Tiramisu Cups

This is a different take on the Tiramisu desserts; especially for those who do not like coffee. These individual "tiramisu" cups would make a perfect dessert for a small dinner party or why not serve them at brunch. Courtesy of Diana's Desserts 2004.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4  sheets phyllo dough
• 6  ounces cream cheese or 6  ounces mascarpone cheese
• 1⁄3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2  tablespoons  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2  tablespoons milk
• 2  tablespoons brandy or 2  tablespoons rum or 2  tablespoons Amaretto
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract or 1  teaspoon  almond extract
• 1⁄2 cup frozen non-dairy topping, thawed
• 3⁄4 cup mixed berry (optional)
• 1⁄4 cup  semisweet chocolate, shavings or 1⁄4 cup chocolate curls
•  toasted  slivered almonds, chopped (garnish)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325F, for phyllo cups.
2. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the cream cheese ( or mascarpone cheese, if using), confectioner's sugar, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla or almond extract, and rum or Amaretto or brandy, with a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped topping.
3. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Fill the phyllo cups with cocoa mixture; top with berries (if using) and sprinkle with chocolate shavings ot curls and slivered almond pieces.
5. Rather than dirty your pastry bag, snip a small hole in the corner of a plastic food storage bag and pipe the mixture into the cups.
6. Phyllo Cups:
7. Layer 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each layer with melted butter or oil.
8. To prepare cups for the chocolate mousse filling, sprinkle each layer with granulated sugar or confectioner's sugar after brushing with butter or oil.
9. Cut squares with scissors from the phyllo for various muffin pan sizes. (3-1/2 inch squares for mini cups; 5-1/2 inch for standard cups; 8-inch squares for jumbo cups).
10. Spray the muffin tins with vegetable spray.
11. Press the layered phyllo squares gently but firmly against the bottoms and sides of the muffin cups.
12. Bake the empty shells until they are crisp and golden about 7-10 minutes.
13. Remove them from oven and let them cool completely before filling.
14. The empty cups can also be frozen. Can be made and baked 2-3 days in advance and stored in airtight container.
15. Avoid filling them until just before serving. Moist contents will cause the phyllo to become soggy.