Special Tiramisu: rich, creamy, and delicious

For a party today, Darren and I made tiramisu, as we were asked to bring a dessert.  Tiramisu is a wonderful party dessert as it is beautiful, delicious, easy to serve, and relatively easy to make.  This is no ordinary tiramisu, though, it is particularly beautiful,and delicious.  With 3 different liquors and homemade espresso, this tiramisu is a definate 'pick me up'.  If you want to make this recipe in a trifle dish, it will be particularly beautiful as you can see each of the beautiful layers through the sides of the glass. It can also be made in a baking dish.  This amount will serve 10-16 people.

Chocolate Decoration Directions:
Melt 1 cup bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each 30 second interval until the chocolate is melted.  Let this cool for a few minutes.  Drizzle the chocolate onto a piece of waxed paper in a decorative fashion. Let this sit to harden while you make the rest of the tiramisu. (or, alternatively, just sprinkle the top of your completed tiramisu with cocoa powder).

Custard Ingredients:

2/3 cups water

2 tablespoons cup dark rum

2 tablespoons brandy

6 large egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese 

2 cups chilled whipping cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Finishing Ingredients:

1 cup espresso

7 tablespoons Kahlúa or other coffee liqueur

1/2 cup whipping cream

2 6.15-ounce or four 3.5-ounce boxes Champagne biscuits or Boudoirs (about 60 crisp ladyfinger cookies)

Custard Directions:

Whisk 1 1/3 cups sugar, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup rum, 3 tablespoons brandy, yolks, and nutmeg in metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk constantly until mixture thickens and candy thermometer inserted into mixture registers 140°F for 3 minutes, about 5 minutes total. Remove bowl from over water. Whisk mascarpone, 1 container at a time, into warm custard until blended.

Using electric mixer, beat whipping cream, vanilla, 1 tablespoon brandy, and 1 teaspoon rum in large bowl until cream holds peaks. Fold in cream cheese mixture.

Finishing Directions:
Add 2 tablespoons sugar to the espresso while it is hot; stir to dissolve. Mix in liqueur and cream. Submerge 1 biscuit in espresso mixture, turning to coat twice; shake excess liquid back into pan. Place dipped biscuit, sugared side facing out, around bottom side of 14-cup trifle dish, pressing against side of dish (biscuit may break). Repeat with enough biscuits to go around bottom sides of dish once. Dip more biscuits and arrange over bottom of dish to cover.

Spoon 2 cups mascarpone mixture over biscuits; spread to cover. Sprinkle 1/4 cup ground chocolate over, making chocolate visible at sides of dish. Repeat with more biscuits dipped into espresso mixture, mascarpone mixture, and ground chocolate in 2 more layers each. Cover with 1 more layer of dipped biscuits and enough mascarpone mixture to reach top of trifle dish. Sprinkle remaining ground chocolate over, covering completely. Cover and chill overnight.

Decorate the top of the tiramisu with the chocolate decorations.  (Can be made 8 hours ahead; chill.)

"Cheesy" Kale Chips: Not your ordinary snack chip

While on a recent visit to Oregon, I stopped in at Whole Foods (or as I call it, Whole paycheck).  While there, I saw this small bag of vegan kale chips.  Now, I must be honest. I am not interested in vegan anything, really.  I mean, I love cheese.  Well, these "chips" claimed to be "cheesy".  I dared not spend the $7 for the 2 oz. bag, thinking I would be able to figure out how to make them myself.  Since this visit, I have been working on this recipe and think I have it nailed.  These may not sound tasty, so you'll need to trust me.  They are crunchy, and yes, cheesy, though there is no cheese anywhere.  Everyone who has tried them has fallen in love.  I hope you enjoy them.


Ingredients
1 bunch kale, cleaned well
3/4 c. cashews or almonds
1T plus 1t. soy sauce
2 cloves garlic (or one large)
1 lemon (juice and pulp--heck, use the zest too if you want!)
1/3 c. nutritional yeast
1 T. olive oil
1/2 red or yellow pepper, seeded (optional--adds a hint of sweetness)

Directions:
Blot your clean kale dry.  Strip off the woody stems and break the leaves into bite sized pieces. Soak the nuts in water for at least 1 hour.  Process all other ingredients in a food processor until pretty smooth.  Mix the nut mixture and the kale in a bowl using your hands to rub the mixture into the kale.  If you have a dehydrator, you are lucky.  Place the kale on the trays, being sure not to overlap them.  My dehydrator ran for 8 hours at 95 degrees, giving me delicious, crisp chips. But, if you don't have a dehydrator, do not fret.  Put the kale on lined sheet pans, being careful not to overlap them.  Place them in the coolest setting of your oven (maybe 170 or 175 degrees).  Check the chips every 20 minutes and remove them when they are crisp.

Eat, then repeat....