I encourage you to visit Dr. Jimbob's Home, where I got the basis for this recipe

A little history ...

Dr. Jimbob's Recipe for Tiramisu was adapted from Lorenza di Medici's recipe, which was posted on the CompuServe Cooks Online forum by Kenneth Krone. It's designed to make enough for a large group of people, in a big flat Pyrex container.

This recipe is based on Dr. Jimbob's Recipe (with a few noted alterations)

Ingredients:

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 3 egg whites
  • 4 Tbs confectioner's sugar (instead of 3 Tbs)
  • 1 cup Kahlua (instead of 1 1/3 Frangelico)
  • 1 cup espresso coffee, strong (I use instant)
  • 16 oz. marscapone cheese (instead of 24 oz. - it can be a bit overpowering)
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream (instead of 1 1/2 cups)
  • 2 packages savoiardi (lady fingers)
  • sweetened ground cocoa (a few tsp)
  • 3 squares of semi-sweet chocolate, shaved or chopped very finely (this is my addition, you can use dark chocolate if you prefer)

Directions:

    Layer #1: Zabaglione with Kahlua

  1. Beat the egg yolks and 1/2 of sugar in the top of a double boiler until evenly mixed.
  2. Add 1/3 cup of Kahlua and whisk over gently simmering water until the mixture begins to thicken. Once it starts to thicken, it thickens fast. Let it cool (stick it in the fridge).
  3. Beat the egg whites until stiff (the stiffer the better). Fold the whites into the zabaglione (or vice versa). Mix them really well, then stick it in the fridge.

    Layer #2: Marscapone with espresso

  4. Stir half of the hot coffee and add the rest of the sugar into the marscapone.
  5. Mix with a blender until evenly mixed and creamy. Stop and add more coffee if it is not creamy/smooth or gets too thick.

    Layer #3: whipped cream

  6. OPTIONAL - you may add vanilla and some confectioner's sugar to this layer. "Season to taste", you don't want things to sweet, to overpower the rest of the dessert.
  7. Whip the cream to soft peaks. (soft peaks spread easier)

    Putting it together

  8. Mix the rest of the coffee and the Kahlua in the bottom of a small flat bowl.
  9. Original recipe calls for dipping the lady fingers in the mixture. I prefer to use a brush and brush the mixture on (i.e. like you would to apply BBQ sauce) to the spongey side. Just enough to coat it, you don't want them saturated. Line the bottom of a flat container with one layer of doused ladyfingers.
  10. Use a long flat spatula to cover the lady fingers with half of the marscapone mixture, then half of the zabaglione mixture, then half of the whipped cream.
  11. Sprinkle a light layer of ground cocoa on top of everything.
  12. Sprinkle 1/2 the semi-sweet chocolate on top of the cocoa
  13. Add another layer of doused lady fingers
  14. Repeat the layers of marscapone, zabaglione, and cream.
  15. Sprinkle more ground cocoa on top ... you want this to coat pretty well, but don't over do it.
  16. Sprinkle the rest of semi-sweet chocolate on top
  17. Chill in a freezer or fridge (at least 2-3 hours may be required, depending on how firm or runny your layers of marscapone and especially zabaglione were) and keep cool until served.
Makes enough tiramisu for 8-10 people. I usually make it in a large round glass bowl, with straight tall sides.