Love is in the air and what better way to show appreciation for your special someone, or yourself, than to make them a nice tiramisu? It’s one of my favourite desserts and the best part is, it’s a no bake dessert. You just have to let it chill in the fridge and voila, a delicious dessert that reminds me a lot of Vietnamese coffee cake. 

My little twist on this is using Vietnamese coffee instead of espresso. It has a nuttier, richer flavour than espresso does, really elevating the dessert. Of course, if you don’t have Vietnamese coffee, simply use regular espresso. 

Ingredients: 

• 500g of mascarpone 

• 3 large eggs 

• 10 tbsp granulated sugar 

• 2 packets of ladyfingers 

• 1 cup of Vietnamese coffee, or regular espresso 

• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

• Cocoa powder 

Steps: 

1. Brew the espresso and set aside. 

2. Separate the eggs into separate bowls. 

3. Add the sugar into the egg yolks and beat until thick, slightly fluffy and light in colour. 

4. Beat the egg whites into stiff peaks. 

5. Add the mascarpone and vanilla into the beaten egg yolks and ensure all lumps of cheese are out. 

6. Very gently fold in the egg whites to ensure the mixture does not separate. 

7. Dip the ladyfingers in the coffee and lay them in a baking dish. 

8. Once the first layer of ladyfingers is laid out, add a layer of the filling. 

9. Optional: add some cocoa powder on the filling layers. 

10. Keep repeating until the ladyfingers are gone. 

11. Add a final layer of the filling and cover with cling film. 

12. Allow to sit in the fridge for a minimum of four hours. 

13. Once ready to serve, dust the top with more cocoa powder and enjoy! 

Picture Credit: Caitlin Bennett