the belly-cheer junketeers

After trying our hand at the Mascarpone cheese and the Savioardi biscuits, it’s only obvious we do the quintessential Italian trifle, The Tiramisu; translation ‘pick me up’. This decadent Italian dessert with its absolutely creamy cheese filling and its sponge cake biscuit layer soaking up all that aromatic coffee is a perfect accompaniment to a cup of strong espresso or simply eaten by itself as a dessert.

Ingredients

30 savioardi biscuits
250 grams mascarpone cheese
4 eggs, separated
4 tbsp castor sugar
2 small pinches of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract, optional
3 tbsp rum or marsala wine or coffee liqueur
50 grams dark chocolate

Method

Make 2 cups of strong coffee espresso or instant and add 2 tbsp of Rum or Marsala wine or Coffee liquer and set aside.

On a ban marie over simmering water, beat the yolks with 3 tbsp castor sugar, 1 tbsp Rum or Marsala wine or Coffee liqueur, pinch of salt and the vanilla extract till thick and pale in colour or till the yolks are warm to the touch. Use an electric beater. Remove from the heat and cool for 15 mins. While the yolks are cooling, beat the egg whites with remaining sugar and a pinch if salt till stiff peaks form.

When the yolk mixture is cool add the Mascarpone cheese to it and beat till creamy and thick. Fold in the egg whites till well mixed.

In a wide glass dish, spread quarter of the creamy cheese mixture and dip the Savioardi biscuits in coffee for a second (fit as many that will make a layer) and place on top of the creamy cheese mixture, spread half of the creamy mixture and and place the dipped Savioardi biscuits to make another layer, finally spread the remainder of the creamy cheese mixture smooth out the top, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 – 4 hours for it to set. Before serving, grate the dark chocolate over the top, slice and relish!

Instead of the chocolate you can also sift some dark cocoa powder over it.