Twinkie Tiramisu

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Whenever we have an Italian feast day on the calendar, I usually end up making biscotti or pizzelles for a dinner treat. There are a lot of Italian saints, however, and we're getting tired of biscotti and pizzelles (or maybe I'm just tired of making them).

This Saturday is the feast of St. John Bosco, and if everyone is well (some members of the family are suffering from a lovely stomach bug), I'm going to make a family favorite, albeit atypical, variety of a well-known Italian dessert -- Tiramisu. This recipe came from Walt Disney World where it is served at one of the Disney resorts.

The use of Twinkies instead of ladyfingers may be a big turnoff for you, but I find them to be very yummy. They are soft and soak up the coffee efficiently. Plus, there's that extra "whipped cream"! The mascarpone cheese is a little pricey, and if you don't want to sink that much into a dessert, use whipped cream cheese instead. I don't usually use the brandy because I'm serving children, but you be the judge of that.

I don't have a photo, but I'll be sure to take one on Saturday.

Twinkie Tiramisu

⅓ cup water

½ cup sugar
⅔ cup strongly brewed coffee
¼ cup Italian or domestic brandy (optional)
1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream
⅓ cup sugar
2 t. vanilla
1 lb. mascarpone cheese, softened
12 Twinkies, sliced in half crosswise
cocoa powder

Combine water and sugar in saucepan.
Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve water.
Remove from heat, cool, and add coffee.
Whip cream with sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
Fold cream into softened mascarpone.
Place half the Twinkies in a layer in the bottom of
a shallow 2-quart baking or gratin dish.
Drizzle with half the coffee syrup and half the brandy, if desired..
Spread with half the mascarpone filling.
Repeat with remaining Twinkies, syrup, brandy, and mascarpone.
Smooth top with spatula.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 24 hours.
Just before serving. sprinkle lightly with cocoa.

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