Tira Misu

This is Lisa Joy's recipe. I believe she learned to make this in her Italian cooking class at Lansing Community College. I added some comments in parentheses.

4 Tablespoons rum, divided
1/2 cup strong black coffee or espresso
2 Tablespoons Brandy
16-20 ladyfingers (Savoiardi cookies work better, as they are drier to begin with, so don't

tend to fall apart when dipped in the coffee mixture)
1 lb marscapone cheese
2 eggs, separated
5 Tablespoons confectioner's sugar
4 oz. dark bitter chocolate, grated

Mix 2 Tablespoons rum with coffee and brandy. Dip ladyfingers in the mixture and lay in a shallow dish. Pour remaining mixture over them. In a mixing bowl, beat together marscapone, egg yolks and sugar, and add remaining rum. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into marscapone mixture. Spoon over ladyfingers. (My Italian cookbook says to do 2 layers alternating cookies, mascarpone mixture, cookies, mascarpone) Sprinkle with chocolate. Refrigerate overnight. (My cookbook says "Do not refrigerate. Cover loosely and leave in a cool place." Coincidentally, I've only made it in the winter, so I've left it in my bedroom, under a slightly opened window.)