Ghetto Tiramisu

I lovingly and respectfully call this "Ghetto Tiramisu" because it is made with Nilla wafers instead of ladyfingers. The rest of the recipe is loosely based from one from Sophia Loren. I initially decided to make this with the wafers because it was cheaper and easier to buy, but I actually prefer the wafers to made-from-scratch ladyfingers, now.

• Ready In: 12 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 3  eggs, separated
• 5  tablespoons sugar
• 6  ounces mascarpone cheese
• 12  ounces  vanilla wafers
• 1  cup triple sec
• 1  cup  espresso or 1  cup very strong coffee
• 4  ounces bittersweet chocolate, grated with vegetable peeler
• 1⁄3 cup  unsweetened dutch cocoa

Directions

1. Combine yolks and sugar in large bowl and beat well.
2. In second bowl, beat egg whites on low, then increasing speed until stiff peaks form.
3. In the bowl with the yolk mixture, add mascarpone cheese, then gently fold in the egg whites with rubber spatula, moving from center to outside of bowl in circles.
4. Arrange 1/2 wafers in 13 x 9 glass pan. Drizzle 1/2 espresso and 1/2 liquor.
5. Layer mascarpone mixture, most of the grated chocolate (reserve 1 tablespoon), and roughly 2/3 of the cocoa.
6. Add layer of remaining wafers and drizzle remaining liquor and espresso.
7. Refrigerate overnight, or 12 hours.
8. Dust with remaining cocoa and remaining grated chocolate, and serve.