Chocolate Tiramisu

I love trashy relaity television. I realize I should probably be ashamed and keep this information under wraps but I do not care. I am not ashamed. I don't care who knows it. The trashier the better! There, I said it.

For the season premier of "The Jersey Shore" (yep, love it) my friends and I had an Italian Potluck (yep, we got made fun of). I don't care what anyone says, the show is HILARIOUS! Maybe I like trashy tv because it makes my life seem less crazy and dramatic, who knows. Anyways, I made this chocolate tiramisu.

Its to die for...really. And I am not even a huge fan of tiramisu (I realize that this too may be an unbelieveable Tarrah-fact that makes me crazy). It was the chocolate part, the chocolate intrigued me.

So much so that neither of the 2 grocery stores I searched up and down had lady fingers so I determined that I would make my own. How hard could it be right?

Wrong! This was an experience very similar to my angel food cake one. Aka: disaster. I attempted twice to make these seemingly easy little devils. The taste was right but the texture was oh so wrong. They were flat...like pancakes but I made do and layered them anyway and threw together with this semi-tiramisu.

I added whipped cream and if you ask me that covers any and all mistakes...that and sprinkles but shaved chocolate will do...sprinkles would be just silly.

I still don't know what I did wrong but I ate a very generous portion of this so I don't think it matters. I will probably never try to make ladyfingers again...although I am a firm believer in 3rd times a charm....so we'll see...

Chocolate Tiramisu
Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

8 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, shaved
2 cups heavy cream
8 ounces mascarpone
2 cups espresso or very strong coffee, cooled
1/3 cup coffee liqueur (recommended: Kahlua)
About 44 ladyfingers (available at supermarkets and Italian bakeries)
2 cups fat-free whipped topping
Powdered sugar

Directions:

Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl. In a saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over medium-high heat. Quickly pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 1 minute; then whisk together until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in the mascarpone, then strain into a bowl big enough to whip the mixture in the next day. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

Remove the chocolate mixture from the refrigerator and whip until fluffy and slightly stiffened, being careful not to overwhip (like heavy cream, the mixture can turn to butter if whipped too long). Refrigerate.

Combine the espresso and coffee liqueur in a shallow dish. Pick up 1 ladyfinger, then place it in the espresso for just as long as it takes you to pick up the next 1 and place it in the espresso (about 10 seconds). Fish the first 1 out and place it in the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Repeat with the remaining ladyfingers, arranging them in rows in the bottom of the dish and continuously adding and removing the ladyfingers from the espresso mixture. (This will allow them to soak for the perfect amount of time without getting soggy--they should be wet on the outside but still have an unsoaked core at the center.)

When you have made a complete layer of ladyfingers, spread half of the chocolate mixture over the ladyfingers and cover lightly with some of the chocolate shavings. Repeat, making 1 more complete layer of ladyfingers, chocolate, whipped topping and shavings. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 2 hours.

Serve cold, dishing out spoonfuls with a large serving spoon. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.