Dessert Challenge: Tiramisu

I love eating classic desserts once in awhile and even though I don't really have a sweet tooth, it's always nice to indulge in something that you know will always hit the spot. I've decided to try to perfect my own little version of some classic desserts that I always look for on the menu but have never been game to try making at home. First on the list: Tiramisu!

Tiramisu is one of the most popular and well known Italian desserts and actually means "pick-me-up". I looked up a bunch of recipes and came up with a final recipe that I wanted to use. Some recipes added some extra thickened cream but I just stuck with the traditional bare essentials of eggs, sugar and mascarpone for my mixture. The recipe was very simple and didn't take long at all, because you only need to prepare and refrigerate, not bake. I was very happy it turned out well on my first try but next time, I will make sure to soak the sponge fingers as quickly as possible to avoid sogginess. Here is a photo of the finished product and a copy of the recipe I used! Can't wait for my next opportunity to make this as I'm sure it will be a crowd pleaser!

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs - seperated
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 250g mascarpone
• 1 cup hot strong coffee
• 2 tablespoons Kahlua
• 16 sponge fingers
• Shaved chocolate

Method:

1. Beat egg yolks with sugar until thick and white (may take up to 10 minutes).
2. Add the mascarpone and beat until combined and smooth (try not to use mascarpone straight from the fridge as it may be harder to beat out the lumps).
3. Make the coffee and add the Kahlua.
4. Quickly dip sponge fingers into coffee mixture and set aside (the sponge fingers can become soggy very easily so try to dip them swiftly and lay then on a paper towel to soak up excess coffee).
5. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until light and fluffy. Gently fold into mascarpone mixture.
6. Spread a layer of mascarpone mixture in a tray, sprinkle shaved chocolate and line 8 sponge fingers on top. Repeat.
7. Finish off with a thicker layer of mascarpone mixture and sprinkle generously with shaved chocolate.
8. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.