Ok so we kind of have a lot to talk about.
On Christmas Eve, I posted a video on TikTok of some gingerbread I made. I cut and decorated it to look like an album cover from my favorite artist, Gigi Perez. AND OH MY GOD SHE LIKED, FAVORITED, AND COMMENTED ON THE VIDEO. And THEN she FOLLOWED ME?!?!! I know the all caps is kind of dramatic but you have to understand how huge this is. Not only did my favorite artist support me, but now that video has over 80 thousand views, over a thousand likes, and a hundred comments. According to google, that doesn’t actually qualify to be “viral” but I don’t care. I have had my TikTok for over a year and I’ve spent a lot of time on it for only a handful of views, and 50 or so followers. So for this to happen to me is HUGE.
So yeah, if by some miracle you are Gigi Perez reading this, you have no idea how much it meant to me that you did that and thank you so so so so so much.
Ok now that I’ve gotten that all over with, it feels kinda weird to talk about this Tiramisu. I’m weirdly nervous to post this cuz I feel like it’s really underwhelming after that TikTok. Also it’s low-key really ugly. It’s a real “trust the process” kind of recipe, because there are some parts where this thing is looking kind of nasty. But I promise you it all works out and this is a very tasty dessert.
So this is my New Year’s recipe sort of. It’s not as festive as last years, which was these champagne cupcakes. And there’s really nothing that makes it especially sparkly or New Years themed, but who cares. It’s a tasty recipe, and a somewhat unique way to close out a year of recipes.
Also I’ll publish a blog post on New Years Eve like I have for the last two years. I make a list of the most popular recipes, which does seem a little pointless considering none of my recipes are “popular” per se. But I’ve learned the strategy is to fake it til you make it. If I pretend that I’m a super popular baking blog, maybe one day I will be. Or maybe it’s just really embarrassing. Anyway, there will be one final blog post of 2024 so stay tuned.
Describe this Tiramisu to Me
Taste: This still has all those signature flavors of a classic tiramisu: coffee, slightly sweet cream, and bitter cocoa powder on top. But the twist here is the black sesame, which adds this subtle nutty flavor that is truly irresistible.
Texture: I guess you could say this tiramisu is a little firmer that other recipes. It holds its shape when you cut it, but it’s still incredibly melt in your mouth soft when you take a bite.
Ease: I would say this recipe is of medium difficulty. The only reason I say that is because you have to make a custard. But other that that there really isn’t anything that’s too terribly difficult.
Black Sesame
There are a few things to note on this subject. First of all, the flavor profile. Black sesame in a sweet setting is one of my favorite flavors, especially when paired with coffee. It has this slightly nutty flavor, that pairs perfectly with the mascarpone. Second thing to discuss is how we get this flavor. Firstly, we make a sesame sugar that will be cooked in the custard base (more on that bellow.) Secondly, there’s black sesame paste in the cream. The paste has a pretty concentrated flavor, so we only use 2 Tablespoons. I got it off of amazon by the way.
The Custard
Ok this is a pretty straightforward custard, heat some milk and sugar and temper the eggs with it. The only thing that’s different is that there are ground up black sesame seeds in with the sugar. This doesn’t change the cooking process but it does mean the custard will look pretty ugly. It usually gets a bit of a green tint because of the egg yolks, but when you add it to the cream and mascarpone, it all evens out. But despite the seeds, you still want to make sure your custard is as smooth as you can get it. Otherwise the filling could have lumps of cooked egg in it, which is just unpleasant.
Black Sesame Tiramisu
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup black sesame seeds
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 ½ cups cold heavy cream
- 16 ounces mascarpone cheese at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons black sesame paste
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- ⅓ cup confectioners sugar
- 40 lady fingers
- 3 cups strong brewed coffee at room temperature
- cocoa powder for topping
Instructions
Start by making the custard base
- In food processor, pulse together the black sesame seeds and granulated sugar until seeds are broken down and you have a grey sugar.
- Add the milk and sesame sugar into a medium sized saucepan and bring the mixture to a simmer. the sugar won't really dissolve into the milk because of the seeds, that's ok. It will also be a little on the thicker side.
- While the milk is coming to a simmer, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks in a medium sized heat safe mixing bowl. Once the sesame milk is simmering, slowly stream ½ cup of it into the eggs, whisking constantly. Then pour the egg mixture back into the milk and continue cooking, whisking constantly, on medium heat until the custard begins to thicken, around 3 minutes. It will look kind of gross right now, don't worry!
- Once thickened, immediately remove from the heat and pour through a sieve into a heat safe bowl. It will be a little difficult to get the custard through the sieve because it's so thick, but be patient and it should work. This will remove any whole seeds or cooked egg.
- Set the custard in the fridge to cool for 20 minutes before using in the filling.
Make the rest of the filling
- In a large mixing bowl using a hand or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream on high speed to stiff peaks. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using the same whisk attachment as before, beat the mascarpone, black sesame paste, vanilla bean paste, and cooled custard on medium speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Be careful not to over mix it. Using a large spatula fold in the confectioners sugar and about half of the whipped cream, being careful to avoid deflating it. Fold in the second half of the whipped cream.
Assemble
- Pour the coffee into a large bowl. Dip half of the lady fingers in the coffee, just a quick dip on each side. Place them in an even layer on the bottom of a 9×13 inch rectangular baking dish. You may have to break some of them in half to fit. Add half of the filling and spread it evenly on top. Dip the remaining lady fingers in the coffee and layer them on top. Finally, spread on the remaining filling in an even layer, and smooth out the top.
- Cover the tiramisu with cling wrap and chill for 8 hours, or preferably overnight. When ready to slice and serve, sift a layer of cocoa powder on top. Tiramisu stays fresh for up to 5 days sealed in the refrigerator.