Tiramisu

Whisk the 6 egg yolks with ½ cup granulated sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is pale, thick, and falls from the whisk in a slow ribbon, about 3–4 minutes.

Add the 16 oz mascarpone cheese to the yolk mixture and fold gently until fully incorporated and smooth. Do not beat — you want a dense, creamy base.

In a separate clean bowl, whip the 1 cup heavy whipping cream to soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture in two additions, keeping as much volume as possible.

In another clean bowl, beat the 6 egg whites with the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar to stiff, glossy peaks. Fold the egg whites into the mascarpone cream in two additions until just combined.

Stir the 3 tbsp dark rum or Marsala wine into the 1 ½ cups cooled espresso in a shallow bowl wide enough to dip a ladyfinger.

Working quickly, dip each savoiardi ladyfinger into the espresso mixture for about 1–2 seconds per side — they should be moist but not soggy. Arrange a single layer of dipped ladyfingers in the bottom of a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) dish.

Spread half of the mascarpone cream evenly over the ladyfinger layer, smoothing it to the edges with a spatula.

Dip and arrange the remaining savoiardi ladyfingers in a second layer on top of the cream, then spread the remaining mascarpone cream over them.

Dust the top generously and evenly with the 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder through a fine-mesh sieve.

Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight. The rest time is essential — it sets the cream and melds the flavors.