Instructions

1. Pour espresso lungo into a large shallow bowl or dish, leave to cool to room temperature. Stir in the brandy then set aside.
2. Whisk the egg white in a small and grease-free bowl until soft peaks, set aside.
3. Whip the cream in a small bowl until medium-soft peaks, set aside.
4. Add the caster sugar to the egg yolk in a high sided jug, whisk until thick and pale. Tip: Because you’re only whisking 1 egg yolk, which is a very small volume, it’s easier to whisk in a narrow and high sided jug rather than a larger bowl.
5. Scrape whisked egg yolks mixture into a medium-large bowl then add the mascarpone. Mix together with a hand-whisk just until combined. Add the whipped cream and fold in with a metal spoon.
6. Finally, add the whisked egg white and fold through gently to keep as much air in the mixture as possible (the mixture won’t be completely smooth in texture). Set aside.
7. Use a serrated knife to trim the lady finger biscuits to fit the bottom of your serving bowls. Dip the trimmed biscuits in the cooled coffee mixture and arrange in a single layer at the bottom of the serving bowls. Tip: These biscuits soak up liquid very quickly, if your dish is very shallow so the biscuits don’t submerge, a simple dip in on one side, turn over then remove is all you need.
8. Spoon half of the cream mixture, dividing equally between the bowls, over the first layer of dipped biscuits, then spread out evenly with the back of a spoon.
9. Trim, dip and arrange another layer of biscuits on top of the cream layer, then divide the remaining cream mixture between the bowls and spread evenly. Finally, dust the tops generously with cocoa powder.
10. Chill in the fridge to set, at least 3 hours, though the flavours get better as it chills so these can be made a day ahead or early in the day.
11. Will keep in the fridge for about 2 days.