Name: Old-School Tiramisu
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: Vegetable oil (for pan); 1 1/2 cups very strong coffee, cooled; 1 Tbsp. dark rum; Pinch of kosher salt; 1 Tbsp. plus 1/3 cup sugar; 1 cup chilled heavy cream; 1/2 cup mascarpone; 3 large egg yolks; 24 ladyfingers; Cocoa powder (for dusting)

The titular dessert in the shape of a loaf pan. Sliced you can see three distinct layers of coffeedarkened lady fingers...

Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Heather Greene, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou

This tiramisu is moist but not wet, extra-fluffy, and made with real coffee (not espresso powder) and the perfect amount of dark rum. The trick to getting enough of the bittersweet coffee flavor into the ladyfingers is dunking them until they are soaked but removing them just before they start to fall apart. Squish them as needed to fit into the pan.

Recipe notes

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