Shelly's Recipe

TIRAMISU CHEESECAKE

Category: Cheesecake

Espresso syrup
4 tsp dried instant coffee or espresso
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp coffee liqueur

Filling
12-16 lady fingers
2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1/2 lb mascarpone cheese
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp kahlua, optional
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup heavy cream
Cocoa powder or cinnamon, for dusting

Topping
16-20 lady fingers, quartered
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp instant coffee or espresso, dissolved in 1-2 tbsp hot water
Chocolate bar, for shavings

Spray 9 inch spring form pan or tart pan with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare syrup in saucepan by stirring coffee with water and sugar; heat just until sugar dissolves. Remove form heat and cool to room temperature. Sir in kahlua.

Cake: Arrange lady fingers in pan, cutting or trimming to fill out pan bottom with cookies. Brush syrup over cookies and allow to soak in. Reapply until all the syrup is gone. In a large bowl, cream the cheeses and sugar. Add remaining filling ingredients. Pour over crust.

In a saucepan, melt butter with the sugar. Using a whisk, briskly blend in the dissolved coffee. Pour into a medium-size bowl. Toss quartered lady fingers into this mixture. Arrange on top of cake. Bake until just set, about 30 minutes.

Chill for 4 hours or overnight. After removing pan, grasp a handful of shavings and put them around the sides of the cake. Right before serving, dust each slice lightly with cocoa powder or cinnamon.