I’m Dreaming of a White Boxing Day and Tiramisu

Well the chaos is over and now we can relax, knit, and enjoy a perfectly lovely snowy day… until you have to shovel the crap or drive in it.

During the holidays, I like orchestrating get-togethers….every year, I hostess a party called the “Ornament Exchange” played like a yankee swap but with ornaments. The sillier (and maybe even naughty) the ornament the better. This year, there was a merman soldier (complete with chest hair and tattoos - photo coming!), a gun toting hunter alligator, and a weight lifting gorilla….it was a lot of fun and, as usual, very competitive (to ensure walking away with a coveted prize!). I make most of the food every year and the Cauliflower Au Gratin was a big hit…the recipe is posted on the Recipe page.

Elegant doesn't need to be complicated (good thing, because if elegant were complicated, I’d have a predicament). I made a quick and easy Tiramisu for Christmas dessert to demonstrate this point and, I have to stay, it was better than some I’ve had in fancy restaurants (like I go to fancy restaurants all the time). I got this recipe on the Kraft.com website (yes, Kraft.com) and I substituted some of the specific products they required requested I use.

Quick and Easy Tiramisu

Ingredients
2 packages (3 oz each) ladyfingers, divided (these are found in the frozen food section
2 Tbsp. of instant coffee (I was instructed to use Maxwell House but I used instant espresso)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 cup of boiling water
2 packages (8 oz each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened (I used 1/3 fat)
2 Tbsp of Brandy (optional....for some)
½ cup sugar
2 cups thawed Cool Whip Lite Whipped Topping
Grated dark chocolate (again, I was instructed to use cocoa powder but I thought the grated chocolate would not only add more flavor, but would present nicely)


Arrange 1 package of ladyfingers on the bottom of a baking dish.

Combine coffee granules and 1 Tbsp. sugar and dissolve in boiling water. Brush ½ cup onto the ladyfinger in dish.

Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with mixer until creamy. Add ½ cup of sugar and brandy and mix well. Whisk in Cool Whip.

Spread half the cream cheese mixture over ladyfingers in dish, top with remaining ladyfingers and brush with remaining coffee mixture. Cover with remaining cream cheese mixture

Grate dark chocolate on top. Refrigerate for four hours.

This is the BEST Tiramisu I have ever had…seriously.