Sweet Berry Layers (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Strawberry Gelatin Layer

01 - 3/4 Tablespoon plain gelatin powder
02 - 1/4 cup water, chilled
03 - 1/3 to 1/2 cup white sugar
04 - 1 pound of fresh strawberries or thawed frozen ones

→ Strawberry Sauce

05 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/2 cup of cold water
07 - 1 pound strawberries, either fresh or frozen (thawed if frozen)

→ Tiramisu

08 - 6 egg yolks
09 - 14 ounces of Italian ladyfinger cookies (savoiardi)
10 - 3/4 cups of sugar (split)
11 - 1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 - 1 cup of heavy cream
13 - 1 pound of strawberries, sliced
14 - 1/2 cup half-and-half (half light cream, half whole milk)
15 - 1.5 pounds mascarpone, softened at room temp

# Instructions:

01 - Take a big bowl and add the chilled water to it. Sprinkle the gelatin evenly on top, letting it soften for a bit. While waiting, blend strawberries with sugar in a blender until they’re totally smooth. Heat the puree in a saucepan on the stove—cook it for roughly 5 minutes, just until it starts bubbling at the top. Pour the warm puree over the bloomed gelatin and whisk together until well blended. Pour this mix into a 13 x 9-inch pan and refrigerate it for an hour until it’s set and firm.
02 - Grab your blender again and combine another pound of strawberries with the sugar and water. Blend until smooth, then pour into a shallow dish. This is your dipping sauce for later.
03 - Get a heat-safe bowl and put in the egg yolks with 1/4 cup sugar, then whisk to combine. Stir in the half-and-half. Place this bowl over simmering water in a saucepan, but make sure the bowl doesn’t actually touch the water. Gently heat the mix while whisking for about 10 minutes, until it’s thick and cooked through. Let it cool when done.
04 - Using a mixer or just a whisk, whip the heavy cream. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons of the leftover sugar as you whip, stopping when soft peaks begin to form.
05 - In a fresh bowl, lightly mix the mascarpone, the rest of the sugar, and the vanilla. Avoid overworking it—if you need to, use a mixer but stop as soon as combined.
06 - Combine the cooled egg mixture with the mascarpone. Gently fold in the whipped cream until you have a fluffy, smooth filling.
07 - Once the gelatin layer is totally firm, you’re ready to assemble. Dip the crispy Italian ladyfingers (not the soft ones) briefly into the strawberry sauce—just 2-3 seconds per side, no longer. Line them up to form a layer. Spread on half of the mascarpone filling, smoothing it evenly. Layer on more soaked ladyfingers, followed by the remaining mascarpone cream. Keep everything level as you go.
08 - Pop the whole thing into the fridge for at least 6 hours, or leave it overnight. When ready to serve, layer on thinly sliced strawberries for a beautiful finishing touch. Make sure to do this step right before bringing it to the table so they stay fresh.

# Notes:

01 - Cool the dessert in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
02 - The right type of ladyfingers are crisp Italian ones (savoiardi), not the squishy kind.
03 - Limit the dip time for the ladyfingers to 2-3 seconds per side to keep them firm.
04 - Save the fresh strawberry garnish till right before serving for best results.

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