Want an easy recipe for Tiramisu?

I promised I would make it, photo it and showcase it on my blog: a little, lovely, Italianesque dessert fondly known as tiramisu. This recipe is borrowed from Barefoot Contessa, in her cookbook Family Style.

I am not trying to be boring, because this dessert is far from that: it is just that it is late in the day on Friday and my brain is on fumes. Or has been fumigated or is fuming. Whatever the case, time to go sneak the last little bites of tiramisu out of my fridge, maybe pour an iced version of a Bailey’s coffee to go with it, throw my feet on the nearest coffee table and call it a week. May your weekend be full of relaxation and fun, grand and inspiring conversation (good for defumigating the brain) and divine desserts such as this one:

Tiramisu
6 extra-large egg yolks, room temp.
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup good dark rum, divided
1 1/2 cups brewed espresso, divided
16 to 17 ounces mascarpone cheese
30 Italian ladyfingers
Bittersweet chocolate, shaved or grated

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed for about 5 minutes, or until very thick and light yellow. Lower the speed to medium and add 1/4 cup rum, 1/4 cup espresso, and mascarpone. Whisk until smooth. Combine remaining 1/4 cup rum and 1 1/4 cups espresso in a shallow bowl. Dip 1 side of each ladyfinger in the espresso/rum mixture and line the bottom of a 9 by 12 by 2-inch dish. Pour half the espresso cream mixture evenly on top. Dip 1 side of the remaining ladyfingers in the espresso/rum mixture and place them in a second layer in the dish. Pour the rest of the espresso cream over the top. Smooth the top and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Before serving, sprinkle the top with shaved chocolate.

Note: To make espresso for this recipe in your electric drip coffee maker, use enough water for 4 cups of coffee plus 1/3 cup of ground espresso.

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