tiramisu ice cream cake and the rewards of hazing

We found ourselves at the table with friends last night and I could not help but feel grateful for these relationships, seemingly so deep and dear to me, yet at the same time acknowledging that I only just met these people 3 years ago. We sat around over fajitas/margaritas and shared the horror stories of our various 3^rd year rotations (OB-GYN seeming to garner the most attention) and our spouses/significant others indulged us for the 2^nd and 3^rd times of having to hear these same anecdotes. This hazing has brought us together over the past 3 years, bonded us as we have sat around a table or two, debriefing in the form of brags or complaints (talk therapy of sorts). People grow close when forced to endure similar hardships and most importantly endure them together. I still remember the first week of medical school so vividly, when these very same people (minus their significant others back then) came to my table for the first time after gross anatomy lab—we all smelled of formaldehyde and I fed them pancakes for dinner. Oh, how we have grown.

I had offered to bring dessert and Mitchell and Caitlin (our hosts) willingly accepted. I think we were all so stuffed after the fajitas (and our spouses/significant others probably feeble in appetite after our graphic descriptions of various bodily spectacles at the dinner table) that the 8 of us were only able to finish off half of this cake. Full night. Of satisfaction and appreciation. Of good stories and good food.

Tiramisu Ice Cream Cake

1 sponge cake (recipe below)

1 cup espresso

1 quart chocolate ice cream, softened

1 quart coffee ice cream, softened

Mascarpone cream (recipe below)

Cocoa powder

Dark chocolate, chopped or curled

Cut the sponge cake in half with a serrated knife so that you have 2 equally thick rounds of cake. Place one half back into the spring form pan and soak with half of the brewed espresso. Add layer of chocolate ice cream on top and smooth it down uniformly (more easily done if ice cream is left out awhile prior to attempting assembly…or stick quart in the microwave for 30 seconds to soften). Next add second layer of sponge cake and again soak with remaining espresso. Add coffee ice cream in similar manner as you added the chocolate ice cream. Next, sift cocoa powder over the top until covered completely (a thin dusting will do). Next add the mascarpone cream and smooth out (again, more easily accomplished if it is soft/a bit runny). Next, sift another layer of cocoa powder. Finally, top with dark chocolate. Freeze entire cake for at least 45 minutes before serving. When ready to serve, release the sides of your spring form pan and gently lift the sides away (I left the bottom part of the spring form pan and served/cut the cake on top of it because I simply could not imaging trying to transfer it at the time…but go for it if you want).

Sponge Cake

(adapted from Martha Stewart)

½ cup all purpose flour

½ cup cornstarch

4 large eggs, separated

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

¾ cup sugar

pinch of salt (about ¼ tsp)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a round spring form pan with cooking spray (or butter and flour it).

In a small bowl, sift together flour and cornstarch.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat egg yolks, vanilla, and ½ cup sugar on high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Transfer the eggs/sugar mixture to a large bowl. Wash and dry the mixer bowl well.

In the bowl of the mixer now with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt on medium speed until whites hold soft peaks (about 2 minutes, don’t overbeat). With mixer running, slowly add the remaining ¼ cup sugar and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute.

Fold the egg whites into the egg-yolk mixture in gentle strokes just until incorporated. In three additions, fold the flour/cornstarch mixture into eggs. Pour cake batter into prepared pan, and smooth the top. Bake about 30 minutes, until a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted into middle comes out clean.

Cool cake in pan for about 15 minutes, then release sides of spring form pan to release your sponge cake.

Mascarpone cream

½ cup mascarpone cheese

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2-3 tablespoons sugar

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat cream until soft peaks form, adding in the sugar once the cream begins to look like classic whipped cream. In a separate bowl, manually beat mascarpone (with a whisk) until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone. Keep chilled until ready to assemble the cake.