Tiramisu Recipe

This is the first recipe I made that my family approved of. It's pretty easy to make, and yields an impressive dessert. Stand back after serving and prepare to bask in glory.

This recipe is one of my favourites!

Tiramisu

Adapted from: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/8677/tiramisu. 
I made additional notes and clarification here where needed. 

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup strong black coffee
 1/2 cup Baileys 
 3 eggs, separated
 1/3 cup caster sugar
 250g mascarpone
 300ml thickened cream
 1 large packet of sponge fingers (savoiardi)
 cocoa, for dusting

Step 1
Pour coffee and Baileys into a shallow dish. Set aside.
Step 2
With a clean beater and bowl (no water!), beat egg whites in a medium bowl with electric beaters until soft peaks form. 
Step 3
In a second bowl, Whip the thickened cream to soft peaks.Add the mascarpone and beat until no lumps remain. 
Step 4
In a third bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl with electric beaters until pale and thick. Add to mascarpone/cream mix. 
Step 5
Using a large metal spoon, gently fold egg whites into the cream/mascarpone mixture.
Step 6
Dip spongefingers, one at a time, into the coffee mixture. Soak for 4 seconds, then turn over (coffee-side face up!) and line the base of a ceramic dish with it. Cover the biscuits with  some of the mascarpone mixture (about 2cm in height). Then dust generously with cocoa powder. Repeat for another layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 

Variation: Baileys can be substituted with marsala or orange juice if preferred. O'Donnell is a Bailey's substitute found in Aldi 

*I beat the egg whites before realising that I ran out of cream. I took a twenty minutes trip to the grocery store to pick up a bottle of cream. When I got back, the egg whites did not deflate and remained in perfect condition.

*A regular Nestle brand of cocoa powder, or equivalent, would suffice.