Tiramisu Recipe

A heavenly "lift me up" in more ways than one :)

Delicate dessert with rich, creamy marscapone, infused with the energizing ability of two caffeine-ingredients; espresso and cocoa

> Origin: Italian
> Cost: Expensive
> Ease: Difficult

 Everybody loves tiramisu. If you don't love it, it's because you've never tried it. Thanks to a good high school friend of mine, I've my hands on her traditional Italian-esque recipe. I actually asked for this recipe when I was in grade 10, and I never got around to making it til 3rd year university... Gotta love hotmail's archiving. In any case, this recipe is absolutely delicious, but it honestly is very difficult. As you can tell from the top two pictures, I made 2 batches; the second, taller one turning out better. Although I'm an advocate for taking creative liberties, I would suggest following the recipe exactly if you aren't familiar with making desserts like such. Please read the recipe through before you start making it. Honestly though, it was so worth it, I enjoyed every bite :) 

Ingredients:

• 1 container (8 ounces) marscapone cheese 
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 8-12 cups espresso
• 4 packages Savoiardi ladyfingers 
• 2-3 shots kahlua 
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• Cocoa powder, for sprinkling
  

Methods:

1. Make the espresso. Pour it into a wide bowl, and let it cool to a little bit hotter than room temperature, then add kahlua. Allow it to cool on the counter together. Mix in the vanilla when the mixture has cooled.
2. In a bowl, mix together the sugar and egg yolks.
3.  In another bowl, whisk/mix on maximum speed the egg whites until they become foamy with stiff mountains that don't collapse (around 5 minutes).
4. Mix the marscapone into the egg yolk mixture until the mixture is a pale yellow.
5. *Be careful with this step!!* Spoon half of the egg whites into the pale yellow mixture and carefully fold it into the mixture (see this video for help). Make sure you don't bang the mixture on the counter, otherwise the egg whites will go flat. 
6. Dipping the ladyfingers: Your set-up will be (left to right, or other way if you're left-handed): Ladyfingers, Espresso, Casserole Dish (5x11"). Take a ladyfinger and, like an airplane, dive it into the espresso mixture, right in and right out, so they don't get soggy. Imagine the bottom of a smiley face. Lay the dipped ladyfinger into the casserole dish, with the thin end of the ladyfinger touching the long end of the dish (so there will be ~11 ladyfingers along the 5x11" dish). Repeat until the bottom of the dish is layered one ladyfinger thick. This is your base layer. 
7. Pour half of the egg mixture and spread it carefully over the base layer. Try to cover the entire layer.
8. Repeat step 6 onto the egg mixture layer. 
9. Spread the other half of the mixture on top of the second ladyfinger layer. 
10. Sprinkle with cocoa powder (or if you prefer sweeter, hot chocolate or nesquick powder). I did prefer the cocoa powder more though.
11. Refrigerate overnight (at least) and serve cold! 

Notes:

• It's REALLY easy to make the ladyfingers too soggy. Keep in mind that after you dip them, the ladyfingers will continue to absorb the espresso through, so it's okay if you don't completely IMMERSE it in the espresso. (In fact, it's probably better if onto the bottom half gets dipped.) 
• Getting the folding right might take some time, don't be impatient with it. Also, don't take too long dipping the ladyfingers into the espresso (step 6), otherwise your egg mixture will start to sag and dissociate (er.. de-mix...?).