Beeramisu for Australia Day

  

Beer: the quintessential Australian beverage. For the longest time it was seen as a "man's" drink - ads about men cracking open a cold one after a hard day's work were plentiful, and if a woman drank beer, especially from the bottle, she was seen by some as unladylike.

In these more enlightened times it's not so much of a big deal for a lady to enjoy a schooner. I myself have little interest in beer unless it's German, but I remember being amazed by the use of stout in a tiramisu on Masterchef Australia Season 1. Stephen made it for Australia Day this year, and we were blown away by the results. Crunchy amaretti biscuits were soaked in stout and coffee, then smothered in layers of  mascarpone and left to set for a couple of days. It was so hard to wait the two days (I was so curious!), but it was definitely worth it:

Please, please, PLEASE use a chocolate or coffee stout; It really does make a difference. It's not as bitter as a normal stout, and it has a beautiful little hint of sweetness to it, especially when mixed with the coffee. The almond flavour of the amaretti biscuits also lends itself to the mixture, and the creamy mascarpone gives a smooth texture that contrasts with the slight crunch of the biscuits.

Beeramisu
*Adapted from Masterchef Australia Volume 1

INGREDIENTS

6 eggs, separated
1⁄4 cup caster sugar
400 g mascarpone
1 cup stout, preferably chocolate stout
1⁄2 cup brewed coffee
24 - 36 Italian-style amaretti biscuits
Grated milk chocolate to serve


1. Beat the eggs yolks with the caster sugar until they are pale and thick. Mix in the mascarpone.

2. Using clean beaters, beat the eggwhites until soft peaks form. Carefully fold into the mascarpone and egg mixture.

3. Mix the stout and coffee together and dip the biscuits into the liquid quickly. Layer a few biscuits into serving glasses, followed by a thick layer of mascarpone mixture. Continue layering until you have used all the ingredients, then leave to set for at least a day. When ready to serve, top with grated chocolate.

Comments

[yummychunklet]

Love it! Such a great twist on traditional tiramisu.

[Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake]

haha love the cute recipe, quite creative :) I wanted to do something different for Aust Day too but just didn't get around to it :( Now i have to wait till next year...

[Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)]

Haha, beer is very much a part of Australian culture so I think it's a most fitting inclusion in your dessert here. Hope you had a great Australia Day!

[Hotly Spiced]

What a stunning looking tiramasu. I just love how you've presented it in those beautiful glasses. I vaguely remember this being cooked on Master Chef. Great to re-visit the recipe.

[Carolyn Jung]

Beeramisu??? I think I have died and gone to dessert heaven. ;)

[Dolly]

hahah i def. love the twist... next time you should try eucalyptus :)

i have tirumasu at Ailio yesterday hehe.

Happy Australia day too you .. and yes im back :):)

[Chopinand @ ChopinandMysaucepan]

Dear Jasmyne,

I definitely won't say no to an alcoholic dessert although I don't have a sweet tooth. Beer on Australia day sounds like heaven to me, especially if it's a warm and sunny day :)

[Gaby]

I've seen at least 3 beeramisu recipes but I haven't tried any yet... fail!

[Jennifer (Delicieux)]

Beeramisue, you can't get much more Australian than that!!! Looks fantastic!

[Lucy @ Lucyeats]

Wow that sounds very interesting and looks fantastic! Great twist =)

[Sara (Belly Rumbles)]

Oh wow, I am not a beer drinker at all but do use in in recipes. Must admit would of never thought of beeramisu.