The Happy Home Cook: Leche Flan Tiramisu
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Leche Flan Tiramisu (Photo by Voltaire Gungab)
This version gets a Filipino touch with the addition of leche flan in the filling. The rum-syrup-dipped ladyfingers (Savoiardi from Italy for best results—see Notes below) soak up the creaminess of the mascarpone and the caramel richness of the flan. It’s an awesome combination that will satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth!
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup gold rum
Leche Flan (homemade or purchased - see Notes below)
1 7-oz package Italian Savoiardi ladyfingers (see Notes below)
1 cup whipping cream
1/8 cup turbinado sugar (e.g., Sugar in the Raw) or light brown sugar
1-1/2 cups mascarpone, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Fruit and/or mint leaves for garnish
Procedure
Make the rum syrup. Boil water and sugar uncovered in a saucepan until reduced to 1-1/4 cups, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Add gold rum, then cool and reserve in a bowl. (May be done ahead.)
Spoon caramel from the flan into a bowl and reserve for garnish. Cut flan into 1” cubes and set aside.
Using a hand beater at medium speed, whip the cream with turbinado sugar and vanilla to the soft peak stage and set aside.
Beat mascarpone in another bowl (no need to clean beaters) until soft and creamy. Add mascarpone to the whipped cream, and beat at low speed until incorporated and mixture is firm.
Dip one ladyfinger at a time in the rum syrup and turn it over. Soak for about 2 seconds per side. Do not oversoak! Arrange ladyfingers in rows on the bottom of a 7”x10” baking dish. Break 1-2 ladyfingers and use pieces to fill in gaps.
Spread half of mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers. Scatter flan pieces on top in an even layer, pushing them onto the mascarpone layer. Arrange another layer of soaked ladyfingers on the flan, pressing down gently. Lastly, spread remaining mascarpone over top, smoothing the surface with a metal spatula.
Cover tiramisu and refrigerate at least 10 hours or overnight.
To serve: Cut tiramisu into squares. Drizzle some reserved caramel syrup over the top of each serving and garnish with fruit and/or mint leaves.
Serves 8.
Notes:
Italian Savoiardi ladyfingers must be used for this recipe. Available at most grocery stores or from Amazon. American ladyfingers are thinner and too soft and fragile, and they easily crumble when dipped in the syrup.
Size of Leche Flan not specified as it will depend on the flan that’s available to you. There must be enough cubes to form a single layer.
Voltaire Gungab is based in San Francisco and currently retired after working in advertising/marketing and editing scientific articles. A self-professed foodie and recipe hound, he follows the San Francisco food scene avidly and occasionally prepares theme dinners for friends.
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