thinking about a layered dessert

[ppfuf]

GM and I went to a cute little French restaurant in Mountain View last night, it was good. We got the 1/2 duck in citrus sauce and the herb-crusted lamb rack. The best of the side dishes was the thin-cut potatoes baked with cheese and béchamel, and the delicately sweetened beets. The beets reminded me of really good baked yams. Anyway, on the dessert menu was a raspberry tiramisu which sounded very good, so I asked the girl if it was espresso flavored like an Italian tiramisu. Sadly she said yes, it was, so we got some really good chocolate mousse instead. 
But now I'm playing with the idea of making a non-espresso tiramisu (which will really be some sort of trifle, I think). Have you made a tiramisu or eaten enough of them to tell me what are the really important parts? I think I'd like to soak (or just dip) the ladyfingers in Bonny Doon Framboise and layering them with a dark chocolate custard. When I've made trifle before I've used cake, rather than ladyfingers, so any advice on making/soaking ladyfingers would be helpful too.

Comments

[vittoriosa.livejournal.com]

Here's a non-coffee version of tiramisu that was in the NY Times recently: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/dining/02apperex.html?_r=1&emc=eta1 (there is a link to the main article on the recipe page).

I've never made ladyfingers but I've used them for trifles etc. They soak very quickly.

I just discovered Bonny Doon Framboise a couple months ago. It's sooo good!! Pour a little over vanilla ice cream = perfection.

[ppfuf.livejournal.com]

Ooo! Both those recipes look like just what I'm looking for, thanks!

not what you were asking for, but a yummy layered desert nonetheless

[kareina.livejournal.com]

I've never done a tiramisu, but I had lunch at a nice little Russian Cafe in Edinburgh yesterday. They had a "honey tart" as the single desert option, and oh, my it was yummy! So I looked it up on line and found this recipe (http://whatscookingamerica.net/Cake/lenas.htm) which sounds like it describes what I ate, and the photo looks the same. I probably won't be able to try it while I've only a toaster oven for baking, but I sure want to give it a try sometime soon.

Re: not what you were asking for, but a yummy layered desert nonetheless

[ppfuf.livejournal.com]

That looks really good, but requires effort. Thanks!

[helblonde.livejournal.com]

What a brilliant idea! Waaaay better than that nasty coffee desert ;)

Having made tiramisu, I will say that it takes a surprising amount of liquid to flavor the ladyfingers if you use a basting brush.

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

I ate there a few times when we lived in Mountain View and enjoyed it. They never change their menu, though.

[colletteshorses.livejournal.com]

If I were to make a coffee free Tiramisu, I would replace the coffee with coco. I would leave the rest of the recipe alone (except for the alcohol, which I swap out depending on which alcohol I am in the mood for, and which ones I have available to me at the time).