Making Real Tiramisu with Homemade Ladyfingers

Homemade Ladyfingers: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃). 
2. Create a double boiler by adding a few inches of water to a medium saucepan that is wide enough to hold your stand mixer bowl without the base of the bowl going low enough to touch the water. Bring the water to a simmer.
3. While the water comes to a simmer, whisk together the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until just combined. 
4. Place the stand mixer bowl over the simmering water, add a candy thermometer to the side of the bowl so it sits in the egg mixture and whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 160℉ (71℃), about 5 minutes.
5. Fit your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Add the stand mixer bowl with the heated egg mixture in it and whip on high speed for 7-10 minutes or until the eggs have increased by 2.5 times their original volume and very soft peaks have formed; the mixture will overall have the texture of soft serve ice cream. 
6. Whisk in the vanilla extract and then remove from the stand mixer. 
7. Fold in the flour until it just combined; do not overmix or you will deflate the eggs. 
8. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
9. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and pipe the ladyfingers so that they are about 3” (7.5cm) long and 1” (2.5cm) wide. Make sure there is at least 1” (2.5cm) of space between each ladyfinger and continue piping until all the batter is used; you should have about 30 ladyfingers in the end. 
10. It is very important to bake these one tray at a time. Right before baking, generously dust the tops of the ladyfingers with powdered sugar. Place in the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes or until lightly golden and crisp.
11. Remove the ladyfingers to a cooling rack to cool completely and repeat baking the remaining ladyfingers. 

‍Espresso Soak: 

1. Whisk together all the ingredients in a shallow baking dish until the sugar is dissolved and everything is evenly combined. Set aside. 

‍Tiramisu Cream: 

1. Set up another double boiler by adding a few inches of water to a medium saucepan that is wide enough to hold a medium bowl without the base of the bowl going low enough to touch the water. Bring the water to a simmer.
2. Add the egg yolks and sugar to the medium bowl and place over the double boiler. Whisk constantly until the sugar is almost completely dissolved. Switch to an electric hand blender and whip the mixture until it is 2.5 times its original volume, it has lightened in color, and it holds a very soft peak that falls back in ribbons when lifted. Remove the bowl from the heat and let cool slightly. 
3. Add the mascarpone to a separate medium bowl and whip with the hand blender until very smooth. Fold the mascarpone into the egg mixture until evenly combined. 
4. To the same bowl you whipped the mascarpone in, add the heavy cream and use the hand blender to whip until soft peaks form. Add the mascarpone and egg mixture to the whipped cream and fold until the whipped cream is just incorporated and you no longer see white streaks in the mixture. Be very gentle as you fold. Set aside. 

‍Tiramisu Assembly: 

1. Have a 9x9” (23x23cm) baking dish set up next to the espresso mixture and cooled lady fingers. Dip the ladyfingers, 1 or 2 at a time, into the espresso and let soak for just a few seconds per side. If the lady fingers sit in the espresso too long they will fall apart. Place one layer of ladyfingers in the baking dish, making sure there is no overlapping. 
2. Add half of the tiramisu cream over the top, spreading it from edge to edge in the pan. 
3. Add another layer of the soaked ladyfingers, followed by the remaining tiramisu cream.
4. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap, making sure it doesn’t touch the top of the cream. Place in the fridge to set overnight or up to 2 days in advance. 
5. Before serving, dust the top of the cream with cocoa powder. Cut the tiramisu into 9 even pieces and place on a plate. Garnish with finely grated dark chocolate and serve.