In Italy we are all professed coffee experts or we like to think so and a coffee that has a specific brand on it- like a designer label-is always looked upon with favor, so we are somewhat coffee snobs and have designer brands we favor. Most are coffees that are roasted right in Italy and brought in from Africa or South America.
But have you ever imagined or thought of trying a coffee from Hawaii? Well think of it – a strong beautiful sun is there to nourish those beans with a rich soil to flourish in.
Well if you profess to be a coffee snob and think of South America & Africa having the best coffee beans in the world try Kona Luna Coffee. It is smooth and no bitter after taste, so no ‘acida’ (acid stomach). This company gives their coffee plants tender loving care and you can taste it in the quality of their coffee. Always perfect, and roasted equally to perfection not burnt but roasted to bring out the flavor of the bean.
One of the secrets of true not bitter, superior taste is that the coffee is made from 100% Kona Luna Beans, they’re not mixed with other beans of less quality that would diminish the quality of the taste. And this is evident of the clarity of the flavor.
My Kona Luna Coffee blend of choice is Mahalo Mudslinger- it works well in my recipes & can be substitued for espresso. It comes across as a bold wake your senses up type of taste and is the perfect morning eye opener or afternoon pick me up..which brings to mind my recipe for a ‘lighter Tiramisu’. I have included the recipe here, enjoy Mahalo Mudslinger in the recipe as well as a cup of it with it…
Tiramisu
1 1/2 cups Mahalo Mudslinger or espresso coffee
2 teaspoons sugar
4 medium eggs
1/2 cup and 2 tsps. sugar
1 lb mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
35-40 savoiardi (ladyfinger cookies)
2 tablespoons bitter cocoa powder
4 ounces of dark dark chocolate shaved (for top of cake)
Prepare a strong coffee. Dissolve two teaspoons sugar in it, while the coffee is still hot. Let the coffee cool to room temperature. Separate egg yolks from egg whites into 2 different bowls.
Add ¼ cup sugar to egg yolks and beat till creamy. In separate bowl, beat mascarpone cheese till creamy. Continue beating while adding in (a little at a time) egg yolk/sugar mixture.
Then beat egg whites with ¼ cup sugar and pinch of salt till soft peaks form. Fold egg whites gently into mascarpone mixture with wooden spoon.
Dip half of the ladyfingers in the coffee and place in the pan in a single layer.
Spread half of the mascarpone cream on the layer of ladyfingers.
Dip the remaining ladyfingers in the coffee and spread the remaining mascarpone cream on top of second layer of ladyfingers.
Sprinkle with cocoa powder and decorate with chocolate shavings and refrigerate for about three to four hours.
This is the original tiramisu recipe. If you want to make this a bit lighter, I find that a mixture of 1-8 ounce container of plain low-fat yogurt whipped together with 1-8 ounce package of non-fat or low-fat cream cheese makes a great lower calorie substitute for the mascarpone cheese and eggs.
Substitute artificial sweetener for the sugar although there is not that much sugar in the recipe.
Ladyfingers are not high in calories and the small amount of cocoa and chocolate are fine and not loaded with calories.
So either way you can enjoy the dessert!
For more great recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at https://www.marialiberati.com
