I like to serve this classic dessert in individual glasses for an elegant presentation. The crushed coffee beans add a surprise crunch that works perfectly with the tiramisu’s smooth, creamy texture.
SERVES 4–6
3 egg yolks
60g caster sugar
200g mascarpone
200ml whipping cream
50g icing sugar
3 very strong shots of espresso, cooled
1 tbsp sambuca
6 large, soft, fluffy sponge fingers (bought from a pâtisserie)
30g dark, unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
16 coffee beans, roughly crushed
Put the egg yolks and caster sugar into a small bowl and whisk until the mixture is pale, creamy and thick enough to leave a ribbon when the whisk is lifted. Add the mascarpone and fold through until evenly combined.
In another bowl, whip the cream with the icing sugar until softly peaking. Using a spatula, carefully fold the two mixtures together until smoothly combined; avoid overworking.
Mix the cold espresso shots with the sambuca in a shallow dish, just large enough to fit the sponge fingers. Add the sponge fingers to the dish and turn them over after 30 seconds so that they are evenly soaked.
Divide about one-fifth of the creamy mixture between 4–6 cocktail glasses, then gently place a layer of soaked sponge on top (using just over one-third of them). Spoon another layer of the creamy mixture on top, then arrange the remaining sponge over the surface. Spoon the rest of the creamy mixture on top. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
To finish, from a piece of card large enough to cover the top of each serving glass, cut out a circle, about 3cm in diameter, from the middle, to make a neat hole. Sit the cardboard on the rim of one glass, making sure that the hole is in the middle, then generously sprinkle cocoa into the middle. Remove the card and repeat with the remaining tiramisu glasses.
Sprinkle the crushed coffee beans around the edge of each tiramisu and serve very cold.