Oreomisu Recipes

CLASSIC TIRAMISù

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer in a medium bowl, whip together egg yolks and 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar until very pale yellow and about tripled in volume. A slight ribbon should fall from the beaters (or whisk attachment) when lifted from the bowl. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, wiping out the medium bowl used to whip the yolks and set aside.
• In the medium bowl, whip cream and remaining 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar until it creates soft-medium peaks. Add mascarpone and continue to whip until it creates a soft, spreadable mixture with medium peaks. Gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the sweetened egg yolks until combined.
• Combine espresso and rum in a shallow bowl and set aside.
• Using a sifter, dust the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish (an 8x8-inch dish, or a 9-inch round cake pan would also work here) with 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.
• Working one at a time, quickly dip each ladyfinger into the espresso mixture -- they are quite porous and will fall apart if left in the liquid too long -- and place them rounded side up at the bottom of the baking dish. Repeat, using half the ladyfingers, until you've got an even layer, breaking the ladyfingers in half as needed to fill in any obvious gaps (a little space in between is O.K.). Spread half the mascarpone mixture onto the ladyfingers in one even layer. Repeat with remaining espresso-dipped ladyfingers and mascarpone mixture.
• Dust top layer with remaining tablespoon of cocoa powder. Top with shaved or finely grated chocolate, if desired.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (if you can wait 24 hours, all the better) before slicing or scooping to serve.

'OREO' COOKIES

Steps:

• Prepare the dough: Sift together the cocoa powder, flour and salt in a large bowl.
• Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, incorporating each ingredient before adding the next. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Divide the dough into 2 pieces; place one piece between 2 lightly floured sheets of parchment paper and roll into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Repeat with the other piece of dough. Refrigerate both rectangles, covered with the parchment sheets, until firm, at least 1 hour or up to several days.
• Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut the dough into 64 circles. (You can reroll the scraps once.) Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets and chill for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Bake the cookies until they are set and slightly darker around the edges, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Using a mixer, cream the butter and shortening until fluffy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla.
• Flip half of the cookies upside down and top each with 1 level tablespoon of filling. Press the remaining cookies on top to make sandwiches.

OMURICE (JAPANESE RICE OMELET)

Steps:

• Make the rice: Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon butter, and then onion and carrot. Cook, stirring, until onion is translucent and a little browned at the edges, about 3 minutes. Add ham and cook, stirring, until it begins to brown, about 30 seconds.
• Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and then rice, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or long chopsticks. Adjust heat to medium and cook until the grains are glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in ketchup and soy sauce, and cook, stirring, another 30 seconds or so to caramelize. Stir in peas to heat through, and deglaze the pan with dashi or chicken stock. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• To make a perfect mound of rice on each plate, grease a small bowl with canola or safflower oil and pack 1 cup of the rice. Invert this over a plate and remove the bowl. Repeat with the other half of the rice on a second plate.
• Make the omelet: In a small (6- or 7-inch) nonstick skillet (or a well-seasoned carbon steel omelet pan), heat 1/2 teaspoon oil, or just enough to coat the pan, over medium-high. Beat 2 eggs with 1/2 teaspoon dashi or water, until yolks and whites are completely blended. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the egg mixture into the heated pan. Shake and swirl the pan over the heat, stirring constantly with chopsticks or a fork as the eggs cook. When lots of small curds have formed and the eggs are custardy, about 30 seconds, let cook undisturbed until nearly set, about 30 seconds. Run a butter knife or small spatula around the edge of the omelet, and tap the pan firmly against the stove to release the omelet. Turn the omelet out onto the rice, custardy side down. Use a clean dish towel or paper towel to push the edges under the rice.
• Repeat with the other 2 eggs for the second omelet. Dress the omelets with a zigzag of ketchup (or a cute design if you've got a steady hand), and serve.

OREOMISU

Steps:

• Break apart the oreo cookies and scrape the filling to a bowl and set aside the wafers.
• To the oreo fillings add the mascarpone and icing sugar and mix well with a small whisk.
• Mix the milk and the vanilla extract and make crumbs out of 2 wafers.
• On small serving plates arrange alternatively the chocolate wafers dipped in the milk and top with some of the mascarpone cream.
• Start with a wafer and use 5 for each oreomisu, finish with mascarpone cream.
• Top with the wafer crumbs and refrigerate.

FRENCH CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Materials: Wax/Greaseproof paper; 2 8" round cake pans.
• Place cake pan on wax paper and trace 2 circles with a pencil; Cut out.
• Grease bottom only of cake pans and place the wax paper in the pan.
• Combine flour, cornstarch and baking powder; set aside.
• In a bowl, beat eggs and sugar with electric mixer on until fluffy; Add almond extract.
• Sift flour into mixture; and blend well.
• Divide the cake mixture into both cake pans evenly.
• Bake at 375F for about 30 minutes; taking note of your own oven variations.
• Prepare the filling.
• Beat together butter and sugar until creamy.
• Add egg yolks, then cocoa; mix well.
• Stir in almond extract until the mixture is smooth.
• For the glaze: Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl over saucepan containing boiling water; Cool.
• Slide a knife around the cake that should be cooling by now and remove it from the pan.
• Remove the wax paper and put on cake plate.
• Spread filling over just the top of the first cake.
• Place 2nd cake on top.
• Drizzle glaze over top of cake and garnish with strawberries, almonds slivers (optional); Sprinkle powdered sugar over top (optional).
• NOTE: This is a bit like a soufflé where you have to make sure you don't open the oven until it is about done; As you can see from my photo this one flopped a bit but was still gorgeous!