Chestnut and Cranberry stuffed Turkey Breast

If you have a small group for Thanksgiving a great alternative to preparing a whole bird is to stuff a turkey breast or a few turkey thighs. I have even prepared one of each to satisfy the people who prefer the white and dark meat. This is also a nice way to prepare the meat and stuffing a week or two before and then freeze it until you are ready to have your dinner.  You can easily make the stuffing with your favourite ingredients to make this a family favourite. I like it for me and Big Pete because when there is just two of us it is a perfect size for dinner and leftovers! 

You will need:

• 1 turkey breast- butterflied
• 4 slices good quality bacon or sausages (I would use fresh Italian sausages
• 6 slices good quality white bread (not WonderBread )
• 6-8 button mushrooms
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme- chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary-chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley (preferably flat not curly)
• 1/2 cup cooked chestnuts (approx 6-8 chestnuts)
• 1 onion chopped fine
• olive oil for frying onions
• 3 green onions/scallions- chopped
• 3 cloves garlic chopped fine
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries- chopped 
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tbsp dried poultry seasoning
• 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• pancetta to cover the turkey.
• onions and garlic to form a bed under the turkey

Step 1: Start with a good quality turkey breast. It is expensive but, it goes a long way to feed a crowd or a small gathering will have decent leftovers. Butterfly the turkey to make it as uniform as possible in order to stuff and roll.

Step 2: chop bacon slices and fry until cooked and almost to the crispy stage. No wobbly fat should remain. Chop to smaller pieces.

Step 3: chop cooked chestnuts. I buy them when I see them in the market then I bake them in the oven, peel them and freeze them for when I want them. I have just thawed and chopped.

Step 4: chop onion and fry in a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Always season your food at every stage to make it flavourful. Add chopped mushrooms and  cook until water has evaporated and mushrooms are starting to brown.

Step 5: chop bread into cubes removing crusts. Do not buy WonderBread. Use a white bread with a bit of substance. I have used Cobbs  white Bread, it has no artificial ingredients and has a bit of chew to it. I have toasted it in a 350 degree oven for approx 15 minutes to dry it out. Add the toasted bread and bacon bits to a large bowl.

Step 6: add cooked onions and mushrooms, chopped chestnuts, chopped green onions to bowl.

Step 7: add chopped cranberries, parsley, thyme, rosemary,eggs, apple juice,milk and dried spices. Let liquids absorb into bread 20 minutes. You can also fry a bit to taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Step 8: sprinkle a bit more parsley on the turkey as well as salt and pepper.

Step 9: add the stuffing and get someone to help you roll up and tie the turkey to contain the stuffing. At this stage you can wrap and freeze it or roast it in the oven. I always make the roll a week or two before I serve it so that I have an easy day just preparing the vegetables and dessert.

Step 10: in a roasting pan add some olive oil and a couple of chopped onions, a few cloves of garlic and you can also roast potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnip or whatever root vegetables you like.

Step 11: I have added some slices of pancetta to the top of the turkey breast to keep it moist while roasting. Pancetta is an un-smoked bacon. I roast the turkey for 2 hours at 375 degrees F. I removed the pancetta after the first hour to let the turkey develop a nice brown top. I also sprinkle the skin with flakes of salt to get nice and crispy. If the pan gets too dry at any point you can add a splash of apple juice to deglaze and prevent burning.

Step 12: once done allow to rest at least 15 minutes before removing twine and slicing.

You can make a nice pan gravy and serve with your favourite veggies to make the perfect dinner!

Turkey Steaks with white wine mushroom pan sauce

 When you see turkey in the market why not pick it up? Turkey make a nice alternative to chicken and everyone loves it. This is quickly cooked and then a simple sauce is made in the same pan to top.

You will need:

• 4 pieces of turkey breast
• salt/pepper – to your taste
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1/4 cup white wine
•  1-2 cups sliced mushrooms (any kind)

Step 1: place turkey on a plate and drizzle with olive oil. Add salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, mustard and fresh thyme leaves. Let sit to marinate 30 minutes in fridge.

