Asian/Tropical Tiramisu

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese Filling

150 g cream cheese
250 g whipping cream
80 g icing sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp kahlua or any coffee flavored liqueur or instant coffee powder

Chocolate Sponge (Each Layer)

40 mL cake flour
1/2 tbsp corn flour
1/4 tsp baking powder (optional)

1 egg white
pinch of cream of tartar (optional)
3 tbsp sugar

40 mL milk/water with 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 ½ tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

1 egg yolk
20 mL vegetable oil

Coffee Syrup

1/2 cup coffee
2 tbsp brandy or coffee flavored liqueur

Topping Option

unsweetened cocoa powder
shaved chocolate
dessicated coconut

Method:

To prepare the cheese filling

In a large bowl, whisk thoroughly cheese with sugar, salt and liqueur until homogeneous cream resulted; set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk cream till stiff.

Gradually, fold-in stiffed cream into cheese mixture and chill in fridge till use.

To prepare the chocolate sponge

Preheat oven to 170 °C.

In a bowl, combine together flours and baking powder; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk egg white and cream of tartar till frothy; gradually add-in sugar and continue whisking till stiff peaks form (I always whisk egg white first because I use the same whisk for egg yolk mixture later without washing); set aside.

In a cup of warm milk, dissolve-in cocoa powder, sugar and salt; set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk egg yolk till pale and glossy.

Stir-in oil and chocolate solution, continue whisking till batter is fully incorporated.

Fold-in flours mixtures, stir-well to form homogeneous batter.

Gradually and gently, fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk batter.

Pour batter into a baking paper layered cake pan (18 cm) and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool completely before assembly.

With a flexible thin knife or spatula, loose cake from pan and invert onto a serving plate for cake assembly.

Repeat the recipe for another layer or double up the recipe volume and slice into 2 layers.

To Assembly

Brush each sponge with the mixture of coffee and brandy syrup till the mixture is used up.

Lay one layer of sponge into same size springform cake pan.

Top the base sponge with two third of the filling or fill to about 1/2 inch thick.

Lay-on another layer of sponge.

Spread on the rest of the filling or to the desired thickness.

Sprinkle-on shaved chocolate and chill in fridge overnight till serve.

Right before serving, sift-on a thin layer of cocoa powder.