Tiramisu with hints of bourbon and orange.

Yesterday was the third time I have made tiramisu in a month and each time has been sumptuously satisfying. I have added a few little twists to the traditional recipes but one of my most traditional Italian friends even said that they were an enhancement.

It is sin on a plate, so just accept that before you start, go with it knowing that you don’t do this every day. It really will end off any special occasion meal with little sighs of contented delight. It is rich and velvety, and I feel that my addition of a little bourbon and orange cut the richness just enough to justify eating a few more mouthfuls straight from the bowl after you are done with your first helping.

Tiramisu with whisky and orange

Serves 6 - 8

100g of your preferred strength of dark chocolate, broken up

1/8 tsp of salt

175g Ladies fingers (boudoir biscuits) or more if you like

1 cup of hot strong coffee, sweetened to taste

A few splashes of whisky, I used Makers Mark whisky

4 large eggs

100g of castor sugar

750g of mascarpone cheese

2 oranges

Coco powder or dark chocolate to cover the top of the dessert

Pour the hot sweetened coffee over the chocolate in a bowl long and wide enough for you to soak the ladies fingers in (you can do it in batches too). Allow the chocolate to melt. Pop it into the microwave for 30 seconds at a time if it needs a bit of extra heat. Stir it lightly with a whisk to combine. Add a splash of whisky (or two if you’re feeling it) and the juice and zest of one of the oranges.

Separate the eggs into two bowls. Whites in one, yolks in the other. Add the sugar tothe yolks with a splash of whisky and beat until the sugar has dissolved and themixture is pale and creamy. Mix in the mascarpone and the zest of one of the oranges.

Whisk the whites with a pinch of salt until they form stiff peaks. Add the whites to the yolk mixture and gently fold it in with a spoon until well combined.

Lay the ladies fingers in the chocolate and coffee mixture and allow them to soak up the mixture for a few minutes, turning them if needed to get even coverage.

You can prepare this in portion sized bowls or a medium sized casserole dish. I like to get two layers going in a deeper dish but a single layer in a larger dish is also fine.

Start by spooning a thin layer of the mascarpone into the dish, lay the soaked biscuits across this layer, then top again with mascarpone mixture and again with biscuits and end off with a thick layer of mascarpone mixture.

Allow this to settle in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Before serving, dust with a thick layer of coco powder or grated chocolate.