Austin Chantos' Sicilian Tiramisu

Pastry Chef Austin Chantos enjoys taking old world classics, and giving them a new twist. Today he shares a recipe for Sicilian Tiramisu with layers of biscotti soaked in espresso simple syrup and chocolate sponge. 

recipe after the jump

Sicilian Tiramisu 

Before assembly

1. Brew  6 ounces of espresso
2. Make a ½ quart sauce pan of simple syrup.(equal parts water+sugar, bring to a boil and cook until sugar dissolves, cool)
3. Produce and bake a small batch of your favorite biscotti recipe, cut each biscotti a ¼ of an inch thick.

1 lbs. Ricotta Cheese

1 lbs. Mascarpone Cheese

8 oz.  Sugar

½ qrt. Whipped Cream

1 T.    Vanilla Bean Paste

1 ea   Zest of an Orange

4 oz.   Roasted Pistachio, ground

1. Scale (weigh/measure) all ingredients.
2. Combine the ricotta and mascarpone chesses together and mix until smooth but not warm.  Maintain a cold mixture.
3. Whip the heavy cream to medium peak.
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the mixture and then fold in the whipped cream.
5. Place in the refrigerator until it is time to assemble.

French Sponge Cake (biscuits)

 Yield-3 ½ sheet trays

 ½  qt. Egg Yolks                                   

1 lbs. Sugar                                               

½  qt. Egg Whites                                   

7 oz. Cake Flour                                   

2 oz. Corn Starch                                   

1 ½  oz. Cocoa Powder                       

Ribbon Method 

1. Scale (weigh/measure) all ingredients.
2. Using a 6 qt. mixing bowl whip the egg yolks and sugar until they ribbon.
3. In a separate 6 qt. bowl whip the egg whites until they have doubled in volume. 
4. Fold in the egg whites to the egg yolks and sugar.
5. While mixing sprinkle in the cake flour and cornstarch (be sure the cake flour and the cornstarch have been sifted to avoid lumps in the sponge cake). 
6. Spread onto a silpat lined flat sheet pan about a 1/8 of an inch thick and bake at 375° F until spongy and edges brown. 

Store 3 ½ sheets of the cake on one sheet pan with parchment and sugar between each layer.  Freeze until needed.

 Final Assembly

1. In a 10"x10" square cake pan, line the bottom of the cake pan with a piece of parchment paper.
2. Cut one sheet of chocolate sponge cake to 10"x10" square and place in the bottom.
3. Using the simple syrup, add the 6 ounces of espresso and brush the top surface of the cake. 
4. Add half of the filling, then level out the filling so that it reaches all the corner and sides.
5. Now dip each biscotti slice in the espresso syrup and place side by side on top of the filling until completely covered.
6. Using about ½  of the remaining filling cover the layer of biscotti.
7. Cut another 10"x10" square layer of sponge cake and place over the top of the filling brush this layer of cake with the espresso syrup as well.
8. Portion the remaining filling onto the sponge cake layer and spread evenly while completely covering the sponge cake.
9. Let chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
10. Utilizing a pint of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries mixed together in a mixing bowl, drizzle some frangelico liquor over the top and give the berries a light toss.
11. Portion the berries into 12 individual bowls.
12. Now using a racquet ball sized scoop, scoop 12 portions of tiramisu over the top of the berries. Serve with a mint sprig and dusting of cocoa powder.