Mini Tiramisu Cups with Pralines Recipe
(Cooked Eggs, No Raw Eggs)

A tiny serving of a decadent dessert, adding up to just a few calories, easy to make and perfect for New Years and other festive occasions. It's tiramisu – except that the eggs are cooked, not raw – served in little dessert cups, layered with ground pralines if you like or the more traditional cocoa powder if you prefer.

Regular readers, remember how I promised a special dessert recipe based on Bourbon Pralines? This is it!

Mini Tiramisu Cups with Pralines

… therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.

-John Donne,
17th-century author

The New Year Diet Bell is tolling, people, we hear it sounding in the back of our heads, dong, dong, dong. Just another slice of that Christmas ham? Dong. Another glass of Homemade Eggnog? Dong, dong. Paying extra attention to the Christmas cookie plate? Dong, dong, dong.

Well hang on, all, because there are just one or two more holiday gatherings to steel ourselves through. Then for many of us, we can warily step back onto our scales and either moan with dismay or breathe a small sign of relief.

Either way, we’ll welcome the salad spareness that is January, the busy-ness of the holidays over, our lives back to every-day healthy work and play and yes, eating.

Still, New Years is just so festive, yes? With an eye on tomorrow’s scale-stepping – and because rich food just doesn’t taste as good as it first did early in the season – consider serving an “indulgent” dessert like tiramisu but in tiny portions, just enough to pique our dessert fancy, just enough to satisfy.

These little Mini Tiramisu Cups were the crowd favorite at a holiday dessert tasting we hosted in early December.

All credit for the styling goes to 15-year old Erika and 13-year old Kayla, who were able, creative pastry chefs as we put the party together at the last minute. Thanks, girls, I’ll cook with you any day!

ALANNA’s TIPS Mostly tiramisu is made with uncooked eggs, here the eggs are first cooked in a rich custard, then the usual mascarpone and whipped cream are blended in. Where did those cute little mini cups come from? Bed, Bath and Beyond! It’s a party-givers’ heaven, that section of glass. A dozen champagne glasses, a dozen wine glasses, are just $10. Keep the boxes, they make for easy dust-free storage, making the next party extra-easy. I was lucky to find Praline Cream Filled Wafer cookies from Papadopoulos (for St. Louisans, at Global Foods in Kirkwood), each one added only 40 calories. Many grocery stores carry several varieties in the cookie section, chances are, you’ll find something similar.
Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Do you have a favorite recipe for New Years that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Send a recipe via a quick e-mail to recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. Follow Kitchen Parade on Facebook!

MINI TIRAMISU CUPS with PRALINES RECIPE

Hands-on time: 25 minutes for custard, 5 minutes to fill
Time to table: 4 hours
Makes 4 cups Tiramisu Custard
    TIRAMISU CUSTARD
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 4 tablespoons sugar (or 6 tablespoons for more sweetness)
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon dry sherry (recommended), marsala, bourbon or vanilla
  • 8 ounces mascarpone, room temperature
  • 1 cup heavy cream, whipped
    TO SERVE
  • Ground pralines, see Bourbon Pralines or more traditionally, unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Cigarette cookies or more traditionally, lady fingers

TIRAMISU CUSTARD In a heavy saucepan, whisk the eggs and sugar until smooth, then the milk. Turn heat to medium and cook until thick, stirring occasionally at first and continuously as the mixture begins to heat up. You’ll know when it’s done when the frothy bubbles on top pop and the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and stir another minute or two to help it cool, then stir in the flavoring. Continue to cool, stirring occasionally. (Now’s a good time to whip the cream and grind the pralines.)

Whisk half the mascarpone into the egg mixture, then the remaining half. With a spatula, fold in the whipped cream, gently so not to deflate the air. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Can be made a day or two ahead.

TO SERVE Up to an hour before serving, if needed, re-stir the Tiramisu Cream. Transfer to a quart-size freezer bag, snip one corner. Squeeze the mixture into a glass dessert cup, getting right down in there and filling about a third to halfway. Dust with ground pralines, then fill the rest of the way (do allow room for the cookie). Dust again if you like. If serving a little later, refrigerate. Just before serving, insert the cookie into the dessert cup. Serve and savor!

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Tiramisu Custard Only, assumes 4T/8T serving: 137/274 Calories; 12/25g Tot Fat; 7/15g Sat Fat; 60/120mg Cholesterol; 14/28mg Sodium; 4/8g Carb; 0g Fiber; 3/7g Sugar; 1/3g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS WW Old Points 4/7.5, WW PointsPlus 4/7
As Pictured, Mini Tiramisu Cups with Pralines, assumes 3T Tiramisu Custard, 2 teaspoons ground pralines, 1 wafer cookie: 154 Calories; 12g Tot Fat; 7g Sat Fat; 60mg Cholesterol; 14mg Sodium; 10g Carb; 0g Fiber; 5g Sugar; 2g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS WW Old Points 4, WW PointsPlus 4 This recipe has been Alanna-sized with reductions in sugar and portion size, increases in flavor and texture.
Adapted from Tiramisu: A Recipe for Easy Entertaining, a recipe from a new food blog by Judy Evans, former food editor (and my editor) at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The Crowd Favorite


Mini Tiramisu Cups with Pralines

Mini Tiramisu Cups with Pralines were the favorite dessert when we hosted a Holiday Dessert Tasting early in December. Aren't they too cute?!


This Week, Years Past 2002 - 2011

Savory Pecans Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Salad Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Soup Black Pepper Almonds Smoked Turkey Chowder Mini Crab Bites Glöggi (Hot Red Mulled Wine) Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix


More Recipes for New Year's

(hover for a description, click a photo for a recipe)
Glöggi - Mulled Wine Bacon-Wrapped Dried Apricots Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Salad
~ Hoppin' John Soup ~
~ Braised Collard Greens ~
~ New Year's Turnip Greens ~
from A Veggie Venture, my food blog
~ more New Year's recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade





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Alanna Kellogg
Alanna Kellogg

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

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