Tiramisu is an elegant dessert and it is one of our family favorites. Everyone, from my 88 year old grandmother to my 27 year old husband, agrees, “Tiramisu is to die for!” Inside each bite is what I called the three C’s: Chocolate, Cheese, and Coffee. These three ingredients combine to create an amazing, flavorful, crowd pleasing dish. I mean, who doesn’t like the 3 C’s??? For a recent Bunco Party, I decided to take this classic Italian recipe and turn it into a dip served with fresh, halved strawberries and Stella Nora Italian Margharite cookies.
Often times, the dish you choose to bring to an event is your first impression. If the dish is distasteful or lacking in presentation, you can bet it will become a topic of conversation. This is sad, but true. A pastor once told me the story of a new member who brought a Jello dish to her very first church function. Being a new member, she was not required to bring anything, but did so out of the kindness of her heart. She brought her dessert to the kitchen and as she walks out, overhears some of the elders talking about her dish. “Can you believe she brought this?,” said one of them. “No! How inappropriate! Why did she bother?” said another. She was so hurt by their commentary that this young, new member never returned.
Luckily, I’ve had nothing but compliments on this particular recipe. I mean, “It’s to die for,” right? Whether you are a coffee lover, cheese lover, or chocolate lover, this dish will please your tastebuds and satisfy your sweet tooth without the high calorie deduction. Enjoy!
Tiramisu “To Die For” Dip
This decadent dish is perfect for any event or simply as a dessert for friends and family. Serves 8-10 people and is only 208 calories per serving.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cup Mascarpone cheese
- 1 cup Ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 3 Tbsp brewed Espresso or very strong coffee
- 2 1/2 Tbsp Kahlua
- 1/4 cup Starbucks Mocha Powder (or 1/8 cup Starbucks Mocha Powder and 1/8 Hershey’s Cocoa Powder)
- 1 Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, chopped
- 1 cup Hershey’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, chopped
- Halved strawberries and cookie of your choice (I prefer Stella Doro Italian Margharite Vanilla cookies, Walker shortbread, or Pepperidge Farm Milanos.)
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine Marscarpone, Ricotta, and Sugar until smooth. Add Espresso or very strong coffee and Kahlua and mix until it reaches stiff peaks or you can lift your mixing paddle and the batter stands up on its own, without falling. Pour mixture into the serving dish of your choice and top with Mocha Powder and chopped Milk and Semi-Sweet Chocolate. Allow dip to “season” in the fridge for at least 2 hours before service. The longer it sits, the stronger the flavor! After chilling, serve immediately with strawberries and/or the cookie of your choice. Otherwise, store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
