Tiramisu

Tiramisu is one of my favourite Italian desserts. It's a little time consuming to make but the effort is so worth it :)

Ingredients

4 eggs, separated (room temperature)
½ cup caster sugar (sifted)
250g mascarpone cheese, softened
1/3 cup coffee liqueur (such as Kahlua)
½ teaspoon coffee essence
200ml thickened cream
4 tablespoons instant coffee powder
2 cups warm water
2 x 250g packets or one 500g packet of sponge finger biscuits
2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Method

1. Place the egg yolks and caster sugar in a mixing bowl, and whisk on high speed with an electric hand mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the mascarpone and on a medium speed, whisk until it starts to thicken.  Be sure not to over mix as you may split the mascarpone.
2. Add the liqueur and coffee essence and mix until just combined.
3. Wash and dry beaters. In another bowl, whip cream to firm peaks. Fold into mascarpone mixture. Wash and dry beaters.
4. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into mascarpone mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Combine coffee and warm water in a shallow dish, stirring until coffee dissolves. Using half the biscuits, dip biscuits quickly one at a time in coffee, turning to coat. (Try not to soak your biscuits all the way through.  There should still be a little portion in the middle that has not been soaked in the coffee). Place, in a single layer, over the base of a 6cm-deep, 18cm x 28cm (base) baking dish.
6. Spread half the mascarpone mixture over biscuits to cover. Sprinkle with a little of the cocoa powder. Repeat layers with remaining biscuits, coffee and mascapone mixture. Cover and refrigerate for minimum 4 hours or for a better result, overnight.
7. Dust top with cocoa powder just before serving.

Tips for when making Tiramisu: 

If you have a coffee/espresso machine, use it instead of the instant coffee powder. I didn't have one so just used strong flavoured instant coffee.

Be careful to not soak the biscuits in the coffee for too long or they'll go soggy.

The flavour of the tiramisu is more intense if you leave it overnight and it sets better.

Dust the tiramisu with cocoa powder just before serving or the cocoa powder will settle into the cream.