Tiramisu Italiano

Ingredients

• 7 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup [115 g] sugar
• 1/3 cup [80 ml] marsala, plus 2 tablespoons [30 ml]
• 8 ounces [250 g] mascarpone, room temperature
• 1 cup [250 ml] heavy cream
• 1 cup [250 ml] brewed espresso or VERY strong coffee
• 1 ounce [30 g] dark chocolate
• 1/4 cup [60 ml] rum
• 1 teaspoon [5 ml] good quality vanilla extract
• 48 lady fingers (commercially packaged is fine)
• 1/4 cup [60 ml] unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

1. Using a whisk and a lot of muscle power or a hand-held electric beater, cream together the egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) a pot of simmering water.
2. Add the 1/3 cup marsala and continue to whisk until the mixture is thick and doubled in volume. This is basically a zabaglione. (If you�re already tired, you can chill this and serve it over fresh berries with a very happy result.)
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the mascarpone until thoroughly blended. In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks.
4. Fold the whipped cream gently into the mascarpone mixture. Chill until needed.
5. In a small saucepan, combine the espresso, chocolate, rum, vanilla and remaining marsala.
6. Heat gently and stir to dissolve the chocolate. Let the mixture cool down for ten or fifteen minutes
7. .
8. Quickly dip each ladyfinger in the chilled coffee mixture and arrange in a single layer in a 9� x 13�[23 cm x 33 cm] glass baking dish.
9. Do not soak the cookies or they will become too wet � it�s a quick dip, then out. Spread half the mascarpone cream evenly on top of the dipped ladyfingers. Repeat with a second layer of dipped ladyfingers and the remaining mascarpone cream.
10. Sift or carefully sprinkle cocoa powder over the top. Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.