Tiramisu Cake

Directions

1. Preheat the oven: to 170°C.

2. Line three cake tins: With greaseproof paper. We used rectangular tins for the square shape of our tiramisu cake.

3. Make the genoise sponges: First, beat together the 6 eggs and the 180g sugar in a heatproof bowl and heat to 42°C over a pan of boiling water on the hob, stirring as it heats. As soon as it reaches 42°C, get the egg and sugar mix into a stand mixer, or use an electric hand whisk, to whip on the fast setting until it is lightly coloured and fluffy.

4. Gently stir in the flour: Stirring gently with a spatula until everything is combined, be careful not to knock out all of the air you created when whipping the eggs, as this is what makes a genoise sponge so light and airy.

5. Add the melted butter: Stirring until combined. Immediately weigh out about 150g of batter into the three cake tins and get them into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes.

6. Melt the chocolate: In a heatproof bowl over a pan of boiling water. Leave to the side to cool slightly.

7. Whip the 3 egg whites: to stiff peaks in one bowl with a hand-mixer.

8. Whip the double cream: until thick in another bowl with a hand-mixer.

9. Combine the other tiramisu ingredients: Whisk together the egg yolks, the mascarpone, the crème fraîche, the vanilla and the flaky salt in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Then slowly stir in the melted chocolate. Then stir in the whipped double cream. Then finally, stir through the whipped egg whites. Set aside in the fridge.

10. Make the coffee mix: Stir together the coffee, rum, water and sugar in a bowl.

11. Prepare the cakes: After they are baked and cooled, slice the cakes into ten thin layers used a serrated knife (a bread knife is perfect).

12. Soak the cakes with coffee: Using a pastry brush, liberally brush the ten cake slices with the coffee and rum mix.

13. Layer the cake: Lay a slice of coffee-soaked cake, then spread on a layer of tiramisu cream (make sure you save some for the end when you need to cover the outside of the cake), then sprinkle with a layer of the crushed amaretti biscuits, then another slice of cake. Repeat 9 nines. If your kitchen is warm and the cake is melting slightly and shifting around, place it in the fridge until it cools and sets. When the tower is complete, leave in the fridge for ten minutes.

14. Finish the cake: By scraping the remaining tiramisu cream around the outside until it is smooth. Decorate by sprinkling amaretti crumbs around the base and generously dusting cocoa powder on top.