This recipe comes from Spectrum Foods and Spiedini, Walnut Creek, Ca, chef Guiseppe Ferrara. The restaurant estimates that this recipe will serve six, but in practice, it will more likey serve twice that many.

For best results, make in the morning, chill in the refrigerator and serve that evening.

Blend yolks and sugar with mixer on low speed; incorporate mascarpone until smooth. Continue mixing at low speed. Then add whipping cream and vailla, then rum until completely mixed. Increase speed slightly and continue mixing until firm peaks appear. Fold choclate pieces into mixture.

Soak ladyfingers in espresso for 2-3 seconds (until cookies are soaked half way). Line a 9x9x4-inch pan with 6-18 soaked ladyfingers. Cover with about 1/2 inch of mascarpone mixture. Layer two more ladyfinger-mascarpone layers to height of pan. Smooth top of surface with spatula. Sprinkle with cocoa. Top with chocolate shavings.

Serve plain or on a pool of chocolate sauce, with espresso or grappa.

salmonella contamination in eggs, the geovernment and the egg industry recommend against serving raw or lightly cooked eggs to the very young, the very old, expectant mothers and ill or otherwise immuno-compromised patients. [ Spectrum Foods and Spiedini restaurant