Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Americano or strong coffee, room temperature
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup sweet Marsala
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces mascarpone
1 7-ounce package ladyfingers (about 24)
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for sprinkling
Preparation
Pour coffee into a pie dish. Combine eggs, sugar, and Marsala in a large metal bowl set on top of (but not in) a pot of simmering water. Beat with a hand mixer or whisk until mixture doubles in volume and reaches 160°F on a thermometer, 7 to 10 minutes.
Remove bowl from heat and let cool slightly. Meanwhile, in another bowl, whisk cream to form peaks. Gently whisk mascarpone into egg mixture, then fold in whipped cream.
Working one at a time, dip half of ladyfingers in coffee, about 1 second per side, and arrange in the bottom of a 9-by-9-inch baking dish; fit them snugly side by side to line dish. Evenly spread half of mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers. Dip remaining half of ladyfingers in coffee and repeat layering with cookies and mascarpone mixture.
Sift a layer of cocoa over top so it infuses cream. Wrap dish with plastic and refrigerate at least 9 hours and up to 1 day. To serve, sift another layer of cocoa over top and cut into squares.
For clean edges on every square, cut pieces with a chef’s knife rather than a serrated one, and wipe the blade with a damp towel between slices.