Step 2: add more olive oil to hot pan and saute approx 4 minutes on each side. 

Step 3: once browned and cooked remove from pan.

Step 4: add a bit more olive oil and the sliced mushrooms to the same pan and saute until browned around the edges. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

Step 5: once the mushrooms are dry and browned slightly add the white wine and butter. Cook for 1 minute and then add the turkey back to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes more until the sauce has reduced slightly.

I have served with the sauce and mushrooms on top. I have also cooked asparagus and broccoli spears in a pan with 2 tbsp of water and 2 tbsp olive oil. I cover the pan and wait until I can hear that the water has evaporated and the oil is starting to fry the vegetables. This way I have steamed them for a few minutes and then I serve with a squeeze of lemon and salt/pepper.

Grilled Salmon with Miso Glaze

This is another easy grilled salmon marinated and served with a quick Miso Glaze. 

This my idea of fast food on a busy night.

You will need:

Miso Glaze

• 2 pieces of salmon (wild if you can get it)
• 2 tbsp miso paste 
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp mirin (Japanese sweetened Sake- avail in any grocery store)
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tbsp soy sauce

Topping 

• grated lemon zest
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• fresh ground pepper

Step 1: add all ingredients to a small pan and on medium heat stir until miso is dissolved and ingredients are incorporated. 

Step 2: drizzle fish with olive oil, a bit of grated lemon zest and fresh pepper. Marinate for 30 minutes before grilling fish.

Step 3: heat grill to medium/high heat. Put fish on hot grill with the skin side down and close lid. Grill for 4 minutes until skin is crispy and easy lifts. Flip and grill for 2 more minutes. Serve with more glaze and your favourite grilled veggies. I have partially cooked some carrots and then tossed in olive oil. I grilled the asparagus and carrots along with the fish. I have also skewered some shrimp and brushed with the same glaze. The timing was the same for all items so it made for a quick dinner.

Maple Bacon Bourbon Pecan Pie

Maple syrup bacon bits on top of a bourbon pecan pie, served with bourbon whipped cream. It’s rich and decadent and the sweet and salty bacon bits on top go so well with the smooth sweetened cream and the flaky pastry. It might sound crazy but, you have to try it. 

You will need:

Crust

• 1 1/4 cup flour (all purpose or cake & pastry flour)
• 1 stick unsalted butter (cubed and frozen)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar (I used vanilla sugar)
• 4-6 tbsp iced cold water

Filling

• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 4 tbsp melted butter
• 3 eggs – room temperature
• 2 tbsp best quality bourbon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups pecan halves

Topping

• 6 slices best quality bacon- this is where you buy the special bacon from a great market that makes their own (I hate to continually say it but……like Lepp Farm Market in Abbotsford, BC)
•  1/4 cup maple syrup

 Bourbon Whipped Cream

• 1 cup (small container) whipping cream
• 2-3 tbsp vanilla sugar
• 1-2 tbsp bourbon (I make my own bourbon vanilla so I used that- you just take a bottle of bourbon and split some vanilla beans & leave it. Lasts forever.

Use good bourbon and real maple syrup for the best results.

Step 1: in a food processor prepare pie crust. Add flour, salt and vanilla sugar. Pulse a few times. Add a stick of butter that has been cubed and frozen for 30 minutes. Pulse 10 times. Add 4 tbsp of ice water and pulse 5 times. If it needs the additional cold water add it and pulse 2 more times. It should look crumbly but, if you pinch it in your hands it will hold together. Do not over mix the dough to keep it nice and flaky. Pull everything out of the processor and quickly form a ball and wrap in plastic. Keep in fridge at least 30 minutes while you prepare the filling and topping.

Step 2: in a small pot or in the microwave melt the butter and the brown sugar until smooth and dissolved. Takes like a minute.

Step 3: in a bowl add the ingredients for the filling. Add the eggs, maple syrup, bourbon, salt (I used Woodford Reserve) and vanilla (I had made some vanilla bourbon so I used that ) Whisk to make sure eggs get incorporated. Add the slightly cooled butter and brown sugar and whisk to combine. Add pecans stir and set aside.

