Chocolate Tiramisu

Matthew and I were in NYC on Saturday and we had a slice of pizza at Ray's, which is supposed to be the best pizza in New York City. I don't know if that's true, but it did make me realize that we can't get enough Italian food, especially really good authentic Italian non-Olive Garden dishes. What I love more than a good thin crust, crispy slice of pizza is chocolate tiramisu. It's really difficult to find a good tiramisu here in San Diego. Some restaurants add too much whipped cream; others too much sugar; and some not enough Marsala wine! So the next best tiramisu is this this recipe from Giada. Our friend Leo Vargas made this delectable treat for our cooking club and it was gone before you knew it.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 ounces container mascarpone cheese
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Chocolate Zabaglione, recipe follows below
• 2 1/2 cups espresso coffee, warmed
• 24 crisp ladyfinger cookies (recommended: Savoiardi)
• Unsweetened cocoa powder, for garnish
• Dark chocolate shavings, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Place the mascarpone cheese in a large bowl and set aside. With an electric mixer, beat the cream and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone. Then fold in the chilled Chocolate Zabaglione. Cover and refrigerate. Whisk the warmed espresso and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in another medium bowl until blended. Line a 9 1/4 by 5 by 2 3/4-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing the plastic to extend over the sides. Working with 1 cookie at a time, dip 8 cookies into the espresso, and arrange in a single layer side by side over the bottom of the prepared pan.

Spoon 1/3 of the mascarpone mixture over the cookies to cover. Repeat dipping 8 of the cookies in the espresso and layering the cookies and remaining mascarpone mixture 2 more times. Dip the remaining 8 cookies in the espresso and arrange side by side atop the tiramisu. Press lightly to compact slightly (the last layer will extend above the pan sides). Cover the tiramisu with plastic and refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Unwrap the plastic from atop the tiramisu. Invert the tiramisu onto a platter. Remove the plastic. Sift the cocoa over the tiramisu, and with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, make dark chocolate shavings and sprinkle over top.

CHOCOLATE ZABAGLIONE

• 2 tablespoons whipping cream, or heavy cream
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup dry Marsala wine
• Pinch salt

DIRECTIONS

Add cream and chocolate to a heavy small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the chocolate chips are melted and smooth. Set aside and keep warm. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, Marsala, and salt in a large glass bowl until blended. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, but do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Whisk the egg mixture over the simmering water until it is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Using a large rubber spatula, fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate to chill completely.

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis, Everyday Italian