There has to be an easier way...

In my quest for something different to bring for a dinner with friends, I found this really tasty recipe for a Strawberry Tiramisu and was stuck that I had to make it. But have you ever gotten elbow deep into a project only to realize that there has to be an easier way to do it? I had almost every bowl and all my spoons dirty. I had both mixers pulled out. This was all after spending what felt like a ridiculous amount on ingredients unnecessarily. My friends are totally worth it but do I think my friends could taste the $10-$15 difference. No. Probably not.

If Princess Kate and Prince William come over, I might make the fancy pants version, but otherwise the everyday version suits me just fine.
That was my experience this past week and here is my altered recipe that your kitchen sink and wallet will appreciate a little more.



Budget Berry Tiramisu
based on this Strawberry Tiramisu from Bon Apetit side notes in italics

• 1 1/4 cups berry preserves or jam (strawberry, blackberry, raspberry or any other combination. I used blackberry and raspberry because that is what I had in my fridge.)
• 1/3 cup plus 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice (Calls for orange liqueur here but I was serving it to a nursing friend and children - and it's not baked, so it won't cook out.)
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/3 cup orange juice (carton kind)
• 1 pound cream cheese, room temperature (Calls for mascarpone cheese which has a cheesier flavor but it's also $5.50 for 8oz and you need 16 oz. Cream cheese won't make a huge difference. I used Neufchatel cream cheese because it's a tad lighter. )
• 1 1/3 cups chilled whipping cream 
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• (If you are in a hurry or have it on hand, cool whip would work in a pinch and just leave out the cream, sugar and vanilla.)

• Thin slices of angel food cake - think .25" thin. Or thinner if you can do it without severing a finger. (The original recipe calls for 52 crisp ladyfingers. My grocery store only had one kind of ladyfingers and they weren't crisp. I had to buy 3 packages and couldn't tell a lick of difference between the ladyfingers and angel food cake.)
• 1 1/2 pounds strawberries, divided (I used some fresh and then some frozen strawberries and frozen blueberries because I had them in the freezer.)
• 
  

Whisk preserves, 1/3 cup fresh orange juice, and regular orange juice in 2-cup measuring cup. Place cream cheese and almond flavoring in large bowl mix to blend. Using electric mixer, beat cream, sugar, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice in another large bowl to soft peaks. (If using cool whip, leave out that step and proceed. ) Stir 1/4 of whipped cream mixture into cream cheese mix. Fold in remaining whipped cream (or cool whip if using instead.)

Hull and slice half of strawberries. Spread 1/2 cup preserve mixture over bottom of 3-quart oblong serving dish or a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange enough angel food slices over strawberry mixture to cover bottom of dish. Spoon 3/4 cup preserve mixture over cake, then spread 2 1/2 cups cream cheese mixture over. Arrange 2 cups sliced strawberries over cream cheese mix. Repeat layering with remaining cake, jam mixture, and cream cheese. Cover and chill a few hours but the longer it sits, the better it gets!

Slice remaining strawberries. Arrange over tiramasù and serve.

Despite all my alterations this turned out very nice. It was fruity, not too heavy and made a sweet ending for our dinner with friends (and their very sweet new baby.)