A: Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of VOV 24/7’s“Food delight”. We’re … and …, and we’re very happy to be on the air with you. 

B: Hello A, Hello you guys. What food shall we introduce to our listener today?

A: Well, I’m thinking of “Tiramisu”, one of the most popular Italian desserts. 

B: Hum. “Tiramisu” is also one of my most cherished cakes. With smooth sweetly layers of cake, creamy cheese, a nice coffee fragrance, and cocoa powder, the cake will definitely leave a beautifully lingering taste in the top of your tongue.

A: Wow, impressive, hah. In Italy, there’s a story about a woman making Tiramisu for her husband as he was being sent off to war. The cake, which was full of love and hope, reminds the soldier of his wife waiting for him and to come back safely.  

B: What profound meaning the cake has, so when we enjoy the cake, we will absolutely think of our beloved one, right?

With smooth sweetly layers of cake, creamy cheese, a nice coffee fragrance, and cocoa powder, the cake will definitely leave a beautifully lingering taste in the top of your tongue  (Source: Clickitab.com)

A: Yep. And, luckily, I met Huong Thao, a famous food blogger from Ho Chi Minh City. And she will teach us how to make this wonderful cake. 

B: Huong Thao? The name sounds familiar, hah. Uhm. Let me guess. Is she the one who published a cook book named “Strawberry Garden”, introducing recipes with fruits and vegetables as the main ingredients?

A: You’re so right, B. 

Food blogger Huong Thao (Source: Thao's official FB)

B: Great. Now, Ms Huong Thao will tell us the necessary ingredients for this cake. “If you don't bake at all, you can start by making tiramisu because it’s simple to make and easy to make a success of.  The ingredients for this classic Italian dessert are easy to prepare. They include mascarpone - an Italian cheese made from cream, ladyfinger - a kind of sweet sponge biscuits roughly shaped like a large finger, Kahlua - a coffee and rum based liquor from Mexico, whipping cream, eggs, coffee, and cocoa powder. You can even add fruits like mango, strawberries, kiwi, and peach to impart the cake’s flavor.”

It is completely worth the effort because the tiramisu cake is rich and has the perfect balance of coffee, Kahlua flavors, and light and fluffy mascarpone cheese (Source: Huong Thao's official FB)

A: Now we have all the necessary ingredients, right?

B: Yep. The cake is not easy to make, and requires lots of patience. Let’s check out what Ms Huong Thao talk about the baking steps. “Put the egg yolks, sugar and Kahlua into a heatproof bowl, then set over a large pan of simmering water. Whisk until the mixture is thick and trebles in volume. Remove the mixture from the heat and wait until it has totally cooled down before gradually and gently folding it into the mascarpone cheese and whipped cream. Afterwards, dip each ladyfinger one by one into the coffee syrup and layer them in a container with the mascarpone mixture. Top with a second cake layer, and repeat the procedure. Put the cake in fridge and keep it for a minimum of 6 hours. Remember to dust the cake with cocoa powder before serving”

A: Wow. 6 hours. Waiting for such a long time. 

B: It is completely worth the effort because the tiramisu cake is rich and has the perfect balance of coffee, Kahlua flavors, and light and fluffy mascarpone cheese. 

This Tiramisu is silky smooth and extra special that it could make the best dessert or tea-time treat ever (Source: Cheeseberry.com)

A: Ok, ok. Got that. Now, let’s meet Thao again to hear some of her tips to impart the cake’s flavor. “You should always pay attention to the temperature when mixing the eggs with Kahlua wine. You should dip the ladyfinger into the coffee syrup for appropriate time as the sponge biscuits can fully absorb flavor from the syrup. The combination of the creamy cheese, the specific smell Kahlua wine, the spongy ladyfinger, and the bitter cacao powder makes the cake famous not only in Italy, but worldwide” 

B: Well. From the spongy ladyfinger cake to the coffee syrup it is soaked in, to the creamy mascarpone topping, and then the finishing touch of a cocoa powder dusting. Oh A. This cake just simply melts my fragile heart.

A: And mine too. Godness me. This Tiramisu is silky smooth and extra special that it could make the best dessert or tea-time treat ever. Just leave the busy life right now at your front door and dim yourself in the romance of Italian love songs and enjoy this classical Italian Tiramisu cake with a cup of coffee.   How sweet and amazing that would be. For now, good bye. We will catch you next time on VOV 24/7’s Food Delight.