Raspberry & white chocolate tiramisu

Method

1. Preparation

   Lightly grease a 25cm springform cake pan and line the base and side with baking paper.

2. Tiramisu

   Pour 1/ 2 cup (125ml) of the cream into a small saucepan and bring to the simmer over low-medium heat. Place chocolate in a small bowl. Pour over hot cream and set aside for 5 minutes, or until melted. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool. Place remaining cream, mascarpone, icing sugar, egg yolks and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Whisk using an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 1 minute, or until thick. Gradually pour in the cooled white chocolate mixture, whisking to combine. *Ensure chocolate has cooled, or it will seize leaving you with crunchy chocolate pieces through your cream mixture. Pour pear juice into a wide based bowl. Divide sponge fingers into thirds. Taking one-third of the sponge fingers, dip a few at a time into pear juice, turning so they are coated without being soggy. Arrange slightly apart in a single layer in the prepared pan. Spread one-third of the cream mixture over sponge fingers to cover. Scatter with 1 punnet of the raspberries. Dip and arrange another layer of sponge fingers, cream and raspberries. Top with a final layer of sponge fingers and finish with cream. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

3. Coulis

   To prepare the coulis, place raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Simmer for 3­–4 minutes, until raspberries break down and mixture thickens slightly. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside to cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate, until cold, or up to overnight.

4. Chocolate curls

   To prepare the white chocolate curls, melt white chocolate and spread over a large sheet of baking paper. Cover with another sheet of baking paper and roll up. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes, or until chocolate sets. Gently unroll.

5. Serving

   To serve, remove spring round of pan and very carefully slide tiramisu off pan base, pulling away baking paper, onto a serving plate. Decorate with raspberries, white chocolate curls, edible flowers and raspberry coulis.

6. Handy hint

   Pear juice can be substituted for a white chocolate liqueur or frangelico if desired.