Cannoli Poke Cake
Made by Lidia Vlahakis for the March 19 dinner-meeting

Ingredients
  • 16 oz cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 box white cake mix (15.25–16 oz)
  • 3 large eggs (or ¾ cup egg substitute)
  • 1 cup water
  • ⅓ cup canola oil
  • ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 ½ cups miniature chocolate morsels, divided
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 sugar cones, coarsely crushed
Prep
  • Place cream cheese and butter out to soften.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.

Steps
  1. Coat 13- x 9-inch baking dish with spray. Prepare cake mix following package instructions (using eggs, water, and oil), then pour into prepared baking dish. Bake 23–28 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  2. Poke holes evenly throughout warm cake using handle of wooden spoon. Pour condensed milk evenly over cake, then sprinkle with 1 cup chocolate morsels. Cool 30 minutes, then chill 30 minutes (or overnight).
  3. Place cream cheese and butter in large bowl; beat with electric mixer until combined. Add vanilla, ricotta, and sugar; beat until combined and smooth. Crush sugar cones.
  4. Spread frosting evenly over cake. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Sprinkle with cone pieces and remaining 1/2 cup chocolate morsels before serving.

Tiramisu

Picture
Made by Tony Branco for the February 22 dinner-meeting

Ingredients
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 3/4-cup sugar -- superfine
  • 2/3-cup milk
  • 1 1/4-cups heavy cream
  • 1/2-teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pound marscapone cheese at room temperature
  • 1/4-cup espresso at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons of rum
  • 2 (3-ouce) packages of ladyfingers (Savoiardi style)
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions
  1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well blended. Whisk in milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Boil gently for 1 minute, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Cover tightly and chill in refrigerator 1 hour.
  2. In a medium bowl, beat cream with vanilla until stiff peaks form.
  3. Whisk mascarpone into yolk mixture until smooth.
  4. In a small bowl, combine coffee and rum. Quickly dip ladyfingers one at a time into the bowl.
  5. Arrange half of soaked ladyfingers in bottom of a 7x11 inch dish. Spread half of mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers, then half of whipped cream over that. Repeat layers and sprinkle with cocoa. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours, until set.

"La dolche vita" - The sweet life