Step 4: Take out pie dough from fridge. Roll out with a bit of flour to avoid sticking to rolling pin or counter. Roll to slightly larger than pie plate. I like glass because you can cut on it and it will not ruin the pan. It also cooks well and you can see if the bottom of the crust is browned and done. I have folded over the excess dough and created a basic crimped crust. Put crust in freezer for 30 minutes before baking.

Step 5: pour pie filling in frozen crust and place on sheet to avoid spills. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F. Watch it in the last 10 minutes to prevent burning if your oven bakes too hot.

Once baked remove to cool. I like this pie warm but, you can also eat it completely cooled if you prefer.

Step 6: whip cream with vanilla and sugar to make stiff peaks. You can also add 1 tsp of powdered milk to keep the whipping cream from separating in the fridge. The dried milk stabilizes the cream but, if you don’t have it you can always re-whip it slightly when you are ready to serve.

Fry your bacon on medium to low to avoid burning. I like it to be well cooked but, just before becoming  crispy. Once it is a minute before being done add the maple syrup and cook for a minute to coat bacon and get sticky. Drain on paper towel and quickly remove to another bowl or the bacon will cool and stick to the paper towels. I like the bacon to be sticky and chewy.

 slice and serve with sweet cream!!

Fiery Texas Chili – served two ways!

 Mike Adams a friend of mine just moved to Dallas recently and it made me think of Texas Chili! YUM.

Texas Chili is different from your average chili for a few reasons. It is made with chunks of beef instead of ground and normally there are no beans and no tomato sauce in it. 

 I made this chili yesterday in the crock pot and it was truly spectacular! It was hotter than my normal chili (my friends Randy and Martine would love it because it was so good and hot –  although they would probably still want it even hotter!) however, it was so rounded and delicious that it wasn’t stupid hot, so your average human couldn’t eat it. 

I have added a variety of fresh chilies that I roasted and I added a bit of chocolate and honey right at the end which made it very dark and rich. I also found that if you used it in a soft taco the other ingredients tamed the heat a bit.  

Big Pete went nuts! He thought it was the best chili I have ever made, and that’s saying something cause I have made plenty of good chili’s in my day.

 You have gotta make this one! Get yourself some great quality meat (like they sell at Lepp Farm Market in Abbotsford BC! man I miss that store.) and do the prep the night before and turn on the crock pot in the morning for a crazy good dinner.

You will need:

 for 2 greedy people or 3-4 normal humans especially if you make tacos it goes farther .

• 2 lbs of good quality beef -I have used Sirloin 
• olive oil
• 1 onion
• 3-4 cloves garlic chopped fine
• 6-8 chilies – a variety of difference chilies (normally dry are used but I found a medley of hot peppers in a package and thought this would be a good place to use them) 
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp fresh black pepper
• 1- 2 tbsp chili powder (mine was ancho chili powder)
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 heaping tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 small ripe tomatoes (this is not normal but, it was some extra moisture and flavour.)
• 3 tbsp honey (add just before serving)
• 2 squares of good dark chocolate (I used Lindt dark salted chocolate- available in any grocery store)

Start with a good quality piece of Sirloin you can either buy it in cubes or in a large piece and you can cut your own. I went to a small butcher in my area that had some nice looking cubed.

Step 1: in a dry pan toast your chilies until they are black and soft. I was going to roast them right on my gas stove like they do on TV but, they were too small and would fall right through! Maybe another time with some bigger peppers. I have 6 of the peppers I bought in a package of mixed hot peppers and 2 jalapenos and 2 small sweet red peppers. This may take 5-10 minutes. Once they are done put them in a bowl and put plastic wrap over them for a few minutes to get them to sweat. Once they are softened peel off the skin, pull of stem and remove seeds from the insides. Then chopped finely. If you  want to add more heat leave the seeds. Mine was perfect without the seeds and it was plenty hot.

