oh thank heaven!

if there's one thing i love it's melt in your mouth desserts... and this, let me tell you is one of 'em! my sister is always requesting i make these... and i oblige as often as i can... but these do take a little time... but they are well worth it in the end!

these are my homemade tiramisu cupcakes... made from a delicate angel food cake and topped with a fluffy marscapone coffee cream (you might have noticed i love using marscapone in making some frostings)... simply delicious! and when it's paired up with a tall glass of cold milk, a cup of coffee or for me it's usually an espresso or latte...oh boy... it just makes me smile!

my favorite angel food cake recipe is by alton brown... i love that guy...

angel food cake recipe (adapted from alton brown):

1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cake flour, sifted
12 egg whites (the closer to room temperature the better)
1/3 cup warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or extract of your choice
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a food processor spin sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine. Sift half of the sugar with the salt the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside.
3. In a large bowl, use a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine egg whites, water, vanilla extract, and cream of tartar.

4. After 2 minutes, switch to a hand mixer, or stand mixer. Slowly sift the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed.

5. Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.
6. Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased and unlined cupcake tins till about 2/3 full and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean... anywhere between 15-18 minutes.

7. Let them cool completely in the pan and carefully release them from the pan... sometimes you might need to run a knife around the sides of the cupcake to unstick it.

now that the cake part is finished, i gently soak the tops of them with a little simple syrup that i made by boiling together 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water and a handful espresso beans... you could also use some strong brewed coffee or some espresso... but just let me tell you, unlike lady fingers which are used in classic tiramisu and are a bit on the dry side, these cupcakes are super moist, so you dont want to make them soggy... so be careful and use it sparingly if you decide to!

now the marscapone cream is made like any other time you would make tiramisu... a combo of 8ozs. marscapone, 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar and a tsp. vanilla extract... beat them all together until combined, scraping down the sides, and then beat in 1/3 cup of kahlua or any coffee flavored liqueur.

now as for decorating... you can go as simple or as overboard as you like... for these i sifted a little cocoa powder on top, a few bittersweet chocolate shavings, and then a coffee and espresso flavored malt balls... did i overdo it??

i dont think so... just so goooooooood! like little bites of heaven!!