Death by Tiramisu

If you've been looking for a TO-DIE-FOR-HEAVEN-ON-A-PLATE dessert for Valentine's Day, you've come to the right place! Behold (drumroll please).......

TIRAMISU!!

There is an Italian chef in our town who I like to take cooking classes from whenever I can. He is simply fabulous and his restaurant is, in my opinion, hands down the best around. This version of tiramisu is my own adaptation of his original recipe. My husband actually goes down to Angelo's restaurant and picks up this lusciousness every year on my birthday (isn't that so sweet)? They expect him now-- same time same place -- I love it!

Death by Tiramisu

Coffee mixture

2 cups Strong coffee

1 1/2 tbsp. instant espresso powder

1/4 cup Brandy or Rum

¼ cup sugar

Stir coffee, espresso, and alcohol in a dish until espresso dissolves. Set aside.

Zablione Mixture

15 egg yolks

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup Marsala or Rum

1/4 tsp. table salt

Beat eggs at low speed until just combined. Place the mixture over a pot of boiling water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water (you don't want to scramble the eggs). Whip the mixture until thickened. Do not let the mixture "sit" in the bowl over the steam. The eggs will cook if not stirred continuously. Cover with plastic and set aside to cool down in the fridge.

Whipped Cream Mascarpone Mixture

6 cups of whipping cream

4 tbsp. vanilla

1 1/2-2 lb. mascarpone cheese

Pour the cold cream into a bowl. Start beating the cream slowly. If the cream is whipped too quickly, it will deflate. After 1-2 min., increase the speed to medium high until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and mix until just combined. Turn down to low and add the mascarpone in increments.

When zablione mixture is cool, place whipped cream mixture in a big bowl and carefully add ¾ cup of the zablione at a time. Fold in from the outside gently.

Final Ingredients

2 Ladyfinger Packages

(buy the hard ones --do not buy the soft kind sometimes found in bakeries.

I like the kind that are sugar coated on one side).

chocolate chips or chocolate, chopped finely in a processor

cocoa powder

To Assemble:

In a shallow dish, dip the flat edge of the ladyfinger into the coffee mixture for 1 second, flipping quickly to coat the other side, and immediately remove and place in the bottom of a 9x13 dish. DO NOT SUBMERGE THE LADYFINGER. They will fall apart if they are dipped completely into the liquid, even if you do it quickly. Repeat until the bottom of the dish is covered. Spread 1/2 of the zablione cream mixture over the top. Top this layer with ground chocolate and cocoa powder; repeat the process again with the lady fingers going the opposite direction as the bottom layer, followed by the zablione, and topped with the chocolate and cocoa powder. Refrigerate and let set until the next day.