tiramisù (lighter version)

• 3 eggs, separated
• 250g mascarpone, at room temperature
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 150ml strong coffee or cocoa, chilled
• 50ml coffee liquer of sherry
• 200g sponge fingers (save a few for serving)
• cocoa powder

for a chocolate flavour tiramisù replace coffee with cocoa and use sherry instead of coffee liquer.

whisk the egg whites until stiff (the bowl can be tilted without the mixture moving). make sure the bowl is clean and the egg whites have room temperature.

beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale. mix in the mascarpone and the vanilla essence and combine well. gently fold in the egg whites.

spread some of the mascarpone mixture in the bottom of a deep dish.

mix together the liquer and coffee (or cocoa and sherry). dip the sponge fingers one by one in the liquid so that they become saturated but do not disintegrate. place them on top of the mascarpone mixture in one layer. cover with another layer of the mixture. layer all the sponge fingers and mascarpone mixture like this, finishing with the mascarpone mixture.

sift the cocoa on top, cover and place in the fridge overnight (or at least for a couple of hours).

you can break a couple of sponge fingers on top when serving to add a little crunch.