Tiramisu

Often believed to be steeped in the history of Italian cuisine, tiramisu is in fact a relative newcomer to the field, with the first recorded recipes appearing in Italy in the 1980s. Meaning 'pick-me-up' in Italian, the combination of strong coffee and sweet mascarpone cream does exactly that and is easily prepared in advance (even the day before) for a special lunch or dinner party. Not one for the kids, this version is full of sweet Marsala but it can be substituted with a little vanilla extract if need be, although the boozy ladyfingers against the rich cream are the bit that does it for me the most.