Little Cups Of A Coffee Classic Tiramisu

There are a few classic coffee desserts gracing the pages of this issue of Caffeine, so I thought it was about time I stepped up to the challenge of an age-old favorite: tiramisu. I called in some expert advice to help with the job, namely a close family friend who is married to a wonderful Italian man and – I imagine largely thanks to an Italian mother-in-law – makes a mean tiramisu.

- Safia Shakarchi

Although many recipes use marsala as the alcohol of choice, the reaction my friend gave when I suggested using it shows it isn’t necessarily the top choice. Whiskey, cognac, and rum are often preferred, but she uses amaretto, as I have done here. It gives the mascarpone a lovely sweet nuttiness and works very well alongside the strong espresso. I have added a little extra chocolate to my version too, to give it some crunch and because any classic coffee dessert could do with a little extra chocolate.