flipflop Moscato Strawberry Tiramisu

We weren't patient enough to wait until it sat up long enough
and the layers tumbled...but it surely did taste good!!!

I know I've mentioned before that I think flipflop Winery's Moscato is simply Nectar of the Gods...but I'd just cracked open an icy cold, brand new bottle while I sat in my lounger on my steamy hot deck, looking at the bay and the setting sun a couple of nights ago...and feel I simply must expound on this particular vino...again....and really, I'm not sucking up to them.  I am absolutely not obligated to say good things about their wines.  I could say it sucked, it would not be happy for them, but I could. 

However, it would be a lie, I just absolutely love it.  I will say, my husband does not.  He does not like sweet wines and screwed up his face when I asked him to taste it.  So did my friend, Ann.  They are red wine drinkers...they like Merlots and Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.  I, for one, like Moscato, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Rieslings.  Those are my great loves in the wine world.  I could go the rest of my life without drinking another red.  I feel certain my husband feels the same about my fruity whites (as he calls them).  Opposites attract.  We each get our own bottle. :-)

My first sip of the evening slid down my throat, cooling my insides, while I pressed the cold bottle to my throat (it's been abnormally hot down here).  I had a little bowl of whole strawberries with me and I thought I'd dip them in the wine.  OMG that was good.   Life is good, and made even better by this lusciously affordable wine.  $7?  Really?  Yes, really.  I think vintner, David Georges, has a bit of Dionysus in his bloodline...it's that good.

As I sat cogitating life, the laziness of the coastal evening, the pleasure of the wine, and what I wanted to bake (yep, deep thoughts there), I knew I wanted to create another recipe using this fabulous summer wine.  I'd had tiramisu recently and I started thinking about how I might make something similar...perhaps replacing the coffee, Marsala, or sharp brandy flavors with Moscato and incorporating these sweet berries I was languidly dipping in the crisp yet sweet wine.

I needed some good lady fingers and I knew I'd seen some Italian lady fingers at Zeste in the past, so I decided I would pop in and get some if they were still stocking them.  I love Zeste and don't get there often enough.  I had checked HEB, Wal-Mart, and The Blue Marlin...so Zeste was my last chance....ta da...they had just what I was seeking.  Worth noting - a reminder that Zeste has tapas on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday during the summer.  Yummmmm.... (note October 2013 - Zeste's is now out of business.  A great loss for the island)

Anyway, back to the recipe creation.  There's no zabaglione nor custard in this recipe.  I wanted it light and easy.  Here's the recipe I came up with:

flipflop Moscato Strawberry Tiramisu

Ingredients:

1 package crisp Italian lady fingers (I used Alessi Biscotti Savoiardi - there were 4 individual packets within the big packet)
11/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. flipflop Moscato wine, divided - per directions below
1 3/4 pounds of fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced
A few pretty strawberries to decorate the dessert
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
2 8 oz. containers Mascarpone cheese,
     removed from fridge one hour before beginning to prepare recipe
2 cups heavy whipping cream
6 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste
A small amount of finely grated quality chocolate

Method:

Put hulled and sliced strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of Moscato wine and the raw granulated sugar (turbinado). 

Stir and set aside on the counter top for about 30-45 minutes.

Whip the Mascarpone by hand with a spoonula until fluffy in a bowl large enough to accommodate the whipped cream eventually.

Separately, in a stand mixer, whip the cream and confectioner's sugar and both vanillas until very soft peaks form.
Lighten the Mascarpone with 1/3 of the very lightly whipped cream.  You want it to be loose.
Finish whipping the remaining cream to firm peaks and fold the rest of the whipped cream into the Mascarpone mixture.  Add 2 tablespoons Moscato to the creamed mixture and stir until incorporated.

Place 1 cup of Moscato wine in a shallow bowl and rapidly dip each lady finger in the wine and layer them into bottom of small glass baking dish or small trifle dish - one layer.  Don't dip until ready to place in dish.  I am taking a portion to a friend so I purchased some disposable 8 cup plastic containers so they don't have to think about returning dishes to me and they will be a smaller portion...perhaps not as pretty, but certainly more transportable.  Five of the Alessi lady fingers fit perfectly in the bottom of each of my containers - check with dry lady fingers before dipping so you know how they are going to fit in your container. 

Place them sugar side up after dipping.
Spoon a thin layer of whipped cream and Mascarpone mixture over the lady fingers and gently spread using an offset spatula.

Layer 1/2 of the strawberries over the whipped cream (in my case 1/4 as I was making two smaller portions).

Spread another thin layer of the of the whipped cream and Mascarpone mixture over the strawberries.

Layer another layer of lady fingers, dipped in wine, over the whipped cream mixture (the last layer had 6 lady fingers because my container was wider at the top).

Repeat process ending with whipped cream mixture. 

To summarize, I got 3 layers of lady fingers, 2 layers of strawberries and 5 layers of cream mixture, topping the last batch of lady fingers with just the cream mixture.

Refrigerate to set up and allow the lady fingers to soften before serving.  At least an hour or two.

Decorate the top of the dessert with "pretty" strawberries and more whipped cream if you desire. Dust with finely grated quality chocolate before serving.

I ran out of wine on the very last bit of lady fingers...so I dipped them in the leftover strawberry and Moscato and sugar juice.  Cripes, that was good (I sampled a lady finger dipped to make sure that was okay and I didn't need to open another bottle).  I'm thinking that might have been the ultimate dip for the lady fingers!!!  I drank what was left in the bowl...talk about nectar!  Holy smokes!

What a great summer dessert this is, using my favorite Moscato of all time.  Thanks flipflop wine - you guys have made my summer fun!

I hope my "friend" (yet unknown who that will be) will be so kind as to comment (good or bad) about how they liked this dessert.  It's a very adult dessert - and I've never made it before... but the teen is going to enjoy a piece after dinner tonight.  I doubt there's much more than a couple of tablespoons of wine per serving after all is said and done.  I think it will be okay.

I got a little caught up with this and dinner is delayed.  I had to clean out the fridge to gather enough stuff to make tonight's dinner...I'm sure you'll read about what I ended up with if it is as tasty as it smells in the oven!!!

The teen's very decorated piece - extra whip with chocolate sauce AND grated chocolate!
He ate every single morsel on the plate!

Bon Appetit, Y'all!!!

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