The best tiramisu

Ingredients:

Cream

• 4 large egg yolks
• 0.5 cups of sugar
• 2 tbsp sweet Marsala
• 2 packages of mascarpone cheese (220 g each)

Assembly

• 4 tbsp instant espresso powder
• 3 - 4 tablespoons sweet Marsala (see Note)
• 1 tsp + 1 tbsp cocoa powder, for sprinkling
• 1 package (200 g) of ladyfingers or savoiardi (see note)

Preparation:

1. Mascarpone cream:
   
   In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala. Place the bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water). Whisk constantly until the mixture turns pale, hot to the touch, and doubles in volume, 4 to 6 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally with a spatula. To speed up the process, you can use a hand mixer. Remove from the heat and continue whisking until the mixture cools slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in the mascarpone cheese until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
2. Assembly:
   
   In a liquid measuring cup, combine 1 1/4 cups hot water, espresso powder, and 3-4 tablespoons Marsala. Pour the mixture evenly into two medium bowls. Dust the bottom of an 8x8 inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon cocoa powder.
3. Dip half of the ladyfingers, one at a time, into the same bowl of coffee mixture for 2 seconds on each side to soak but not overcook. Arrange them in a single layer on top of the cocoa powder in the pan, breaking them up as needed to fill any gaps. Pour any remaining liquid from the first bowl over the cookie layer. Spread half of the mascarpone cream over the cookies. Repeat with another layer of cookies, soaking them in the coffee mixture and spreading the remaining cream on top.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Just before serving, sift the remaining 1 tablespoon cocoa powder over the tiramisu.
   
   
   Note
   
   Store-bought ladyfingers can be either soft or hard. Savoiardi cookies have the ideal texture for this dessert, as they hold their shape well after soaking. If you can only find soft ladyfingers, lightly brush them with the coffee mixture. Harder cookies will require a longer soak in espresso. For an alcoholic tiramisu, add 4 tablespoons of sweet Marsala to the coffee mixture.