Tiramisu

When I was a child, nothing could get me more excited than the site of Nonna getting out the Tiramisu bowl. This was a large glass bowl that had only one function in life, to hold the beloved dessert. This dessert has to be my favourite, even though I now only seem to make it on special occasions. Christmas is the time when it is traditional in our house to make this dish: for us, Christmas without Tirimisu would be like Christmas without Santa. It's a must.

When we were kids, the bowl made an appearance when other Italian relatives were visiting. To make Tiramisu mid-week was a statement to the other branches of the family that we were doing well. Even if we had to eat basic meals for two weeks afterwards it didn't matter, as long as the family thought we had money!

The antipasti would appear, followed by large salads containing salmon. This show was always finished off by Tiramisu! I wasn't bothered about the rest of the meal, I just waited for dessert. The recipe below is not the family recipe, as I would not tell anyone how to make that other than my son, or maybe his daughter when she gets older. All Italian families of my generation had their own slightly different recipe.

This recipe is for a quick, cheap version of this dish, There other variations of this recipe but this is the one that I make.

1 Egg - separate the white in one bowl and the yolk in another.

2 tbl spoons of Caster sugar. Put this in with the egg white and whisk until stiff but not dry.

2tbl spoons of Greek Yogurt.

8oz Mascapone Cheese. Put cheese and yogurt in with the egg yolk and beat until smooth. Then fold in the egg white mixture.

2 tbl spoons of black coffee (wet, not coffee powder) and a good glug of brandy mixed together in a bowl.

8 sponge fingers

Put part of the mixture in the bottom of a serving bowl, then dip the sponge fingers in the coffee mixture and put them on top of the cheese mixture, then cover with the rest of the cheese mixture. Pour whatever is left of the coffee mixture over the top. Then grate your choice of chocolate over the top.

Cover and leave in the fridge for twenty four hours before serving.

Buon Appitito!