Tiramisù

 A happy espresso shot waiting to be turned into tiramisù. . .

Have you ever baked a complicated dish for a party that you've never attempted before? I don't recommend it if you like stress-free baking. I'd always been intimidated by tiramisù- over or under soaking the ladyfingers can ruin the dish but the instructions on how to prevent both of these problems are less than straightforward...

"Do not submerge ladyfingers in coffee mixture; entire process should take no longer than 2 to 3 seconds for each cookie." What?

"Dip, but don't dunk each ladyfinger in the coffee." Huh?

Anyway, you get my point. So- I managed to pull this recipe off, using my soon to be trademarked technique- you've got to sing while you prep those lady fingers...

Don't laugh- "row row row your boat-" is the easiest way I can think of to describe the timing I used to dip the ladyfingers in the espresso/rum mixture. Don't dawdle here, you don't want mushy cookies. Pour a bit of the coffee mixture in a soup plate or shallow dish, about 1/2 an inch deep.

Take one cookie, place it in the mix (it should be about 1/2 covered) and instantly start rolling it to the tune of row, row, row your boat and then instantly remove the cookie from the coffee mixture and arrange it in the 9 by 13 dish (remove during or shortly after "your boat"). Repeat with all the ladyfingers, replenishing the coffee mix in the dish as necessary.

Tiramisù
10 to 12 servings

2 1/2 cups long espresso pulls, room temperature (or 2 1/2 cups strong coffee + 1 1/2 tbsp instant espresso powder)
9 tbsp dark rum
6 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp table salt
1 1/2 pounds mascarpone cheese (cold)
3/4 cup heavy cream (cold)
14 ounces hard ladyfingers (42 to 60, depending on size)
3-4  tbsp cocoa , preferably Dutch-processed
1/4 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate , grated (optional)

- Stir espresso and 5 tablespoons rum in a measuring bowl with a pour pout and set aside.

- In bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment (or a large mixing bowl + electric hand mixer), beat yolks at low speed until just combined. Add sugar and salt and beat at medium-high speed until pale yellow, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula once or twice. Add remaining 4 tablespoons rum and beat at medium speed until just combined, 20 to 30 seconds; scrape bowl. Add mascarpone and beat at medium speed until no lumps remain, 30 to 45 seconds, scraping down bowl once or twice. Transfer mixture to large bowl and set aside (don't bother with this if you are using a hand mixer).

- In now-empty mixer bowl (no need to clean bowl)(or, grab a new bowl if you have a hand mixer), beat cream at medium speed until frothy, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Increase speed to high and continue to beat until cream holds stiff peaks, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes longer. Using rubber spatula, fold one-third of whipped cream into mascarpone mixture to lighten, then gently fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Set mascarpone mixture aside.

- Working one at a time, drop half of ladyfingers into coffee mixture, roll, remove, and transfer to 13 by 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish using the row, row, row, your boat technique*. Arrange soaked cookies in single layer in baking dish, breaking or trimming ladyfingers as needed to fit neatly into dish.

- Spread half of mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers; use rubber spatula to spread mixture to sides and into corners of dish and smooth surface. Place 2 tablespoons cocoa in fine-mesh strainer and dust cocoa over mascarpone.

- Repeat dipping and arrangement of ladyfingers; spread remaining mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers and dust with remaining 2 tablespoons cocoa. Wipe edges of dish with dry paper towel. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 to 24 hours. Sprinkle with grated chocolate, if using; cut into pieces and serve chilled.

*Row row row your boat- is the easiest way I can think of to describe the timing I used to dip the ladyfingers in the espresso/booze mixture. Don't dawdle here, you don't want mushy cookies. Pour a bit of the coffee mixture in a soup plate or shallow dish, about 1/3 an inch deep. Take one cookie, place it in the mix (it should be about 1/2 covered) and instantly start rolling it to the tune of row, row, row your boat and then instantly remove the cookie from the coffee mixture and arrange it in the 9 by 13 dish (remove during or shortly after "your boat"). Repeat with all the ladyfingers, replenishing the coffee mix in the dish as necessary.

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated