Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups strong black coffee, room temperature (I used Dunkin’ Donuts,3/4 tablespoon instant espresso powder or 1 ½ Tbs instant coffee,3 tablespoons dark rum (I used Kahlua instead),3 tablespoons dark rum (I used Kahlua instead),3 large egg yolks,cup sugar,1/8 teaspoon table salt,12 ounces mascarpone cheese (cold),cup heavy cream (cold),7 ounces ladyfingers (I used 24)- use hard ones not soft,2 tablespoons cocoa, preferably Dutch-processed (Ghirardelli Ground Chocolate and 2 tablespoons semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, grated (optional)
Instructions:
- Stir coffee, espresso, and 1 tablespoons rum in wide bowl or baking dish until espresso dissolves; set aside. (if you want a stronger alcohol taste, use 3 tbs)
- In bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat yolks at low speed until just combined.
- Add sugar and salt and beat at medium-high speed until pale yellow, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula once or twice.
- Add remaining 2 tablespoons rum and beat at medium speed until just combined, 20 to 30 seconds; scrape bowl.
- Add mascarpone and beat at medium speed until no lumps remain, 30 to 45 seconds, scraping down bowl once or twice.
- Transfer mixture to large bowl and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat cream at medium speed with a hand held mixer until frothy, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Increase speed to high and continue to beat until cream holds stiff peaks, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes longer. Using rubber spatula, fold one-third of whipped cream into mascarpone mixture to lighten, then gently fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Set mascarpone mixture aside.
- Working one at a time, drop half of ladyfingers into coffee mixture, roll, remove, and transfer to 8 by 8-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. (Do not submerge ladyfingers in coffee mixture; entire process should take no longer than 2 to 3 seconds for each cookie.) Arrange soaked cookies in single layer in baking dish, breaking or trimming ladyfingers as needed to fit neatly into dish.
- Spread half of mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers; use rubber spatula to spread mixture to sides and into corners of dish and smooth surface.
- Place 1 tablespoons cocoa in fine-mesh strainer and dust cocoa over mascarpone until you can no longer see the mascarpone. Repeat dipping and arrangement of ladyfingers; spread remaining mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers and dust with remaining 1 tablespoons cocoa.
- Wipe edges of dish with dry paper towel. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 to 24 hours.
- Sprinkle with grated chocolate, if using; cut into pieces and serve chilled.
- You can also make individual servings in dessert cups. I found some at Cost Plus World Market
