Start by whisking your egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl. You'll want to do this over a double boiler or a pot of simmering water.

Keep whisking for about 5-8 minutes until the mixture becomes thick and pale yellow. It should ribbon off your whisk beautifully. Remove from heat and let it cool for a few minutes.

Once cooled slightly, add your mascarpone cheese and gently fold it in until smooth and creamy. Set this aside while you work on the whipped cream.

In a separate bowl, whip your heavy cream until stiff peaks form. This usually takes about 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer.

Now here's where the magic happens. Gently fold the whipped cream into your mascarpone mixture using a spatula. Be gentle here because you want to keep all that lovely airiness.

The result should be light, fluffy, and absolutely irresistible. I always sneak a taste at this point, and wow.

Brew your espresso or strong coffee and let it cool to room temperature. If you're using coffee liqueur, stir it in now.

Pour the mixture into a shallow dish that's wide enough to dip your ladyfingers. The shallow dish makes dipping so much easier and less messy.

Now for the fun part! Take each ladyfinger and quickly dip it into the coffee mixture. And I mean quickly, like just one second per side.

You want them moistened but not soggy and falling apart. This is crucial for the perfect texture.

Arrange the dipped ladyfingers in a single layer in your serving dish. I love using a 9x13 inch pan, but you can also use a trifle dish for a prettier presentation.

Spread half of your mascarpone cream over the first layer of ladyfingers. Make sure it's nice and even.

Repeat with another layer of coffee-dipped ladyfingers and top with the remaining cream. Smooth out the top with a spatula.

Cover your dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but overnight is even better. This resting time lets all the flavors meld together perfectly.