SHARP’S BEERAMISU

By Zack Hawke

SERVES: 4 PREPARATION: 15mins COOKING: 20mins

This beeramisu came around a few years back when Zack's sous chef was playing around with Sharp's Dubbel Coffee Stout. The beer works more like a fortified wine in certain recipes rather than a beer, and with the coffee element it was perfect. The dish became a best-selling dessert that still makes an appearance on special occasions.

Having grown up in the surfing Mecca of Newquay, Zack Hawke trained under Nick Hodges at Lusty Glaze Beach, and has worked for Nathan Outlaw for over five years. Former Head Chef at The Mariners, he focuses on using the best ingredients and “doesn’t mess around with them”, because “Cornwall has the finest suppliers and produce in the country”. Since he started at The Mariners, Zack has been working with Ed Hughes, experimenting with beer and food, and working with the complexities of both to come up with the perfect match.

ingredients
method
beer pairing

For the base

  • 100g Savoiardi biscuits
  • 100ml good Chocolate Stout or
  • Porter with a fairly high ABV

For the cream

  • 50ml Chocolate Stout or
  • Porter (as above)
  • 125g mascarpone
  • 250ml double cream
  • 1 orange, zest
  • 2 tbsp demerara sugar

For the ganache

  • 75g chocolate (70% dark chocolate)
  • 15g butter
  • 1 tbsp Chocolate Stout or
  • Porter (as above)
  • 100ml double cream
  • For the garnish
  • Orange zest
  • Cocoa powder

This seems complicated, but all you’re doing is making the layers for a tiramisu. Make each stage in a separate bowl, and then layer them in a glass dish.

  1. Soak the finger biscuits in the Stout/Porter.
  2. Whip up all the cream ingredients in a separate bowl.
  3. Put all the ganache ingredients, except the cream, in a heatproof bowl.
  4. Bring the cream to the boil in a separate pan and pour over the other ganache ingredients. Mix well into a thick chocolate sauce consistency.
  5. Layer into a dish with sponge at the bottom, then cream, then ganache – do this as many times as you can. Then dust with a generous amount of cocoa and a pinch of orange zest.

Try this with a Sharp's Coconut Stout, Guinness West Indies Porter or an Imperial Stout.

ingredients

For the base

  • 100g Savoiardi biscuits
  • 100ml good Chocolate Stout or
  • Porter with a fairly high ABV

For the cream

  • 50ml Chocolate Stout or
  • Porter (as above)
  • 125g mascarpone
  • 250ml double cream
  • 1 orange, zest
  • 2 tbsp demerara sugar

For the ganache

  • 75g chocolate (70% dark chocolate)
  • 15g butter
  • 1 tbsp Chocolate Stout or
  • Porter (as above)
  • 100ml double cream
  • For the garnish
  • Orange zest
  • Cocoa powder
method

This seems complicated, but all you’re doing is making the layers for a tiramisu. Make each stage in a separate bowl, and then layer them in a glass dish.

  1. Soak the finger biscuits in the Stout/Porter.
  2. Whip up all the cream ingredients in a separate bowl.
  3. Put all the ganache ingredients, except the cream, in a heatproof bowl.
  4. Bring the cream to the boil in a separate pan and pour over the other ganache ingredients. Mix well into a thick chocolate sauce consistency.
  5. Layer into a dish with sponge at the bottom, then cream, then ganache – do this as many times as you can. Then dust with a generous amount of cocoa and a pinch of orange zest.
beer pairing

Try this with a Sharp's Coconut Stout, Guinness West Indies Porter or an Imperial Stout.