TIRAMISU

This is still one of my all-time favourite desserts and it’s so easy to prepare. I make this at nearly every dinner party and I’m sure my guests are bored with it by now, but I just can’t help it.

Preparation 15; Cooking 0; Serves 4 large, 6 small

3 eggs, separated

1 tsp vanilla paste

8 tbsp icing sugar

zest of 1 lemon

1 shot Madeira wine (or any other fortified wine)

500g mascarpone cheese

16 Amaretti biscuits

50ml espresso or very strong coffee

cocoa powder, to serve

1 Whisk the egg yolks together with the vanilla paste, icing sugar, lemon zest and Madeira with an electric hand-held whisk until pale. When pale, add the mascarpone and whisk again.

2 In a separate clean, dry bowl, whisk the whites using an electric whisk (with clean beaters) until stiff peaks start to form. Fold into the mascarpone mixture.

3 Soak the Amaretti biscuits in the coffee and lay two in the bottom of each serving glass. Spoon a generous amount of mascarpone cream on top of each one and dust with cocoa powder. Soak the remaining biscuits in the coffee and put on top of the mascarpone cream. Evenly distribute the remaining cream and smooth over the top. Dust with cocoa as you are about to serve.

You can make this in advance as it will keep for a few days in the fridge. Just re-dust with cocoa before you serve.

Recipe from Home at 7, Dinner at 8 by Sophie Wright (£14.99, Kyle Cathie)