Easiest Tiramisu Recipe

If you have been a long time reader of my blog, you will realize that I prefer making savory foods than sweet foods. I prefer cooking than baking or making desserts because I am not exactly a big fan of desserts or anything sweet...and I feel that the precision needed to make desserts to be a tad too tiresome. So the desserts I make are usually easy and good to eat - just like this Tiramisu.

There is no baking involved, which is an added appeal, only lots of whisking. I did not add any other flavoring except for vanilla extract and coffee. Surprisingly, after letting it set for a day in the fridge, the tiramisu tasted rather chocolaty with a coffee overtone. It was quite delightful!



While the tiramisu was delightful, I have to admit that I cheated. I could not find mascarpone in the supermarkets here in Malaysia where I live, and I did not want to drive downtown for a tub of cheese. Staying true to the simplistic nature of this recipe, I got Philadelphia cheese. But because it's got a heavier texture than mascarpone, i've added egg whites into the mix to lighten it up - and it worked!

Easiest Tiramisu Recipe

2 blocks of Philadephia cheese, soften
3 eggs, separate the yolks and whites
2/3 cup granulated sugar
200ml strong coffee (3 teaspoon instant coffee + 3 teaspoon sugar)
26 lady finger biscuits
2 tablespoon cocoa powder for dusting
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:
1. Cream the cheese and sugar until light and fluffy with a hand whisk in a large bowl. Add the eggs yolks in one at a time and mix well each time.

2. Now you can start beating the egg whites until they reach stiff peaks in another bowl. Make sure your whisk is clean and do not have a drop of oil all or your whites won't rise.

3. Next you want to fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture but first do a little tempering by mixing 1/4 of the egg whites into the cheese mixture first. This will aid the folding process. Once that is done, add the remaining egg whites into the cheese mixture and gently fold them together. Do not over mix.

4. In an 8x8 inch bakeware, dip each of the lady fingers into the coffee mixture and line the base of the bakeware. And then layer the ladies finger with the cheese mixture. Continue with another layer of coffee dipped lady fingers and layer it again with the cheese mixture. You should end with a layer of cheese mixture on the top.

5. Dust with cocoa powder and let it set in the fridge for at least 6 hours before serving.

But greedy me, i couldn't wait after 3 hours of setting to have a taste so my slice looks a little droopy. My next slice was eaten on the next day, and boy was I floored by the flavor. A little bit of time goes a long way in making a huge difference in the Tiramisu's texture and taste. Time allowed the cheese and coffee to marry into a perfect harmony. Oh, I love how it tastes more chocolatey than coffee! :)

This blog has hit 100,000 + visitors

OMG, at the risk of sounding like a young nubile, easily excitable schoolgirl fresh out of highschool with lu-lus, I am happy to say that my blog has crossed it's 6 figure mark in unique visitors! I didn't even realize it till just now but it's true!

*does a little dance*

The Fantastic Pork Roast Dinner

This recipe is every reason, every household should have an oven. This simple and fantastic pork roast dinner is quite effortless and not very time consuming at all. Preparation takes about 30 minutes and then the rest is finished off in the oven 2 hours (1.5hrs + 30 minutes of resting time) before serving time. I would call this the perfect dinner party meal where the host(ess) can play perfect host without fiddling back and forth the kitchen. I call this The Fantastic Pork Roast Dinner; because it's just superbly easy and a show stopper when you bring it to the table.

I made this for my dad's birthday along with some side dishes. You will realize a bit of a similarity with this dish to my Misto Roasto dish except that it is without quails or Cornish hens. The pork roast is lined with strips of bacon to keep it moist and flavorful, while the inside is spread with my spicy green pesto so that it perfumes and season the meat from inside out. I tossed in some chicken wings to roast too for a bit of variation on the plate.

So let's get on with the recipe.

For The Fantastic Pork Roast Dinner, you will need:
(this recipe feeds 8-10 people)

2kg of pork loin, divided into halves or into four parts and then butterflied (I cut my pork loin into four parts so it would fit my frying pan for browning.)
8 chicken wings (optional)
16 strips of bacon
2 large carrots, cut into chunks
7 cloves of garlic
2 onions, quartered
4 stalks of parsley, cut into chunks

To be blended:
8 shallots
1 bulb of garlic
1 cup of parsley leaves
3 slices of ginger
rind of 1 lemon
3 tbsp dried golden raisins
2 tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin powder
a pinch of cinnamon powder

Salt
Cracked black pepper
Butcher's string for tying
Olive oil for rubbing and browning


Method:
Preheat oven to 375 F/180 C.

