Tiramisu Layer Cake
Tiramisu was the only dessert on the menu at a wonderful pizzeria I visited in Florence and was deservedly popular
- Equipment: Piping bag with a 1.5cm round tip
- 2 x Vanilla Genoise Cakes
- 100g cocoa powder, sieved
- For the coffee syrup
- 3 tsp instant espresso coffee granules
- 120ml boiling water (or 130ml strong espresso coffee)
- 120g caster sugar
- For the marsala cream icing
- 250g mascarpone
- 130ml double cream
- 130g icing sugar
- 45ml Marsala
Prepare the coffee syrup using either coffee granules and hot water or hot espresso coffee. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve.
Using a whisk, beat the mascarpone until smooth and thick, then add the cream, icing sugar and Marsala. Beat until thick and holding soft peaks.
Slice the two genoise cakes in half so you have four layers. Level the top cake layers and place one on the cake board to use as the base. Brush with the coffee syrup.
Reserve 200g of the Marsala icing to use on the top and sides of the cake. Spread a third of the remaining Marsala icing over the bottom layer of cake, then sieve a generous layer of cocoa powder over the surface.
Repeat the cake, coffee syrup, Marsala icing and cocoa powder layers twice more, then place the final cake layer on top and use the remaining coffee syrup to brush over the top of the cake.
Smooth half of the reserved icing onto the sides and top of the cake, then pipe ‘kisses’ of Marsala icing over the cake’s surface. Dredge the whole cake generously with cocoa powder.
