Dark Chocolate Tiramisu Cake

Tiramisu has always been one of my husband's family favorites. So when my brother's girlfriend Alissa started bringing THE . BEST. TIRAMISU. EVER. to family get-togethers, I had to get the recipe. I think she makes the best variation (and her recipe is included below), but I took the liberty of switching her recipe up a bit to play around with some meringue and good ol' food styling. Click through to see both of the recipe and instructions... 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Chop 3/4 cups of hazelnuts in a food processor. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 9 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes. After toasted, turn down the oven to 300 degrees. 

Whisk hazelnuts with corn starch and sugar. 

In a mixer with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium until frothy. Slowly add sugar and beat on high until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the hazelnut mixture. 

Pipe the meringue mixture onto parchment paper on a baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour, rotating the sheet halfway through. 

While the meringue is baking, shave dark chocolate. Prepare lady fingers with coffee and Kahlua mixture and make cream filling.

To assemble, layer the meringue, cream,  and lady fingers, drizzling dark cocoa and shaved dark chocolate on the lady fingers layer. Repeat. 

Dark Chocolate Tiramisu Cake Recipe

Meringue Layer Ingredients

3/4 cups raw hazelnuts
3 egg whites
3/4 cups caster sugar (superfine sugar)
2 tbsp. corn starch or corn flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Soaked Lady Fingers Layer Ingredients

1 box of Lady Finger cookies
1/4 cup strong coffee
1/4 cup espresso
1/4 cup Kahula or coffee liquor

Cream Layer Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Mascarpone cheese
10 oz. chilled heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar

Toppings 
Dark Cocoa
Dark Chocolate Bar (I used 70% Cacoa)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Chop 3/4 cups of hazelnuts in a food processor. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 9 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes. After toasted, turn down the oven to 300 degrees. Whisk the toasted hazelnuts with corn starch and 1/4 cup of sugar.

In a mixer with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium until frothy. Slowly add 1/2 cup sugar and beat on high until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the hazelnut mixture. Pipe the meringue mixture onto parchment paper on a baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour, rotating the sheet halfway through. 

While the meringue is baking, shave the dark chocolate into ribbons. Set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl, mix heavy whipping on medium-high speed. Add Marscapone cheese and beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar slowly and beat until fluffy. 

Mix the room temperature espresso, coffee and Kahlua together in a bowl. Using a pastry brush, spread the coffee mixture on the Lady Fingers. 

To assemble, layer the meringue, cream,  and lady fingers, drizzling dark cocoa and shaved dark chocolate on the lady fingers layer. Repeat. Refrigerate overnight for best results.

Dark Chocolate Tiramisu [TRADITIONAL VERSION]

1/2 cup strong coffee, at room temperature
1/2 cup espresso, at room temperature

1/4 cup Kahlua or other coffee liquor

3 boxes of Lady Fingers

20 oz chilled heavy whipping cream

2 8oz container Mascarpone cheese

3/4 cup sugar (I used powdered sugar)

1/2 cup grated dark chocolate

3 Tbsp dark cocoa powder

In 2 quart rectangular baking dish, arrange Lady Fingers, breaking as necessary, to completely cover the bottom.  

In small bowl, stir coffee, espresso, and Kahlua.  Using a pastry brush, carefully brush lady fingers with coffee mixture to moisten completely. 

In large bowl, beat Marscapone cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed two minutes, or until sugar is dissolved.  With mixer running, slowly add whipping cream and continue to beat until smooth and fluffy.  Spread half of the Marscapone cheese mixture over the softened Lady Fingers, sprinkle with grated chocolate.  Top with second layer of Lady Fingers, brush with remainder of coffee mixture and top with remaining Marscapone cheese.  Smooth surface and sift a think layer of cocoa powder over entire dish.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator overnight.