Step 2: Pat meat dry with paper towels and sear on high heat with some olive oil to develop a bit of carmelization. Heat the pan and add oil at the last second before the meat. I have also added a bit of pepper to meat. Not a good photo but, the meat was browned on at least 2 sides. Remove from pan and add to crock pot.

Step 3: in the pan you cooked the meat add some more olive oil and saute your onions to remove all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Never leave all that flavour. Once the onion starts to brown add the garlic and the chopped tomato. Cook for a minute to make sure the pan gets cleaned. Add everything to crock pot with meat. The 2 tomatoes adds a bit more moisture without adding too much even though it is not traditional to Texas Chili. It’s just a little cheat.

Step 4: add all spices: cumin, pepper, chili powder, dried oregano, cinnamon and brown sugar. If you want to really do it right you can use whole spices and grind them fresh and toast them by adding them to the garlic and onions to bloom. You will notice that there is not a lot of liquid in the crock pot and you don’t need much since the meat also has moisture in it. Turn on the crock pot and cook 4 hours on high or longer and lower if you prefer.

Step 5: just before serving add 2 pieces of chocolate and the honey. Mix and serve as a chili with your favourite toppings. You can add guacamole, sour cream, cheddar cheese, chopped onion etc.  It is a rich almost black sauce and you can leave the meat in big chunks or break it apart slightly for more of a pulled beef look.

Big Pete loved it in a bowl 

I loved it as a soft taco with deep rich flavour and lots of heat.

I have to say we were the two greedy people that ate the whole thing!! WOW.

Honey Wine Chorizo

This is a really simple thing you can do to fancy up your favourite sausages as an appetizer.

You will need:

• a few hot sausages-I have used 2- they can be fresh or cured- fresh just takes longer to cook
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3 tbsp honey

I have used a spicy dry cured chorizo sausage but I have also made this with fresh hot Italian sausages or even a farmers sausage. I use a spicy sausage because I like the contrast with the sweet honey. I have found a good butcher in my area that makes a good quality sausage.

Step 1: peel casing and slice sausage on the diagonal. I have used 2 sausages, 1/2 cup of white wine and 3 tbsp good quality honey. Cook on medium heat until the white wine is almost evaporated. This will take approximately 10 minutes. You don’t want this done too quickly or the honey will burn. 

serve this spicy, sticky, sweet little bite with your favourite cocktail. 

Careful they are addictive!

Cathy’s Spicy Garlic Oil and Tomato Penne

When I was recently in Honduras my friend Cathy made this incredible penne pasta. It is a cross between Penne Arabiata and Spaghetti Al Olio which are my two favourites. It’s got lots of oil and garlic and some tomato and spicy chilies along with the fresh taste of basil and parsley. Toss and add a generous amount of fresh grated Parmegianno Reggiano and it is perfect!

You will need:

• 1 box of penne noodles
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1 white onion
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 small can of crushed tomatoes
• 3-4 green onions
• 1/2 tsp hot chili flakes
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped basil 
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley (flat Italian not that tasteless curly kind!)
• 1 tbsp dry Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp dry oregano
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Step 1: in a food processor add onions, parsley and basil. Mince until fine.

Step 2: in a large pan saute with olive oil and chili flakes and the onion mixture. Cook 3-4 minutes until just starting to brown.

Step 3: in the food processor add the tomatoes, another tbsp more of basil, parsley and garlic. Puree.

Step 4: add to the pan with the onion mixture and cook a few minutes more.

Step 5: boil the water and cook penne according to directions on box so that pasta is al dente (which means to the tooth and means it still has a bit of bite to it) Drain and put pasta directly in sauce.

Step 6: toss and cook for 1-2 minutes more.

serve with fresh Parmesan. Eat right away.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagne

Lasagne is a labor of love for me. If I am making you lasagne you are someone special. It does take some time to prepare however, for a special person it’s so worth it. This lasagne was lovingly prepared for my dear friends Mary Ann and Gina who I hadn’t seen in ages.

