tiramisu log

Don't you just love logs like this? They're pretty, elegant and very easy to portion. I like that, that way there are no fights and each diner gets a portion as big or as small as they want. Then there's always someone who says I want less, I want more ... you're like children.

The recipe for this tiramisu log, taken from this blog , has all the flavors of tiramisu: sponge cake, coffee and mascarpone, but assembled in a different way than in the traditional dessert and in the form of a mousse that allows us to serve it cold.

The very convenient De Buyer mould for logs or bûches not only makes our work much easier and creates a beautiful log, but with its plastic sheets it allows us to print beautiful designs on the surface of the log. In addition, the supports it has at both ends allow the mould to be kept perfectly level when refrigerating or freezing the cake or semifreddo.

I'm not going to lie to you, the preparation of this log is a little laborious, but since everything is frozen except the topping, the preparation can be spread out over a couple of days and that's it. I froze the coffee ganache in the form of ingots which I then put inside the tiramisu cream, but if you don't have moulds for this, the log can be made perfectly by mounting the coffee ganache on the bottom of the mould and covering it with the tiramisu cream or vice versa.

For both tiramisu cream and chocolate glaze, it is a good idea to have a probe thermometer . A warning is a warning.

De Buyer 30cm Stainless Steel Half Round Cake Pan , De Buyer Set of 4 Decorating Sheets and Kitchen Craft Glass Measuring Jug

Ingredients

Almond cake:

• 100 g almond paste or marzipan
• 2 eggs
• 70 g melted butter
• 40 g of plain flour

Whipped coffee ganache:

• 70 g white chocolate
• 180 ml of liquid cream (minimum 35% fat)
• 20 ml of strong coffee

Tiramisu cream:

• 4 g of gelatin powder
• 40 g cold water
• 110 g of sugar
• 3 medium egg yolks
• 250 g mascarpone cheese
• 250 g liquid cream (minimum 35% fat)
• 25 ml Fra Angelico

Glossy chocolate coating:

• 50 g of water
• 225 g ml of liquid cream (minimum 35% fat)
• 330 g of sugar
• 90 g cocoa powder
• 10 g of neutral gelatin powder or sheets

Elaboration

Almond cake

1. Mix the almond paste with the eggs until smooth. Place the bowl over a saucepan of boiling water, so that the water does not touch the bowl, and beat with a whisk in a bain-marie until it reaches 40°.
2. Continue beating at high speed off the heat until it cools. Add the sifted flour and mix with gentle, folding movements. Also add the melted butter.
3. Prepare a baking tray with baking paper measuring about 40x30 cm, with the edges folded up to hold the dough. Bake the sponge cake in the oven at 170° for about 12-15 minutes. Remove the sponge cake from the oven and cool on a rack over the baking paper.
4. Using the log mould itself, cut a sheet of sponge cake that we will use as a lid for the creams (there is leftover sponge cake for another strip). Set aside.

Whipped coffee ganache

1. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave. Bring the cream to a boil, turn off the heat, add the strong coffee and pour over the chocolate. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
2. Then mix with a whisk , slowly at first and more vigorously as it emulsifies into a shiny cream. Allow to cool completely and then place in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 6 hours.
3. When the ganache is cold, whip it with a whisk as if you were whipping cream. Fill the moulds you are going to use if you want to make inserts that go inside the log; if you do not use insert moulds, simply pour the ganache into the mould (we used the one from De Buyer ), with the chosen drawing sheet already in place, and put it in the freezer. Place it level on its supports.

Tiramisu cream

1. Put the gelatin in some cold water to hydrate it.
2. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and reserve the former for another use (you can freeze them). Beat the yolks at low speed.
3. Meanwhile, prepare a syrup with the sugar and water, which should reach 118° (use a kitchen thermometer ).
4. When the syrup has reached the indicated temperature, and without stopping beating the yolks, add the syrup to the yolks in a stream.
5. Add the hydrated gelatin that has been previously microwaved to dissolve and mix. You now have a bomb paste, as it is called.
6. Separately, mix the mascarpone cheese with the cream and beat both together, beating at medium speed. Add the liqueur.
7. Gently mix the cheese and cream mixture with the pasta mixture until smooth.

Mounting

1. Pour the tiramisu cream over the frozen coffee ganache or, if you are going to pipe the ganache like I did, pour half of the cream into the log mould with the embossing sheet attached.
2. If you have frozen inserts, gently place them on top of the cream, press down a little, and pour the rest of the cream over the sides and on top.
3. Carefully place the almond sponge cake on top of the tiramisu cream and press lightly so that there is no air between the cream and the cake.
4. Put the assembly back into the freezer.

Chocolate coating

1. Put the gelatin to hydrate in some cold water.
2. In a saucepan, bring the cream to a boil with the water and sugar until it reaches a temperature of 102°. Then add the cocoa and gelatin. Stir to combine everything.
3. Beat lightly with a mixer , trying not to mix in any air.
4. Let it cool with plastic wrap on until it reaches 35°.

Finish

1. Remove the log from the freezer and remove it from the mould; the textured foil should help it to come off easily. Place the log on a wire rack with a tray underneath to catch any dripping glaze.
2. Before applying the icing, check that it is sufficiently fluid; it should be liquid enough so that the relief of the log is transparent . You can apply a little on a cookie and see how it looks. If it is too thick, you can add warm water without any problem until it has the consistency that suits you.
3. Apply the glaze at the indicated temperature all over the log and let it set; it is very fast since the log is frozen.
4. And that's it, serve immediately, let the mousse soften a little or return it to the freezer if you are not going to consume it right away.

De Buyer 30cm Stainless Steel Half Round Mold , set of 4 sheets for decorating De Buyer and Kitchen Craft Glass Measuring Jug

I know, you're overwhelmed by this tiramisu log and you want to make it right now. Well, cheer up, it's not that difficult once you put your mind to it!