KIRAMISU

TIRAMISU aka KIRAMISU

Tiramisu is a rich & creamy classic Italian coffee flavoured dessert which can seem very intimidating to make. I've simplified my 'Kiramisu' recipe by breaking down this delicious dessert into categories of the three C's: CUSTARD, CREAM & COOKIES.

TOOLS

deep dish

electric hand mixer or whisk

CUSTARD

small pot

heatproof bowl

CREAM

large mixing bowl

silicone spatula

COOKIES

French press (optional)

pie plate or shallow dish

spoon

TOPPING

mini mesh strainer

INGREDIENTS

CUSTARD

5 egg yolks

125g sugar

475g mascarpone cheese

1 tsp vanilla extract

CREAM

400ml COLD heavy cream

COOKIES

1 cup brewed dark roast coffee (I use Starbucks Verona in a French press)

18 Milano lady finger cookies or 38 Savoiardi lady finger cookies (I used 6 Milano lady fingers, a layer of leftover tea biscuits & 6 extra American Airlines Biscoff cookies from my recent trip which added another layer of texture)

2 tbsp brandy (I used Hennessy)

TOPPING

cocoa powder for dusting

METHOD

1. Make coffee syrup by adding brandy to hot brewed coffee in a pie plate or shallow dish & mix with a spoon. Set aside to let cool.

2. In a small pot, add 2 inches water, bring to a boil then reduce heat to a medium. Add 5 egg yolks to a heatproof bowl & place over the pot of simmering water. Ensure the bottom of the bowl does not directly touch the water (this depends on your bowl, if it is touching, remove 1 inch water).

3. Add sugar to the egg yolks & using an electric hand whisk, combine the eggs & sugar together until smooth, forming a creamy pale yellow custard almost double in size.

4. Remove the custard from the heat using an oven mitt to prevent steam burns. Place on a trivet to cool slightly.

5. Add mascarpone cheese & vanilla extract to your custard. Whisk until smooth.

6. In a separate large mixing bowl, add COLD heavy cream & whip the cream until stiff peaks are formed. This may take some time & hand strength so using an electric hand mixer is much easier.

7. Gently fold the whipping cream into your custard using a silicone spatula & working in small batches.

The whisking part of the recipe is complete so get ready to assemble your tiramisu in a deep dish.

8. Dip the lady fingers into the coffee syrup soaking the cookie in a fast motio. Layer at the bottom of your dish. Drop spoonfuls of custard on to the cookie layer & gently smooth using a silicone spatula. Repeat the layers with more cookie & custard layers until your dish is filled to the top with your custard. Three layers is ideal.

9. Cover your tiramisu with cling film & refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

10. Uncover your tiramisu when ready to serve. Using a fine mesh strainer, dust cocoa powder over your tiramisu, slice & plate using a cake server. Enjoy!

NOTE: Tiramisu can last in a cold fridge for up to 5 days or you can freeze half & thaw for 1 hour when you are ready to enjoy it again.

XO

Kiran

SUNDAY BRUNCH

Sundays are far from lazy when you're making Sunday brunch! My favourite brunch food is Eggs Benny, done my way. I substitute the traditional English muffin for a crisp layered pastry to make it extra special, I use crispy bacon instead of ham, & I add a splash of white vinegar & pinch of cayenne into my hollandaise sauce to give it a kick over my perfectly poached egg. Jyoti & I always have mimosas on Sundays

I love to mix up sweet & savoury for brunch. I always do one of each so I made a rose mould filled with mixed berries out of some leftover milk chocolate, alongside some chocolate covered tangerine hearts. You take two tangerine slices & place them beside each other to form a heart shape, put a toothpick through it, then dip it into melted chocolate with a double boiler. Harden in the fridge or freezer, then remove the toothpick. I creatively cultivated a powdered sugar spoon sketch & garnished with mint leaves. Who wouldn't want to wake up for this?

XO

Kiran

KALE & GOAT CHEESE QUICHE

KALE & GOAT CHEESE QUICHE

What better way to start your morning than with an iron packed kale quiche. I love kale & I am always trying to integrate it into many of my recipes. 

This quiche is simple & easy with just 5 main ingredients to really highlight the earthy fresh taste of kale & creamy, yet tangy, goat cheese. Quiches are great because they can be served hot or room temperature & are so versatile. You can add any ingredients you like with endless combinations like leek & bacon, asparagus & parmesan or ham & cheese just to name a few. 

INGREDIENTS 

1 tart shell (frozen, pre-made or homemade)

4 extra large eggs

50 ml egg whites (optional for a fluffy quiche)

splash of milk

1 cup kale

1/2 cup spinach 

2 oz goat cheese 

chopped medley tomatoes

salt & pepper to taste  

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Pierce frozen pie crust with a fork to prevent air bubbles. 

Add four eggs into crust. Gently break up yolks using a fork. 

Finely chop kale & spinach. Gently sauce for 2-3 mins on medium heat to prevent kale edges burning. 

Add kale & spinach to eggs. Add egg whites & splash of milk. Fold in so egg mixture covers kale & spinach. 

Add spoonfuls of goat cheese spaced evenly. Add tomatoes. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes on middle rack. 'Jiggle' the quiche to check if the centre is cooked. 

Broil on high for 2-3 minutes until crust edges are golden brown. 

Top with cracked black pepper & sea salt. Enjoy. 

Tip: Using heavy cream in a quiche gives the filling additional richness & creaminess. 

XO 

Kiran | THE BLANK PLATE


If you liked this post, check out my previous quiche recipe: SPINACH & GOAT CHEESE QUICHE

VALENTINE'S DAY

On Valentine's Day, you want to keep it really simple. Simple ingredients & simple plates always look better than overly themed red & pink decor and food.

This sophisticated brunch consists of bacon hearts, XO pancakes with powdered sugar & berries, a citrus salad with thyme leaves and sugar glaze. Impress your loved ones by saying so much with little accents.

BACON HEARTS

Slice the bacon in half, arrange into heart shapes on a sheet tray & bake for 15 mins at 350 degrees.

XO PANCAKES

I used pancake batter to creates rounds then free hand cut the XO shapes. I sifted some powdered sugar over the pancakes & served it with a fresh bowl of berries & mint.

CITRUS SALAD

Using heart shaped cookie cutters, I cut out shapes from grapefruit, navel oranges, blood oranges, & mandarin oranges.

Grapefruit tends to be bitter, so you always want to top it with sugar or honey. I used a sugar glaze (1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp water) with thyme leaves to give it a fresh flavour.

XO

Kiran