When I make lasagne often I prepare 2 and freeze one for a later date. You can roast the vegetables in the oven or grill them if you prefer. There are lots of components but, of course you can buy the noodles and sauce and get the cheese already shredded to speed up the steps.

 But, if you want something really special make it all from scratch! 

You will need:

• 1 eggplant
• 1-2 zucchini (depending on size if they are small get 2)
• 1 red pepper
• 1 orange pepper (you could also use roasted peppers in a jar)
• 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• salt/pepper

• 2 cups chopped mushrooms
• 1 onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• salt/pepper
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme

Tomato Sauce

• 1 796ml can of crushed tomatoes 
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• salt/pepper
• 2 cloves crushed garlic

Ricotta Layer

• 1 small container ricotta
• 1 small bag fresh spinach cooked -squeezed dry and chopped
• 2 green onions
• 1/2 tsp fresh nutmeg
• salt/pepper

Bechamel Sauce

• 1 clove crushed garlic
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 cups milk (more if necessary)
• 1/2 tsp fresh nutmeg
• 1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesano Reggiano

Pasta Noodles

• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt

grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheese for topping approx 1/2 cup (more if you like)

Step 1: slice eggplant, zucchini and peppers so they are almost the same size. Toss with salt, pepper, olive oil, Italian Seasoning and roast in 400 degree F oven for 15 minutes, then flip and continue another 15-20 minutes until they are browned and cooked. Place peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes to loosen skin, then peel off. Set aside.

Step 2: slice onion and saute in olive oil on medium heat until starting to brown and carmelize. Approx 10 minutes.

Step 3: chop mushrooms and add to the partially cooked onions. Add chopped garlic, fennel seeds  fresh thyme and butter. Continue to cook on medium heat until mushrooms are browned slightly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Step 4: add fresh basil,parsley and a can of crushed tomatoes to a blender. Add salt, pepper and garlic. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

Step 5: drain the ricotta for at least 1 hour. Cook the spinach in a cup of water until wilted (takes 4-5 minutes) drain and squeeze until most of the water is removed. I squeeze in my hands then use a paper towel and squeeze out almost all liquid. Chop spinach and green onions and add to drained ricotta. Add an egg, salt, pepper and a bit of fresh nutmeg (not too much) and mix. Set aside.

Step 6: Add all ingredients for pasta to food processor and blend until it forms a stiff dough.(1 minute approx) Gather all dough and wrap in plastic and set aside at least 30 minutes before rolling out pasta.

Step 7: prepare Bechamel by melting butter, then adding flour and cooking for at least 1-2 minutes while stiring. Add milk and allow to thicken by cooking 2 more minutes. If it is too thick you can add a bit more milk (1/4 cup) Add cheese and grated nutmeg and set aside once it is a thick smooth sauce.

Step 8: prepare lasagne sheets by cutting dough into 8 pieces and running it through a pasta roller from large to small. I like my noodles to be thinner rather than the thick kind you can buy in the grocery store. I think it makes a silky gorgeous noodle in the lasagne and people always comment on how different it tastes. While you are rolling out all 8 pieces I keep the finished ones on a floured tea towel. They will dry out a bit which is fine. I also cut them in half for easier management.

Step 9: I boil water with olive oil in it (this is the only time I would ever put oil in the water because I  don’t want them to stick together  and I need to boil all the noodles before assembling the lasagne. I cook each noodle for 1 minute (no more)

Once they come out of the water I place them on a heavily oiled cookie sheet and continue to add oil to each noodle and continue to stack until all noodles are partially cooked. They can cool this way and they will not stick together.

Now to assemble the lasagene! There are lots of pictures to show you different layers. You want sauce on each side of the noodles but, you don’t need to use lots. I normally make a meat lasagne with 2 layers maybe 3 tops but, this one is jam packed full of vegetables and lots of flavour.

start with sauce on the bottom

lasagne noodle -it doesn’t have to fit perfectly or of course you can always use a square pan.

bit of sauce

eggplant slices

a bit of bechamel and sauce

a bit of mozzarella

lasagne noodle, then ricotta and a bit of sauce

another noodle

mushroom layer, with some sauce and cheese

another noodle, peppers sliced and skin removed,zucchini, sauce

another noodle, sauce, bechamel and some cheese to top. You can also sprinkle a bit of parsley

Bake covered (with a piece of foil loosely tented to avoid sticking to the cheese) 30 minutes and 30 minutes uncovered in a 350 degrees oven (watch it so that it gets as browned as you like) Everything is basically already cooked you are just heating through and melting the topping.

