Recipe by @ipiattidelbuonumore
INGREDIENTS
250 g of milk
1 egg yolk
50 g of white sugar
25 g of cornstarch
1 packet of vanilla powder
250 g of mascarpone
200 ml of sweetened whipping cream
2 tablespoons of powdered sugar
1 tablespoon of brandy (optional)
300 g of ladyfingers
Unsweetened coffee, as needed
Sponge cake, as needed
DIRECTIONS
Prepare the coffee and let it cool.
In a small saucepan, heat the milk until it is almost boiling. In a bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla powder, and egg yolk, and mix well. Add a small amount of the hot milk and stir thoroughly to prevent lumps. Gradually add the remaining milk, stirring constantly. Place the mixture over medium heat and continue stirring. As soon as it starts to boil, remove from heat and transfer the cream to a bowl. Let it cool, stirring often, or cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface.
In another bowl, pour the sweetened whipping cream, reserving a couple of tablespoons, and whip with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
In a separate bowl, add the mascarpone, the reserved liquid cream, powdered sugar, and brandy (optional), and quickly mix with a fork until smooth and lump-free. Add the cooled pastry cream and mix well using a spatula. Finally, gently fold in the whipped cream, stirring from the bottom up to keep the mixture light and airy.
Spread a small amount of cream on the bottom of a baking dish. Dip the ladyfingers in the coffee and form the first layer. Cover with a layer of cream.
Add another layer of coffee-soaked ladyfingers, then more cream, and continue layering until all the ingredients are used. Top with very finely chopped sponge cake, covering the surface evenly. Refrigerate for at least two hours.
Before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
