The Italian words tirami su literally means "pick me up" or "pull me up" and refers to the effects of the sugar and espresso. And because it tastes absolutely divine, it also means "pick me up to heaven".

Ingredients

Sponge Fingers

2 x 250g tubs Mascarpone cheese

1 carton of whipping cream

Cold fresh coffee

Sherry, Brandy or whisky

3 tablespoons sugar

Chocolate to decorate and Cocoa powder

Method

1. Make up some real coffee and put into a dish. Add the alcohol. The amount depends on personal taste. Allow to cool.
    
2. Have ready a dish to use for the Tiramisu.
    
3. Whip up the fresh cream. (In France you can buy cartons of cream which will whip up or in Italy, in the fridges by the fresh milk, fresh cream can be bought in little cartons which whips up beautifully)
    
4. Fold the tubs of mascarpone cheese to the cream and the sugar.
    
5. Dip the sponges into the cold coffee and place on the bottom of the dish.
    
6. Spoon on half of the cream mixture of the soaked sponges.
    
7. Repeat the process, so you have two layers of sponges.
    
8. After the remaining cream is spread over the sponges, decorate with cocoa powder and either grate some chocolate or make shavings using a sharp knife.

This can be prepared in advance and left in the fridge until ready to be served.