Wait 10 minutes before cutting. Enjoy a giant piece with a nice glass of wine and some good bread. You will be amazed at how good all those veggies taste. You can make easily change this recipe to add the vegetables you love the best.

Baramundi with Kiwi Salsa

This is a nice white fish fillet that cooks quickly and is topped with a fresh salsa made with  kiwi. Add a fresh salad and some layered potatoes for a great weeknight dinner.

You will need:

• 2 fish fillets- thawed in fridge
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• butter/olive oil
• 1/2 tsp lemon pepper
• salt
• 1 tomato – cubed
• 1 kiwi- chopped fine
• 1/4 onion- chopped fine
• 1/2 avocado cubed fine
• 1/2 fresh limes -squeezed
• fresh chopped cilantro
• salt/pepper

Step 1: Thaw the frozen fillets in fridge.

Step 2: chop all ingredients and blend with lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Step 2:  Fry fish in a bit of butter/oil. Sprinkle tops with lemon pepper and salt. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side.

I have served mine with the salsa on top and a spinach salad on the side along with some scalloped potatoes that I have sliced and baked until crispy.

Amaretti Tiramisu

I love Tiramisu which means “pick me up” in Italian. Normally it is made with Lady Fingers also called Savoiardi Biscuits. I have used Amaretti cookies and Savoiardi Biscuits. Amaretti  are the little round almond cookies you get when you order a cappuccino. You can certainly use just the Savoiardi Biscuits or try it this way with both for a change. You need to make this several hours in advance of serving it so that the coffee and rum get absorbed into the biscuits and it turns into a lovely creamy cakey dessert.

You will need:

• 30 Amaretti cookies (this was perfect for a pie plate that I used)
• 1 package of Savoiardi Biscuits = 12 biscuits

• 1 small tub of Marscapone cheese (275 grams) – room temperature
• 3 large eggs yolks – room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp rum

• 1 cup strong coffee or espresso – cooled
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp rum

• 1 small container whipping cream =1 cup
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 3 tbsp sugar

• cocoa powder /shaved chocolate to top

Step 1: put marscapone (pronounced Mar-sca-pone- ay… not Mar-sca-pone) cheese and egg yolks in a bowl and whisk until combined and smooth.

Step 2: add 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tbsp rum and mix well.

Step 3: in another bowl whip the whipping cream with vanilla (in this case I made my own vanilla rum so I used it) and 3 tbsp sugar until stiff peaks. 

Step 4: in a dish large enough to fit the Savoiardi Biscuits add the coffee with the sugar and rum. Stir until sugar is disolved. You can also add the sugar when the coffee is hot and then just add the rum once it is cooled.

Step 4: fold the whipped cream mixture into the marscapone mixture until smooth and incorporated.

Step 5: you are now ready to assemble. Dip the Amaretti cookies in the coffee rum mixture and flip over for approx 10 seconds. You want the cookie wet but, don’t leave it in so long that it falls apart.  I did 4 at at time. If you look at the dipped cookies in this picture there is not allot of liquid surrounding them. You want them to soften but, they should not be mush.

Step 6: add half the marscapone, whipped cream mixture over the Amaretti layer and carefully spread to cover. Sprinkle some cocoa powder over a sieve.

Step 7: dip the Savoiardi Biscuits in the coffee and make the next layer. You can break the biscuits to fit. Once again remember to dip for a few seconds on each side. Do not leave in the coffee too long. I found this amount of coffee is perfect for the 2 layers.

Step 8: cover with the remaining cream and top with cocoa or cocoa powder and some shaved chocolate if you like. Leave in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.

YUM