VEGAN TIRAMISU - PICK ME UP!

I was craving for a cake! Do you think because we were feeling romantic, celebrating our 19th wedding anniversary, this week? I remember our wedding cake was not vegan, 19 years ago. It was a delicious rich and chocolaty cake, a non-traditional one. If I have the chance to plan my wedding again (marrying the same guy) I would pick Tiramisu as a wedding dessert- an Italian trifle - cake or ladyfingers layered with custard and liquor and topped with whipped cream. Tiramisu means 'pick-me-up.' Maybe, it should be a 'date' dessert? By all means regular and traditional Tiramisu is not vegan. Custard is loaded with eggs, ladyfingers are made of egg white, and what about the whipped cream on top? I was wondering if I will ever eat Tiramisu again.

The answer is YES! Due to Bryanna Clark Grogan, that is! She wrote an Italian vegan cookbook titled Nonna's Italian Kitchen. When I opened the book years ago and discovered a recipe for Tiramisu, I thought, 'No way!' But yes, way, it is possible. In her recipe, the ladyfingers is replaced by her Vegan Genoise Cake. She created Cashew Creme Custard for the filling and Sweet Soy Creme for the topping. It's all in her book, page 223.

I made Bryanna's Tiramisu recipe a few times. loving it, however; I still think that it needs a whipped topping that should taste creamy and have an airy texture like a real whipped cream. Tiramisu is not perfect without a whipped cream, I think. Until recently, I discovered Soyatoo whipped soy cream. The one in the can has a lot of problem with the can. After a few squirts, nothing comes out of it anymore. I stopped buying it because it was becoming too expensive and wasteful. Then, I discovered Soyatoo sells a liquid, whippable soy cream in the box that I can whip myself with a mixer. I don't even have to order this product on-line because it's available in a nearby major supermarket. How cool is that?

Just for a 'pick-me-up experience again, I re-made Vegan Tiramisu with Soyatoo whipped soy topping, at last. I chose to serve and assemble the components in wine glasses and dessert cups. If I have to serve this dessert in a wedding, it better be a really small and special wedding because serving it this way is pretty time consuming. However, the presentation is really lovely and romantic!

The components of Vegan Tiramisu are: cut up Vegan Genoise Cake, page 222













Cashew Creme Custard, page 219, and espresso mixed with Amaretto (I used Monin Amaretto Syrup)













and Soyatoo whipped soy topping. On top, sprinkle with some powdered pure cocoa and sugar mixture. This is definitely my favorite dessert!