Tiramisu - Simple, Delicious

I discovered Giada de Laurentiis, granddaughter of Dino, like most everyone else: on the Food Network.

This recipe for tiramisu is worth making time and again not only for its amazing, out of this world taste, but for how simple it is. I've seen lots of other tiramisu recipes that complicate this simple Italian classic. Giada proves with this recipe that simple is best.

Giada de Laurentiis' Tiramisu. Here's the recipe in case it ever gets removed from The Food Network site.

Ingredients:

• *6 egg yolks (I substitute these with meringue powder, easily available from Williams-Sonoma)


• 3 tablespoons sugar


• 1 pound mascarpone cheese


• 1 1/2 cups strong espresso, cooled (I brew mine, but you could just as easily buy it from your favourite coffee shop and bring it home to use straight away)


• 2 teaspoons dark rum


• 24 packaged ladyfingers (make sure they're Italian savoiarde ladyfingers)


• 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate shavings, for garnish

Method:

• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale, about 5 minutes.


• Add mascarpone cheese and beat until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of espresso and mix until thoroughly combined.


• In a small shallow dish, add remaining espresso and rum. Dip each ladyfinger into espresso for only 5 seconds.


• Letting the ladyfingers soak too long will cause them to fall apart.


• Place the soaked ladyfinger on the bottom of a 13 by 9 inch baking dish, breaking them in half if necessary in order to fit the bottom.


• Spread evenly 1/2 of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers.


• Arrange another layer of soaked ladyfingers and top with remaining mascarpone mixture.


• Cover tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 8 hours.


• Before serving, sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

I know it's hard, but try not to eat all this by yourself, as much as you'll want to.

*RAW EGG WARNING: Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.