Passover Friendly Easter Brunch: Tira-matz-su

This is it.  This is the going to be the centerpiece of your Easter Brunch.  Or Passover Seder.  Or just your Passover in general. 

Tiramisu is my all time favorite dessert.  And I make it the classic way so it's very labor intensive and rarely gets made at all.  So when I read about a matzah tiramisu last year, I was ALL IN.

The idea is simple enough - I mean, I make matzah lasagna, and what is tiramisu but a dessert lasagna?

I did need to make a slight alternation to make it work though, a simple cocoa dusting on top wasn't going to work with matzah.  It needed something a little more wet.  A ganache works pretty well for that though.

My favorite taste tester thought it was amazing and wanted me to make enough for before, during, and after Passover.  I'm sure the rum didn't hurt.

Tira-matz-su

1 1/2 cups strong coffee, cooled

1 Tbsp + 1/2 tsp dark rum

1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup mascarpone

3 large egg yolks

4 sheets of matzah

cocoa powder

2 oz bittersweet chocolate

1. Whisk coffee, 1 Tbsp rum, a pinch of salt and 1 Tbsp sugar in a shallow dish large enough to hold a sheet of matzah.  Chill in fridge until ready to use.
2. Whisk 1 cup cream and mascarpone in a medium bowl until smooth.
3. Combine egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and 2 Tbsp water in the top of a double boiler or a heat proof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water.  Beat mixture on medium high with an electric mixer until eggs triple in volume and pale yellow (about 6-7 minutes).  Remove bowl from heat.
4. Wash beaters and then beat the mascarpone mixture until medium peaks form.
5. Fold the egg yolk mixture into the mascarpone until no streaks remain.
6. Dip the first matzah into the chilled coffee mixture and let soak about 1 minute per side, until it's almost falling apart.  Place an an 8x8 baking dish.
7. Spread 1/3 of the filling over.
8. Sprinkle cocoa powder over the filling.
9. Soak another sheet of matzah and layer on top.
10. Spread half of remaining filling over and sprinkle with cocoa powder.
11. Repeat layers one more time.
12. Make ganache - place bittersweet chocolate in a bowl.
13. Heat remaining cream until boiling, then pour over chocolate.  Let sit for a minute and then stir until chocolate has melted.
14. Stir in remaining rum.  Let cool slightly before spreading on top of to.p sheet of matzah.  Chill until form at least 6 but up to 12 hours (the longer the better!)