Over Christmas break,  I spent a week at my parents house. My mom, my sisters, and I did a lot of cooking.   One night we had an Italian-themed dinner  so my mom had got me the ingredients to make tiramasu.  I had never made tiramisu before, but I have sure ate a lot of it. I know everyone is trying to watch what they eat this month because of the cookie and dessert overload last month,  but if there is a special occasion you need to make dessert for, this should be it!  It’s amazingly good and easy to make!

Tiramisu

Ingredients
2 cups of strong coffee
4 tbsp of armaretto
1 1/2 tbsp instant espresso powder
3 eggs
4 tbsp of sugar
2 8oz containers of mascarpone cheese
2 packages of ladyfingers
Dutch-processed cocoa powder (to sprinkle on top)
Bar of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (to grate on the top)

Directions

In a baking dish or wide bowl, mix together strong coffee, amaretto, and instant espresso powder; stir until espresso powder is dissolved.    In a metal or glass bowl,  whisk the 3 egg yolks, gradually adding in 4 tablespoons of sugar until pale yellow, save egg whites for later.   This will take about 3-4 minutes.  In a stand mixer bowl beat the three egg whites with whisk attachment until fluffy, about 5 minutes.  While egg whites are being whipped,  mix in marscarpone to egg yolk mixture until smooth.  Once egg whites are fluffy, add them into egg yolk/marscarpone mixture.

Dip ladyfingers into coffee mixture for about 3-4 seconds and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with cookies.  Once the bottom of the pan is covered add a layer of the mascarpone mixture (about half the mixture).  Sprinkle with a layer of dutch-processed cocoa powder.  Repeat to make another layer (ladyfingers, marscarpone, cocoa powder.)

After you sprinkle with cocoa powder take chocolate bar and use a grater or microplane to sprinkle the top with.

Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.  Enjoy!

-K