Tiramisu

12 servings

5 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

1 pound Mascarpone Cheese

2 cups espresso coffee (you may substitute with decaffeinated)

1/2 cup brandy (or Marsala wine)

1 TBSP vanilla bean paste (may substitute with pure vanilla extract)

14 oz Lady Fingers, such as Alessi “biscotti savoiarrdi” (hard lady fingers)

3 TBS. cocoa powder

4 oz chocolate bar for garnish (we love Ghirardelli 60% Bittersweet Chocolate, but you can use any type chocolate bar you wish)

In the top part of the double boiler OFF HEAT, beat eggs, sugar until mixture is pale yellow. Then, boil water in the bottom portion, reducing to simmer. Place egg mixture on top and gradually add the brandy, beating with whisk continuously. Scrape with rubber spatula and continue cooking 7 - 10 minutes or until soft mounds can be formed. Place in another bowl, cool on rack, then place in refrigerator for 30 minutes, covered with plastic wrap.

Whip cream and 2 TBS of the sugar until soft peaks form.

Fold in mascarpone and zabaglione and mix, gently, until blended together. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. In a separate bowl, mix espresso, the other 2 TBS sugar, brandy and vanilla bean paste. Place 16 cookies on the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan. Alternatively, for individual servings, you can place broken cookies in a Mason Jar or wine glass). L ightly dip each lady finger in the espresso-brandy mixture so they are saturated, but not mushy and falling apart. Next, take 1/3 of the zabaglione cheese mixture and spread over the cookies.

Sprinkle 1TBS cocoa over it. Repeat two more times, ending with cocoa on top. Cover and refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight so the cookies soften and the flavors meld. 

Remove from the refrigerator and garnish with chocolate "curls" before serving. To make chocolate curls, hold a 4 oz chocolate bar in one hand, sideways and, taking a vegetable peeler in your other hand, run the blade against the edge of the bar, making mini curls with the chocolate.