Italian Tiramisu

Tiramisu is my favourite Italian dessert. The best one I ever tasted was prepared by my long-time friend O.R. She learned the recipe from her stepmother, who is from the south of Italy. She passed it on to me more than 20 years ago, when we were still students.... And I would like to share it with you, now. This is a convivial and gorgeous dessert, just perfect for the end of the summer days.

Ingredients

400g mascarpone

4 eggs

100g sugar

200g Boudoir biscuits (1 packet)

1 untreated lemon (zest)

1 bowl black coffee

100g bitter cocoa

2 tbsps grappa (optional)

In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with 50g of sugar until frothy; then add the mascarpone and the lemon zest.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites with the remaining 50g of sugar, then stir them gently, with a spatula, into the rest of the preparation.

Then prepare a strong coffee. Combine the coffee and grappa by pouring into a bowl.

In a rectangular dish, arrange the Boudoirs soaked in the coffee.

Cover with the mascarpone mixture. Sprinkle with bitter cocoa.

Refrigerate 24 hours.