I soon found more recipes than there are Italians, and then one on the pack of Savoiardi (Ladyfingers); so decided to extract the best from each and essentially make it up as I went along. So, for posterity:

rpg’s tiramisu recipe

Ingredients

• Six eggs, separated
• 200 g sugar
• splodge real vanilla essence
• pack of Savoiardi
• small pot strong espresso
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 500 g mascarpone

Protocol

1. Prepare a pot of espresso (about a cup/4–6 servings) and allow to cool
2. Beat yolks together with the sugar (hand balloon whisk) until pale yellow and smooth and creamy, and most of the sugar is dissolved. Mix in the vanilla essence
3. Fold in 250 g mascarpone and beat for a couple of minutes. Add the rest of the mascarpone and beat again until smooth and all the sugar is dissolved
4. In a clean bowl beat (electric whisk) the egg whites and a generous pinch of sugar until stiff peaks form
5. Gently combine the meringue with the yolk custard, a little at a time, until completely mixed
6. Pour the espresso into a shallow container (e.g. Chinese takeaway box) and stir in the brandy
7. Dip each ladyfinger, sugar-side, into the coffee/brandy for about 2 seconds, and place on the bottom of the serving tray, dry side down, until the base is covered
8. Cover the base with 1/3–1/2 the custard (cream). Sprinkle cocoa over it
9. Repeat for a second layer of savoiardi; followed by the rest of the cream. Sprinkle cocoa (through a tea strainer)
10. Refrigerate overnight

Tiramisu, ready to go

We’ll see how it goes tomorrow.