Dessert Italian

Matt Preston's choc malt tiramisu

Name: Matt Preston's decadent malted milk tiramisu
Yield: 12
Cuisine: /italian
Ingredients: 330g caster sugar; 80ml honey; 3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda, sifted; 240g milk powder; 3 titanium-strength gelatine leaves; 500ml thickened cream; 250g chocolate ripple biscuits, finely crushed; 80g unsalted butter, melted, cooled; 6 eggs, separated; 1kg good-quality mascarpone; 300ml strong black coffee; 200ml hazelnut liqueur; 450g sponge finger biscuits (savoiardi); 100g dark (70%) chocolate, chopped; 1 tsp vegetable oil; Good-quality dark cocoa, to serve

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by Matt Preston

delicious. senior editor

Aug 13, 2018

"To me, there is only one exemplary dessert in the Italian kitchen. It is tiramisu – a dessert that popped up in the ’60s. The trouble is that the classic combination of biscuits, coffee and mascarpone is looking a little tired these days. Even with the modern addition of a liqueur such as Strega, Marsala, Kahlúa, amaretto or Frangelico, it needs a little updating" - Matt Preston

1 1/2 cups (330g) caster sugar
1/3 cup (80ml) runny honey
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda, sifted
2 cups (240g) malted milk powder
3 titanium-strength gelatine leaves
2 cups (500ml) thickened cream
250g chocolate ripple biscuits, finely crushed
80g unsalted butter, melted, cooled
6 eggs, separated
1kg good-quality mascarpone
300ml strong black coffee
200ml hazelnut liqueur
450g sponge finger biscuits (savoiardi)
100g dark (70%) chocolate, chopped
1 tsp vegetable oil
Good-quality dark cocoa, to serve

Method

1.

To make honeycomb, line a baking tray with baking paper. Place 1/2 cup (110g) sugar, honey and 2 tbs water in a deep saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Cook, without stirring, for 5 minutes or until 154°C on a sugar thermometer. Remove from the heat, add bicarb and 1/2 cup (60g) milk powder, and stir to combine. Quickly pour into prepared tray to set and cool completely, then roughly chop.
2.

Soak gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes to soften. Place 1 cup (250ml) cream in a saucepan over low heat and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Squeeze excess water from gelatine and add to cream. Stir to dissolve, then cool completely. Grease a 22cm square pan and line with 3 layers of plastic wrap, leaving 10cm overhanging (this helps to remove tiramisu). Combine biscuits and butter in a bowl. Press into base of prepared pan and chill until needed. To make the mascarpone cream, whisk egg yolks and remaining 1 cup (220g) sugar for 4-5 minutes or until thick and pale. Add remaining 1 cup (250ml) cream and whisk until thick, then add mascarpone and remaining 1 1/2 cups (180g) milk powder, and whisk until thick. Whisk in gelatine mixture, then set aside.
3.

Whisk eggwhites to stiff peaks, then, in 2 batches, fold into mascarpone mixture. Chill until ready to assemble. To assemble tiramisu, combine coffee and hazelnut liqueur in a shallow bowl. Dip one-third savoiardi into coffee mixture and arrange in a single layer over biscuit base. Spread with one-third mascarpone cream. Repeat dipping and layering process to create 3 layers. Fold the overhanging plastic wrap over top of tiramisu to enclose. Chill for 4 hours or until set.
4.

When ready to serve, place chocolate and oil in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted, then cool to room temperature. Dust tiramisu with cocoa and scatter with honeycomb. Drizzle with chocolate to serve.