TIRAMISU CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325F, for phyllo cups.
• 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.
• Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Fill the phyllo cups with cocoa mixture; top with berries (if using) and sprinkle with chocolate shavings ot curls and slivered almond pieces.
• 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.
• Phyllo Cups:.
• Layer 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each layer with melted butter or oil.
• To prepare cups for the chocolate mousse filling, sprinkle each layer with granulated sugar or confectioner's sugar after brushing with butter or oil.
• 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).
• Spray the muffin tins with vegetable spray.
• Press the layered phyllo squares gently but firmly against the bottoms and sides of the muffin cups.
• Bake the empty shells until they are crisp and golden about 7-10 minutes.
• Remove them from oven and let them cool completely before filling.
• The empty cups can also be frozen. Can be made and baked 2-3 days in advance and stored in airtight container.
• Avoid filling them until just before serving. Moist contents will cause the phyllo to become soggy.