Instructions

SPONGE LAYER:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F

Whisk the grated marzipan, whole egg and egg yolks until smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar and whisk for 3–5 minutes, until light and airy. Whisk in the coffee extract.

Separately, whisk the egg whites, and the caster sugar, cream of tartar and salt until they form a stiff meringue. Fold one third of the meringue into the almond paste mixture, followed by the sifted flour and cornflour. Fold in the remaining meringue.

Put the mixture into a prepared baking sheet (15" x 10"). Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, until the sponges spring back when pressed. Remove the sponges from the oven and leave them to cool in the trays for 5 minutes. Put on a wire tray and leave to cool completely.

Split the sponge into two halves (layers) and set one half aside. Put the remaining half onto a flat board onto which you can slice with a sharp knife.

TIRAMISU CREAM

Whisk the egg yolks until they have tripled in volume.

Put the caster sugar and 20ml of water in a small saucepan set over a low heat. Once the sugar has dissolved (stir to help it along), turn up the heat to a rapid boil until the syrup reaches 115°C. With the mixer running, slowly pour the hot syrup into the egg yolks. Keep whisking until the sides of the bowl are cool to the touch.

Separately, whisk the mascarpone and whipping cream to soft peaks.

Heat the marsala in a pan until just below boiling point, then add the agar-agar, stir to help it dissolve and let it boil for at least a minute. Leave the mixture to cool a little before stirring it in to the egg-yolk mixture.

One third at a time, fold the egg yolk mixture into the whipped mascarpone cream.

Spread or pipe the tiramisu cream on top of the almond sponge (the depth of all the layers should be similar), then add the other sponge and another layer of tiramisu cream.

Decorate to your liking - sifted cocoa, whipped cream, grated chocolate all work well.