Tiramisù

• 3 egg yolks
• 60g caster sugar
• 500g mascarpone cream cheese
• 2 tbsp Strega liqueur
• 1 tbsp Sambuca liqueur
• 20–30 Savoiardi (sponge finger biscuits)
• 1 L hot espresso coffee
• 100g dark chocolate, chopped
• Freshly ground coffee beans

For the Italian meringue:
• 100 ml water
• 250g sugar
• 125 ml egg whites (from 4–5 eggs)

1. Whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar on high speed until pale and thick.
2. Add the mascarpone cream cheese and beat on medium speed until well combined. Be careful not to over mix as it may split.
3. Add the Strega and Sambucca liqueurs and beat briefly then set aside.
4. To make Italian meringue, pour the water into a very clean, grease-free saucepan and slowly add the sugar, making sure all the grains are wet.
5. Bring to the boil over medium heat and cook to soft-ball stage, which is when you drop a small amount of syrup into cold water and it forms a soft-ball. It is at 112°C on a sugar thermometer.
6. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites at high speed until medium peaks form. Slowly and carefully whisk the hot toffee syrup in a thin stream inside the meringue bowl. Continue beating until meringue is completely cool.
7. Gently fold the meringue into the mascarpone mixture. Taste and add extra Strega and Sambucca if desired.
8. Soak the Savoiardi biscuits in coffee a few at a time without completely soaking them, and lightly squeezing them as you remove them from the coffee. The coffee should not soak the biscuits completely through.
9. Arrange the biscuits in a large bowl, while soaking and adding the biscuits until you have lined the base and sides of bowl.
10. Sprinkle the biscuits with a little chopped chocolate.
11. Spread one third of the mascarpone mixture over the top. Layer more coffee-soaked biscuits, sprinkle with more chocolate and add another third of mascarpone.
12. Repeat layers again and smooth the top.
13. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until the tiramisù is firm enough to cut.
14. Sprinkle with ground coffee just before serving.