Tiramisu (Valerie Bertinelli)

By zircon50

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups brewed espresso coffee
• 1/3 cup coffee liqueur
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon dry Marsala
• 16 ounces mascarpone
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• About 40 crisp ladyfinger cookies (12 ounces)
• Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Preparation

Step 1

Combine the espresso, coffee liqueur, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup Marsala and 1/4 cup water in a medium bowl and whisk until the sugar dissolves.

Beat the mascarpone in a bowl to loosen it up, then set aside.

Beat the cream, vanilla, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and remaining tablespoon Marsala together in a clean bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold the mascarpone into the whipped cream mixture.

Spread a thin layer of the mascarpone whipped cream mixture on the bottom of a 13"x9" baking dish to keep the bottom layer of lady fingers from moving while layering the rest on top.

Working one at a time, briefly dunk half of the ladyfingers in the espresso mixture and use them to line the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, breaking or trimming the cookies as necessary. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture evenly on top. Dunk and arrange the remaining ladyfingers on top of the mascarpone, then spread with the remaining mascarpone.

Cover the tiramisu and refrigerate until the ladyfingers have softened and the flavors have blended, at least 5 hours and preferably overnight.

Dust with cocoa powder before serving.