Inspired by great pastry classics and served as an elegant pound cake or even a Christmas yule log, this tiramisu is absolutely decadent: smooth cream, crunchy chocolate and coffee ganache and soft ladyfingers.
To serve for an elegant dessert on a loaf dish, or even as a yule log cake for Christmas, why not an easy and tasty tiramisu?
It can be done in advance which is quite interesting. I suggest the tiramisu in a mold and unmold it on a plate before serving and sprinkle it with cocoa powder.
I know that you’re going to tell me that tiramisu is not French, but the French absolutely love tiramisu and bake some very often, and Italy is not that far away isn’t it? I grew up in French Alps just on the other side of the border… Tiramisu is also a dessert you will find often in French bistros.
So as I’m starting to adapt traditional cakes into the shape of yule log for Xmas, I thought it would be a good idea. Not saying that my three daughters were very excited when I told them I was thinking of getting inspired by tiramisu for my next bûche de Noël Christmas cake.
By the way, if you’re interested in French Christmas traditions, I have 2 articles for you :
- One on traditional dishes we love to offer in France at Noël (that’s the French for Christmas),
- and another one on the origin and traditions of yule log cake (la bûche de Noël) through ages. Interesting.
Tiramisu Loaf Cake
Equipment
- Loaf mold
- Plastic wrap
Ingredients
- 12 lady finger biscuits 12 to 14
Mascarpone creamy filling
- 6 eggs
- 100 gr sugar
- 500 gr mascarpone
COFFEE and CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- 200 gr dark chocolate
- 20 cl heavy cream with at least 30% fat
- 1 espresso 1 or 2 according to your taste
Deessing
- cacao powder
Instructions
PREPARE THE CHOCOLATE COFFEE GANACHE
- Make an espresso or strong and short coffee. Finely chop chocolate. Heat the cream.
- Pour coffee over chopped chocolate, mix. When cream is hot, pour it in whisking constantly, ideally as pastry chefs in 3 times, until chocolate is completely melted and the preparation has a smooth shiny and silky texture.
- Taste, if you want a stronger coffee flavor add a second, strong espresso. Let cool down to room temperature.
PREPARE Mascarpone creamy filling
- In a large bowl, whisk mascarpone to soften its texture.
- Separate egg whites and egg yolks in two bowls.
- Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 75g of sugar until they turn white and almost double in size. Add it to mascarpone and combine.
- Whip egg whites until stiff. When they start to foam, gradually add 25 g of sugar, it helps thicken the whipped egg whites.
- Very gently combine whipped egg whites with the mascarpone – egg yolk – sugar preparation.
Finish (see the photos of the step by step directions)
- Line plastic wrap in a loaf mold, hold with clothes pin or any tong as on the photos. There make 3 layers1- Pour ¼ of the cream. Arrange 5 to 6 ladyfingers lengthwise (do not dip them in coffee as usually for tiramisus). Cover with a bit less than a half of the chocolate ganache2- Add a new layer of cream, then 7 to 8 ladyfingers crosswise, cover with the remaining chocolate ganache.3- Pour in the rest of the cream, tap and scrap the top to get an even layer.
- Cover and allow to set in the refrigerator for 12 hours before
Dress AND SERVE
- Half an hour before serving, take the tiramisu out of the refrigerator. Flip over a serving plate, sprinkle with cocoa powder using a sieve for a nice powder effect. Keep in the fridge before serving.
