Tiramisu

Tiramisu!

Serves 10 to 12

From Cooks Illustrated November 1, 2007, with minor changes. Notes: Do not allow the mascarpone to warm to room temperature before using it; it has a tendency to break if allowed to do so.  Brandy can stand in for the dark rum, or Victorine (a sweet rum flavoring) if going sans alcohol. For a less potent rum flavor, halve the amount of rum added to the coffee mixture in step 1. And yes, you can use decaf.

Ingredients:
*2 1/2 c. strong black coffee, room temp. (2 single serve packets of Starbucks instant)
*1 1/2 T instant espresso powder (I use Medaglia d'Oro instant)
5 T. rum (or Victorine flavoring or artificial rum flavoring to taste)
4 T. rum (  "        "              "         "          "        "        "           "     "    )
6 large egg yolks
2/3 c sugar
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 lb. mascarpone cheese
3/4 c. heavy cream
14 oz. ladyfingers (42-60, depending on size of pan)
3 1/2 T unsweetened cocoa, preferably Dutch process
1/4 c. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, grated (Or more. I use more)

Instructions:
1. Stir coffee, espresso and 5 T rum in wide bowl or baking dish until espresso dissolves; set aside.
2. 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 4 T rum and beat at medium speed until just combined, 20 - 30 seconds, scraping down bowl once or twice.  Transfer mixture to large bowl and set aside.
3. In now-empty mixer bowl (not need to clean bowl), beat cream at medium speed until frothy, 1 - 1 1/2 minutes.  Increase speed to high and continue to beat until cream holds stiff peaks, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes longer.  Be careful not to over whip; it makes the final product dry.  Too runny is better, to a  point. 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.
4. Working one at a time, drop half of ladyfingers into coffee mixture, roll over once, remove, and transfer to 13 x 9: glass or ceramic baking dish. (Do not submerge ladyfingers in coffee mixture; entire process should take no longer than 2-3 seconds for each cookie.)  Arrange soaked cookies snugly in single layer in baking dish, breaking or trimming ladyfingers as needed to fit neatly into dish.
5. Spread half of mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers; use rubber spatula to spread mixture to sides and into corners of dish and smooth the surface.  Place 2 T cocoa in fine-mesh strainer and dust cocoa over mascarpone.  Grate chocolate over top if you like chocolate. I do.
6. Repeat dipping and arrangement of ladyfingers; spread remaining mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers and dust with remaining 1 1/2 T cocoa and more chocolate. Wipe edges of dish with dry paper towel.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 to 24 hours.  Sprinkle with grated chocolate, cut into pieces and serve chilled.
Can be made up to 24 hours in advance.

*any coffee can be substituted with postum or decaf or even Crio Bru, though I cannot vouch for the results.