Preparation time: 4 hours

Ingredients

For the savoiardi (sponge fingers):
160g egg whites
250g sugar
160g egg yolks
280g flour
Zest of 1 lemon
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out
Icing sugar

For the cream:
120g egg yolks
120g sugar
400g mascarpone
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out
10g gelatine, melted in a little rum
A little rum
400g cream, whipped
To finish:
Good-quality cocoa powder
600g warm espresso

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. To make the savoiardi, whisk 160g of egg whites while slowly adding 250g of sugar.
3. Add 160g of egg yolks, then fold in the flour, lemon zest and vanilla seeds.
4. Pour the mix into a piping bag and pipe fingers 10-12cm long onto a baking tray.
5. Sprinkle the fingers with icing sugar and bake for about 15 minutes.
6. To make the cream, whip 120g egg yolks and 120g sugar together until smooth.
7. Fold in the mascarpone and vanilla seeds.
8. Add the gelatine melted in a little bit of rum and fold in the whipped cream.

Assembly
1. Soak the savoiardi in warm espresso. In a dessert dish, make a layer of savoiardi and top
with cream. Repeat this process for one more layer.
2. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, then sprinkle with cocoa powder to finish.