Tiramisu

Since I was introduced to this sweet Italian coffee cake dessert when I was young, I fell in love with it. So much so that my dad ordered two trays of this creamy delight for my fifteenth birthday...or was it fourteenth? Anyways, tiramisu is one of the few desserts that I must have if it is on a menu.

By the time I manage to charge my camera with battery to take this picture, much of the dessert was already devoured by my family. =)

I have always thought that this dessert is very difficult to make since it is composed of a creamy chocolaty cheese with inter layers of a coffee infused cake. To my surprise, it is actually a 20 minute job if you have the correct ingredients at hand. Whats more surprising is you don't even have to turn on your oven.

There are many variations on how to make the dessert but this is my version.

Ingredients:
30-40 Savoiardi / Ladyfingers (Enough to line the base of your Pyrex pan twice)
16 oz or 2 cup of  Mascarpone cheese
6 egg yolks
6 egg whites
1 1/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of strong brew coffee sweeten to your liking (can substitute with instant coffee)
3 tbsp of marsala wine
coco powder for dusting

Instructions:

1. Using an electric whisk, whisk the egg yolks with half of the sugar over a pot of boiling water. Make sure the bowl does not touch the boiling water. You want to achieve a light yellow creamy consistency. Set it aside and let it cool slightly. Add in a tablespoon of marsala wine. This is called a Zabaione.
2. Mix in the mascarpone cheese.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites using a clean electric whisk. The egg whites will not whisk well if there is any trace of grease or egg yolk. Once the egg white start to hold themselves around the beaters, slowly add in the rest of the sugar. Continue to whisk the egg white till they are able to form stiff peaks.
4. Gently mix the egg whites into the cheese and  Zabaione mixture.
5. Add the rest of the marsala wine into the coffee. 
6. Dip each ladyfinger into the coffee mixture for two seconds and then lay it on the base of your pan. Continue with the rest of the ladyfingers and arrange them close together in neat rows till the bottom of the pan is completely covered.
7. Spread a layer of the cheese and Zabaione mixture over the ladyfingers.
8. Repeat with another layer of coffee infused ladyfingers.
9. Spread the rest of the cheese and Zabaione mixture over the top. Finish off with a dusting of coco powder on top.
10. Refrigerate the Tiramisu for at least 4 hours before cutting into it.

Variations:

• In between the first layer of Zabaione mixture and the ladyfingers, you may add a layer of coco powder.
• You may also use whipped cream instead of the egg whites. I prefer to use the egg whites since I had them at hand.
• You can substitute the marsala wine with rum or Kahlúa.
• You may also substitute the coco powder with some bitter sweet chocolate shavings.