Tiramisu

Tiramisu is a dessert most people would order in a restaurant but never attempt to make at home. I love desserts, but I have to admit Tiramisu wasn't really my favorite. However, I always wanted to try and make it, but most recipes I came across seemed too complicated. That was until I found Ina Garten's recipe in the Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook. I actually have been looking at the recipe for quite some time while reading and re-reading the ingredients on how to put it together. It appeared much too easy so I thought there was something I was missing. Well, I finally got up enough courage to try it. Italian night at our community center was coming up and I thought it would be something different that everyone would enjoy(that is if it tasted okay once I got done with it). To be safe, I decided to do a trial run and in addition to my husband, got some neighbors to do a taste test also. Guess what....not only was it super easy to make, but everyone loved it, including me, it got even better after it aged for a couple of days. I hope you give this recipe a try. I am not kidding when I say it is really simple. As a matter of fact the whole time I was making it, I kept saying..."it will be a miracle if this tastes good because it is way, way to easy". My husband kept coming into the kitchen to see why I was talking to myself.

Just a warning it is not a cheap dessert to make, but again it is well worth it. I was familiar with Mascarpone Cheese (Italian Cream Cheese) because I have used it other recipes. It can be found with the specialty cheeses near the deli counter in your supermarket. The Italian Ladyfingers I found in the cookie aisle with the specialty cookies (do not substitue with ladyfingers in the bakery department, they are too soft). I ended up finding a brand by Alessi that was labeled Biscotti Savoiardi Lady Fingers. If you can't find the Mascarpone or Italian Ladyfingers in the supermarket, you may have to try an Italian Speciality Store in your area. However, I don't think you will have a problem finding either in your local supermarket.

Ingredients:

• 6 extra large egg yolks, at room temperature
  
• 1/4 cup sugar
  
• 1/2 cup good dark rum, divided
  
• 1 1/2 cups brewed espresso, divided
  
• 16 to 17 ounces mascarpone cheese
  
• 30 Italian Ladyfingers, or savoiardi
  
• Bittersweet chocolate, shaved or grated
  
• Confectioners' sugar (optional)
  

Whisk eggs and sugar with electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes until very thick and light yellow. Lower the speed to medium and add 1/4 cup of rum, 1/4 cup of espresso and the mascarpone cheese. Whisk until smooth.

Combine the remaining 1/4 cup rum and 1 1/4 cups espresso in a shallow bowl. Dip one side of each ladyfinger in the espresso-rum mixture and line the bottom of a 9 x 12 x 2-inch dish. Pour half the espresso cream mixture evenly on top. Dip one side of remaining ladyfingers in the espresso-rum mixture and place them in a second layer in the dish. Pour the rest of the espresso cream over the top. Smooth the top and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Before serving, sprinkle the top with shaved chocolate and dust lightly with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

To make espresso for this recipe in your electric drip coffee maker, use 1/3 cup of ground espresso and enough water for 4 cups of coffee. I was tempted to buy instant espresso but didn't want to mess up the recipe so I bought ground espresso coffee and followed the recipe above for making it my electric drip coffee maker. It actually was cheaper to buy the ground espresso rather than buying instant espresso.

To shave chocolate, use a vegetable peeler on a bar of chocolate.

Source: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Family Style, 2002