ingredient in other desserts like trifles and charlottes.