TIRAMISU

14 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup marsala, plus 2 tbls
16 oz mascarpone, brought to room temperature
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1.5 cups espresso
4 oz dark chocolate
1/3 cup dark rum
2 tsp vanilla extract
48 ladyfingers

In a small saucepan, combine the espresso, half the chocolate, rum, vanilla, and remaining marsala, and heat over low heat until the chocolate is melted. Chill this mixture for 15 minutes. Shave the remaining chocolate with a microplane grater.

Cream together the egg yolks and sugar over a double boiler. Add the marsala and continue to whisk until the mixture is thick and doubled in volume (ideally, consistency of zabaglione, although it can be not quite this thick). Remove from heat and stir in the mascarpone until it is completely blended. In a chilled bowl, whip the cream, and then add to the mascarpone mixture.

To assemble, quickly dip each ladyfinger in the espresso mixture and arrange in a single layer. Use my largest pirex dish. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture evenly over the ladyfingers. Repeat with a second layer. Top with the shaved chocolate, and chill for at least 2 hours.