50g caster sugar
1 tsp instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tsp of hot water
¼ cup thickened cream
½ cup mascarpone
½ tsp vanilla bean paste
1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
½ cup coffee liqueur (optional)
½ cup pistachio kernels, roughly chopped
100g chocolate, grated
1½ cups fresh berries (any mixture)
12 sponge fingers
Method
- Separate the eggs and place 3 egg yolks in one large bowl and 2 of the egg whites into another large bowl. Save the extra egg white for another recipe.
- Using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until pale. Add vanilla bean paste, thickened cream and mascarpone and beat until smooth.
- Use the hand mixer (ensuring it has been thoroughly washed and doesn’t have any traces of egg yolk or anything else on it) to beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Fold the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk and cream mixture.
- Mix the coffee with the coffee liqueur (if you are using it) and break up the sponge fingers into smaller pieces to fit four wide-mouth glasses. You could use tumblers, lowball glasses, martini glasses, or even small jars.
- Place some pieces of sponge finger into the bottom of the glasses. Pour some of the coffee liqueur mixture over them, then top with some of the cream mixture and grated chocolate. Repeat with another layer of sponge fingers, coffee and the cream mixture. Finish with fresh berries, pistachio nuts and some more grated chocolate. Chill in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight.
NOTE: You can use any mixture of berries, depending on what is available. Raspberries, strawberries and, if you can get them, blackberries are a lovely combination.
