Frozen tiramisu

Our version of the Italian favourite tiramisu.

Serves: 8
Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus freezing time
Cooking time: 5 minutes

• 65ml castor sugar
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1 tub mascarpone cheese
• 20ml Marsala wine or sherry (optional)
• 200g packet sponge finger biscuits
• 100ml strong black coffee
• 65ml Kahlua or coffee liqueur
• 20ml brandy
• 100ml dark chocolate, grated
• 100ml white chocolate, grated chocolate ring, to decorate

1 Beat the sugar and egg yolks together in a glass bowl. Place over a saucepan of simmering water and beat for about five minutes until thick and creamy. Remove from the heat and cool.

2 Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.

3 Beat the mascarpone and Marsala or sherry (if using) into the yolk mixture, then fold in the egg whites.

4 Place a layer of biscuits in the bottom of a greased 18cm spring-form tin or eight individual food rings or cookie cutters (5cm diameter). Mix the coffee, Kahlua and brandy together (or add a bit more coffee if not using alcohol) and drizzle over the biscuits. Add a layer of the mascarpone mixture. Sprinkle with grated dark chocolate. Add another layer of biscuits, coffee and mascarpone mixture. Top with grated white chocolate and place in the freezer for at least six hours or overnight. When ready to serve, run a hot knife around the inside edge of the tin and then carefully lift the tin off the dessert. Cut into wedges if it is a large cake. Top each serving with a chocolate ring (method below).

Chocolate ring Melt 200g dark cooking chocolate. Spread onto strips of acetate. Wait until almost set, then bend the acetate around the inside of a cookie cutter to form a circle shape. Leave until the chocolate has set. Peel off the acetate very carefully. To decorate the plate, place a stencil onto the plate. Dust with cocoa powder. Lift up the stencil carefully.