INDIVIDUAL CHERRY AND ALMOND TIRAMISU POTS
This spectacular dessert can be made 24 hours in advance and served in individual glasses for maximum ease. For a nonalcoholic and/or caffeine-free version, keep the juice from the tin of cherries and use this as the soaking liquid.
PREP 45 MINUTES COST €5.40
400g can black cherries in light syrup
160ml espresso
60ml Disaronno almond-flavoured liqueur
60ml marsala
100g savoiardi sponge fingers, cut into quarters
80g crunchy amaretti biscuits, roughly broken
20g cocoa powder
CREAM CHEESE
H 4 eggs, separated
H 300ml whipping cream
H 500g mascarpone
H 140g caster sugar
1 Get your glasses or individual containers ready.
2 Prepare the cream cheese first by lining up 3 mixing. bowls Put the egg whites in one, the whipping cream in the next and the mascarpone and egg yolks in the largest. Using electric beaters, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then add 2 tbsp sugar and whisk to stiff peaks. In the second bowl, whip the cream with 2 tbsp sugar.
Add the remaining sugar to the mascarpone and whisk for 2-3 minutes until pale and fluffy. 3 Fold the cream into the mascarpone, then gently fold in the egg whites, taking care not to lose too much air from the mixture. Set aside.
4 Drain the cherries (keep the syrup for a nonalcoholic version), halve them and put in a mixing bowl with the espresso (if using), Disaronno and marsala. Gently toss in the sponge fingers and amaretti biscuits.
5 Distribute half the biscuit mixture evenly among the glasses. Sift over a good layer of cocoa powder, then spoon over the mascarpone mixture, filling the glasses no more than halfway. Repeat with another layer of biscuits, cocoa and mascarpone. Dust with a final layer of cocoa, then refrigerate for up to 24 hours.