(A Lighter) Tiramisu

Ingredients
INGREDIENTS!
  • 2 packs of light cream cheese (softened)
  • 1 large tub of whipped cream (thawed)
  • 1-2 containers of pound cake or lady finger cookies
  • 1 cup of strong coffee or expresso (cooled)
  • Cocoa powder
  • Rum or coffee liquor (optional; to taste)
  • 1-2 tbs granulated sugar (also depending on taste)
  • Chocolate shavings (optional)
TOOLS!
  • Rubber spatula
  • Fork/hand mixer
  • Spoon
  • Sifter
  • Glass or aluminum square pan (deep dish)
  • Large bowl
Instructions
If you're like me and has gone through countless recipes of tiramisu and shuddered at the thought of separating eggs and whipping egg whites to make the perfect cream to compliment coffee soaked lady fingers, then this is the recipe for you!  I would think this is a healthier alternative to the traditional dessert.

PSEUDO-MARSCOPONE

  1. Thaw the whipped cream.  Gently mix with a fork or rubber spatula to soften it in its container.
  2. In large bowl, put in softened cream cheese and start mixing it with a fork (it gets stuck in the hand mixer if it's not soft enough).
  3. Add in the whipped cream with the cream cheese.  Mix with hand mixer on low (do not put on high, it might take air out of the cream!)
  4. Once mixed, add in sugar gradually (sweeten it according to your preferred taste).
  5. Set aside.
LADY FINGERS/POUND CAKE in COFFEE
  1. If you're using pound cake, don't worry about thawing the cake.  slice the cake in half length wise and then cut each half into smaller rectangular pieces.
  2. Each piece should be about an inch wide.  Should be similar in size with lady finger cookies.
  3. With your cup of coffee/expresso, pour it into a shallow plate.  Add rum or coffee liquor if desired (don't over do it!). Stir.
  4. With your cookies or cake, dip them into the coffee until thoroughly wet, you don't want to over soak it.
  5. Arrange the first layer in your pan.  If the cookies/cake looks dry, use a spoon and add some more coffee on top.
  6. Make sure the layer has enough cookes/cake as a base, you need something sturdy to hold the dessert up.
LAYERS
  1. Once you have that first layer ready, spoon the cream cheese filling on top.  Be as generous as you want.
  2. Sprinkle on cocoa powder using a sifter.
  3. Next layer should be cookies/cake soaked in coffee/expresso.
  4. Then cream and cocoa powder.
  5. Keep going until you run out of ingredients.
  6. With the last layer, finish off with more cocoa powder and chocolate shavings (not pictured here) and you're done!
NOTE

Don't forget to refrigerate this dessert for at least 2 hours or even overnight.  The cream cheese needs to set with the cake.  Once it's set you can enjoy it to your heart's delight!