Tiramisu, Sweet Citrus Dressing, Walnut Bread

DEAR SOS: While vacationing in Portland, Ore., I had dinner at Pazzo Ristorante, where I was served the most wonderful tiramisu . Would you please try to print the recipe?

--REGINA

DEAR REGINA: Pazzo gladly complied. Almost every Italian restaurant in the United States makes the trifle-like dessert, said to have first been served at Milan’s El Toula restaurant.

PAZZO TIRAMISU

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup water

5 teaspoons instant espresso powder

1/4 cup rum

3 tablespoons coffee

Lady finger cookies

Tiramisu Filling

Unsweetened cocoa powder

Rum Sauce

Combine sugar and water in saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Stir in espresso, rum and coffee. Bring to boil. Set aside to cool.

Using pastry brush, generously brush lady fingers with coffee sauce. Arrange enough lady fingers to cover bottom of 8-inch-square glass baking dish. Evenly spread 1/3 of Tiramisu Filling over soaked lady fingers.

Sift cocoa powder over layer of lady fingers to coat surface completely. Arrange another layer of lady fingers to completely cover Tiramisu Filling, repeating layering process 2 more times, ending with smooth layer of Tiramisu Filling.

Dust top with cocoa powder. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours). Serve with Rum Sauce. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

1,057 calories; 327 mg sodium; 447 mg cholesterol; 58 grams fat; 113 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams protein; 0.08 gram fiber.

Tiramisu Filling

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons dark rum

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 ounces powdered sugar, sifted

1 pound mascarpone cheese

Whip cream with rum and vanilla in chilled bowl until thick but not stiff.

In another bowl, beat powdered sugar into cheese by hand or with paddle attachment of electric mixer, just until smooth. Add some of whipped cream mixture and mix thoroughly.

Add remaining whipped cream mixture in 2 additions, stirring gently but thoroughly to remove lumps. Do not overbeat, or cheese may separate. Makes about 4 cups.

Rum Sauce

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons rum

1/3 cup half and half

Using whip attachment of electric mixer, combine mascarpone and sugar on low speed in bowl. Slowly add vanilla and rum. Mix on medium speed few seconds to combine.

Gradually add half and half and mix until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Consistency should be thick, but pourable. Makes about 3/4 cup.

DEAR SOS: I’m certain this is the recipe the reader who asked for the grapefruit-and-avocado salad dressing wants. Everyone who tastes it thinks it is made with honey, but it is not. The recipe is from an old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

--JEAN

DEAR JEAN: It’s a tricky dressing because it needs to be beaten to a creamy consistency much like mayonnaise. But it’s worth the effort. The dressing is especially good with citrus but can be served with any fruit for a salad.

SWEET CITRUS DRESSING

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon grated onion

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 cup oil

Mix sugar, paprika, salt, celery salt, dry mustard and onion in bowl. Using medium speed on hand mixer, add vinegar and oil alternately in increasing amounts as mixture starts to appear creamy.

Beating should begin and end with vinegar. When last addition of vinegar is made, continue beating to prevent crystals from forming. Serve with any citrus or other fruit salad. Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Each 1-tablespoon serving contains about:

97 calories; 179 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 9 grams fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.02 gram fiber.

DEAR SOS: I have misplaced my recipe for Rancho Bernardo Inn walnut bread, made with sour cream. Help!

--CLAIRE

DEAR CLAIRE: We’re always ready to reprint this outstanding bread recipe, especially with the holiday season upon us.

RANCHO BERNARDO INN’S WALNUT BREAD

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons soda

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups sour cream

Cream butter and sugar in bowl until fully blended. Slowly beat in eggs. Sift flour, salt and soda and add to egg mixture. Blend in nuts, vanilla and sour cream.

Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 9x5-inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool in pans on rack 10 minutes, then invert onto rack. Makes 2 loaves, 16 servings.

Each serving contains about:

455 calories; 224 mg sodium; 97 mg cholesterol; 26 grams fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 0.6 gram fiber.

Note : Bread is excellent when sliced thin and lightly toasted.

Only recipes of general interest will be printed. Send recipe request to Culinary SOS, Food Section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053. Include restaurant address when requesting recipes from restaurants. We are unable to answer recipe requests by mail.

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