1. Blend all the ingredients under the "to be blended" list until it forms a green aromatic paste. Set aside.
2. Butterfly your pork loin, you can ask the butcher to do it for you or you can do it yourself with a sharp knife at home.
3. Season the inside of the pork loins generously with salt and cracked black pepper. Divide the paste into four parts for each butterflied loin and spread a layer evenly on the inside of the meat. Roll it back up and tie it with a butcher's string, starting with the center of the meat and then on each end to hold the pork loin rolled up in place. Repeat for the rest of the butterflied pork loins.
4. Sprinkle salt, cracked black pepper and olive oil over the pork loins and rub gently with your finger. Now it's time to brown the pork loins on a hot pan to seal the meat and give it an extra layer of flavor.
5. Heat pan with some olive oil until very hot. Sear the pork loins for 1 minute on each side or until browned, set aside.
6. In a baking tray, toss the carrots, onions, garlic cloves and celery chunks in and toss with some salt, pepper and olive oil. Place the browned pork loins over the vegetables and cover each pork loin with 4 strips of bacon. Now you can keep this in the fridge until 2 hours before serving.
7. Roast the pork loin, along with the chicken wings if you are adding it, in the oven for 1.5 hours. When it is ready, let it rest for 20 minutes before serving.

To serve, take off the bacon bits and tear it into small pieces. Cut off the butcher's string and slice the pork loins into 0.5inch thick slices. Sprinkle the bacon bits over the top and with some chopped parsley.

I served my pork loins on a bed of cauliflower puree, which is just boiled cauliflower and a bit of water blended until smooth seasoned with 1 tsp of butter and salt. I did not add pepper into the puree because I wanted it to look white and speck-less. After arranging the pork roast over the bed of cauliflower puree, spoon the roasted vegetables and roast drippings over to glaze.

And there you have it, a fantastic pork roast dinner.

Make Mine Vanilla

So, what's my resolution, albeit a little late, for A Series of Kitchen Experiments this year? Forget that you are looking at a bottle of 40% alcohol with some strange dark sediments for a moment, will you?! :P

I personally do not believe in making new resolutions on a yearly basis but I do believe in setting attainable goals.

One of those goals is to actually create my own small business with my line of homemade vanilla products.

I have been experimenting with different vanilla beans to create extracts, flavored sugars and syrups in my home. All have been successful attempts and they taste rather delicious. In fact, they are a staple in my pantry! I am currently talking to vanilla bean suppliers from all vanilla growing states of the world, and even the ones in Malaysia (yes, there are vanilla planters in Malaysia!) and researching the market. My aim is to make quality vanilla extracts and products for the foodies' soul! You know what they say, sharing is caring.

It is still a developing business plan and I will keep you abreast so stay tune. If I may, I would like to propose an advance engagement with you, dear readers and foodies, to try out my vanilla products before it hits the market. Please be my guinea pig! :)

I can't wait to finally get to picking a name for my products. Vanilla Ice does not cut it, I think. Don't worry, I already have a list of names at hand - some sounds a little kookie but hey, kookiness is needed for the creative juice to flow.

I am also getting bored with this blog's layout and I feel like it needs a little revamp to make up for it's lack of oomph.

Oh. Before I forget, I have extended my stay in Malaysia because we were having too much fun but it will not stop me from blogging (and ugh, working - all I need is my lappy), for sure. In fact, I have a fantastic pork roast and tiramisu recipe to share after this!

Pissed Drunk Ginger Prawns The Size of Your Palms

This is one of the dishes served during our reunion dinner for CNY eve this year! I am proud to say that this dish was not prepared by me but by my dad who is quite a foodie himself. This is my dad's ginger prawns with Chinese Shiao Xing wine. The prawns were the size of my palms uncooked, I kid you not!

My dad went to the whole seller's market in the wee hours of the morning of CNY eve to get these prawns and they were sold for RM50/kg; 1kg yields approximately 15 shrimps so you can imagine the size of these mammoth crustaceans. I was quite impressed with them when my dad showed me his loot from the whole sale market. I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into them! And when I did, I was just in shrimpy heaven.

To cook them, my dad decided to let their natural flavors steal the show. And to lend a little helping hand, he only used some ginger, garlic and Shiao Xing wine to cook them with a bit of dried wolfberries/goji berries for color. The dish turned out reddish color in the end because some of the prawns' roe - it was divine. :)

Dad's Ginger Prawns with Chinese Wine
20 prawns
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of finely shredded ginger
1/4 cup of Chinese cooking wine (we use Shiao Xing)
1 tablespoon dried goji berries/wolfberries
a pinch of salt, pepper and sugar
1 tablespoon oil


Method:
1. Heat up the wok with 1 tbsp oil until it is really hot and do a quick saute on the prawns until it is half-cooked. This process takes less than 3 minutes in total and when it's done, put the prawns aside. The reason for this step is to give the prawns a little wok-hei before adding it into the ginger and wine mixture. You could also forgo this step but it does give another layer of complexity to the dish.

2. In the same wok, heat the remainder of the oil and saute the garlic, ginger and goji berries until fragrant. You need to work on very high heat and very quickly to avoid burning the garlic and ginger. Add the prawns back into the wok and season with a pinch of salt, pepper and sugar. Toss to saute the prawns for 3 minutes.

3. At the very end, add the Chinese cooking wine in by pouring it in swirls around the prawns. Add 3 tablespoons of water and cook on high heat for 1 minute and no more! If you overcook the Chinese wine, it will give a little bitter flavor to the dish. Serve it hot!

Two prawns was all it took to fill my tummy. I couldn't even finish my rice!