Method

• You can make this in one large dish or individual dishes provided whatever you decide on is sufficiently deep to accommodate at least three layers
• If they are narrow, such as say wine flutes, simply do away with the outer circle of ladyfingers and just build your dessert in layers
• Use glass vessels so you get the visual impact on serving
• Ready the serving dishes by smearing the insides with an invisibly thin film of butter and dusting with a good quality cocoa powder
• Shake out any excess, and reserve for the top
• If you haven’t already done so whip the fresh cream to soft peaks
• Pour custard into a second larger mixing bowl and add a third of the cream, mixing well into the custard
• Now gently fold in the remaining whipped cream, until only just blended
• With your coffee and Quick Brown Fox combined in a shallow bowl, dip each lady finger (or halves if you’re using smaller glasses) for a second or two on each side
• Line the bottom and side of your serving dish in single layer of these dipped fingers
• It’s easiest to dip as you go, or the ladyfingers becoming difficult to handle
• Now add a good spoon of the custard cream mix to the bottom of the dish and, using the back of a spoon, spread some around the fingers lining your dish, so that it takes up the spaces between them
• Add another layer of fingers to the top of your custard, and then more custard, another layer of lady fingers and so on, finishing with custard, or if you prefer, plain whipped cream
• Cover well (dairy captures other unwanted food aromas!) and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours, but preferably the full day
• (This is a great dish to make with your first cuppa, before anyone else gets up!) Take out of the fridge half an hour before serving to allow the flavours to speak
• Serve with a generous dusting of finely grated Ocho chocolate over the top – my pick for this dessert is their 70% Cocoa Samoa variety; it’s complex and bittersweet
• Note – if you go the distance and make a zabaglione from scratch then why not indulge in some of Ocho’s roasted cocoa flakes for dusting
• The finished product will be off the charts!