Benjamina says: “A dessert book without a recipe for tiramisù wouldn’t be a very good dessert book at all. This may just be my favourite dessert of all time and is by far one of my most made when I’ve been asked to bring something. Now, there are hundreds and thousands of tiramisù recipes available and mine isn’t necessarily super traditional, but it’s exactly how

“I love it. Rich, almost custard-like mascarpone, a good hit of coffee, just enough alcohol to know it’s there but not to overpower, and a very generous dusting of cocoa powder to finish.

“This isn’t a last-minute dessert, so a bit of forward planning is a must. It needs time to sit overnight for everything to settle and mingle together. It should be just soft enough to scoop and spoon into bowls, barely holding its own weight but not sloppy. Never sloppy. I could go on and on about this one but if you need to bring dessert and are not sure where to start, this will always be a winner.”

Serves 10–12

Ingredients

5 egg yolks
80g caster (superfine) sugar
500g mascarpone
250ml double (heavy) cream
60ml sweet Marsala or dark rum
350ml strong brewed coffee
90ml coffee liqueur
26 savoiardi biscuits or lady fingers
unsweetened cocoa powder, to finish

Method

Add the egg yolks and sugar to a large bowl and whisk on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until they are thick and pale.

Add in the mascarpone in 4 batches, whisking well after each addition and making sure you don’t have any lumps.

In a separate bowl, lightly whip the cream until you just have soft peaks. Gently fold this into the egg mixture to combine. Fold in the marsala and set aside until needed.

Add your coffee to a large, shallow dish and stir in the coffee liqueur. Dip the savoiardi biscuits in one at time – make sure both sides get a dip in the coffee but be fairly quick. If you leave them any longer than about 5 seconds they’ll start to fall apart.

Arrange a layer of the soaked biscuits on the bottom of your dish. You may have to break some in half to fill in any gaps. Spoon half of the mascarpone mixture on top and smooth it out with a palette knife.

Repeat with another layer of soaked biscuits and then top with the remaining mascarpone, smoothing the surface. Lightly cover with some plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight. If you don’t have that long, then let it chill for at least 6 hours, but overnight is best.

When you’re ready to serve, dust the top of the tiramisu well with cocoa powder and spoon generous servings into bowls.

Make ahead:

Definitely! Make at least one day ahead and up to two. Store in the fridge as directed in the recipe.

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