Cooking Afloat

     On a "fun day at sea" to use the phrase of the Carnival Cruise line, I attended a cooking demonstration in The Point Steakhouse on board ship.  The instructors were the restaurant chefs who taught us the finer points of creating some of their favorite menu items.  Having a front row seat I was able to watch closely how to make things like Mushroom Cappuccino, Baby Leaf Spinach & Fresh Mushrooms, and Broiled Supreme of Free Range Chicken.  But what intrigued me the most was the dessert item, Tiramisu.



     Their version of this Italian invention has a Caribbean connection, as you might expect since we were sailing over the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.  Roughly translated, Tiramisu means, "pick me up" in Italian and is a coffee flavored dessert made with ladyfingers dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar and mascarpone cheese and flavored with cocoa.  It is a relatively recent addition to cookbooks worldwide having its origin in the '60s around the region of Veneto, Italy.  But a difference of opinion remains as to whom the credit actually belongs for its creation.

     Countless variations now exist in cakes and pies.  The Carnival Conquest version includes Kahlua, the coffee flavored rum-based liqueur from neighboring Mexico. Below is their recipe:

Tiramisu

Ingredients                                                          Syrup Ingredients

Egg yolk                             6 oz                            Instant coffee              1 1/2 Tbsp

Sugar                                 4 oz                             Sugar                            4 oz

Heavy cream                     1 cup                         Kahlua                          6 Tbsp

Mascarpone cheese          4 oz                           Water                            1/2 cup

Marsala wine                    1 oz

Grand Marnier                 1 oz

Lady finger cookie           1 package

Whisk heavy cream till it forms soft peaks and regrigerate it till use.  Cream yolks & sugar till smooth and add in cream over a double boiler whisking constantly till coating consistency to make a sabayon.  Cream the mascarpone cheese till smooth & fold into sabayon.

Gently fold Grand Marnier, Marsala and whipped cream into the sabayon and refrigerate till the mixture sets.

For syrup, dissolve instant coffee in hot water, mix sugar, Kahlua, and refrigerate to chill.

Soak lady finger cookies in coffee syrup & arrange in three alternating layers of cookies and sabayon mixture in tiramisu dish.

Serve garnished with cocoa dust.