Frangelico Chocolate Hazelnut Tiramisu

, from Issue #65. March, 2016
Photography by Sarah Tuck.
Frangelico Chocolate Hazelnut Tiramisu

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

4 egg yolks
3 egg whites
150 grams caster sugar
200 grams mascarpone
125 grams cream cheese, slightly softened 
1¼ cups boiling water
3–4 tablespoons espresso instant coffee (4 for extra strong)
150ml Frangelico
350 grams savoiardi biscuits
250ml cream
1 tablespoon icing sugar
1 tablespoon Frangelico
1 tablespoon dark cocoa


Hazelnut Praline
⅔ cup sugar
1 teaspoon water
½ cup lightly toasted hazelnuts, skinned
 

METHOD

Have four mixing bowls and either one large serving bowl or 8 individual serving bowls at the ready. Beat egg yolks with 100 grams of the caster sugar until pale and frothy. Briefly beat mascarpone and cream cheese together until smooth then whisk into egg yolks.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites with the remaining sugar until they form soft peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the mascarpone egg mixture until you have a smooth, light “custard”.

In another bowl mix the coffee, water and Frangelico, whisking to dissolve the coffee. One by one, dunk the savoiardi biscuits in the coffee mixture and use to line the base of the serving dish. Make the dunk long enough to completely soak the biscuits, but not so long it falls apart.

Spoon over one third of the mascarpone custard and spread evenly, then repeat the layering twice, finishing with a mascarpone layer. Cover with clingfilm and chill 6 hours or overnight.

Half an hour before serving, whip cream with icing sugar then whisk in Frangelico. Spoon cream on to tiramisu, dust with cocoa and sprinkle with Hazelnut Praline (recipe below). 


Hazelnut Praline
Line a baking dish with baking paper and pour hazelnuts in, in an even layer. Heat sugar and water in a very clean saucepan until the sugar has dissolved, then turned from cloudy white crystals to light golden liquid. Immediately pour over the hazelnuts then leave to cool into a nutty golden slab. Once praline is hardened, smash into chunks with the end of a rolling pin, then whiz to the consistency you prefer in a food processor. 

Cook's tip: Feel free to use 1¼ cups extra strong brewed coffee if you have a coffee maker available.