Sugar High Friday #72: Trifles!

I knew exactly what I was going to make when I saw the announcement on Cream Puffs in Venice stating that Sugar High Friday #72 was featuring Trifles.  My family had already decided on an Italian-American theme for Christmas dinner which meant that Tiramisu though probably quite cliché was my obvious number one choice.

I was a bit at a loss for what recipe to use since there are so many available.  I browsed through several cookbooks as well as some blogs from my reader before I remembered that the Daring Bakers had made Tiramisu before I became a member.  After checking out the recipe and some of the posted results I felt confident that using their version would get me the results I was looking for and so when my sisters came to visit we did some prep by baking the ladyfingers.  

I have to admit that I did not make my own marscapone, as the original challenge called for and I wonder if that was a mistake.  I have never tried marscapone, in any recipe calling for it I have always subbed in the standard cream cheese, and so I was curious as to what was so special about it.  Before adding it in with the other ingredients I tasted it and from my perspective it was nothing special.  Perhaps this is because I did not taste a possibly incredible home made version instead.  Until I find time to make the marscapone myself, I suppose I will not know.

I cannot begin to describe home wonderful this tasted.  There were going to be 10 of us eating this after dinner since I was pretty sure that the kids would only be interested in cookies (turns out I was half right).  I recalled the recipe saying that it served 6 so I doubled it.  I am so glad that I did!  I have to say, serving only 6 people from one batch of the recipe would mean extremely large portions.  After double the recipe we were all able to have a slice on Christmas, and then we all got another piece the next day when we were finishing leftovers.  Something to keep in mind, not that any of us were complaining when it turned out that we had so much.  As I made each of the components I tasted them.  My only change to the given recipe was to omit the lemon zest since I didn't have any.  I believe that in the future when (not if) I make this recipe again, I will have to reduce the sugar a bit, either that or perhaps add more coffee or some bittersweet chocolate. 

After assembling your tiramisu it helps for serving if you let it sit in the freezer for a bit.  This enables you to more precisely slice and serve each portion (while semi-frozen).  Of course, by doing so you are suppose to wait  and allow them to finish thawing, however, I can vouch for how tasty they are before they have completely thawed.  What can I say? I couldn't wait.

If you wish to make your own incredibly delicious Tiramisu, please find the recipe I used here, on the Daring Baker's site.  And please be sure to check out the round up for Sugar High Friday #72: Trifles!