The origins of this dessert have always been under debate. Once you taste it, it would make you forget everything else in this world!

Ingredients

• Strong black coffee, ⅓ cup
• Rum or brandy, 5 tablespoons
• Cream cheese, 1½ pounds
• Superfine/powdered sugar, 1 cup
• Unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted), 2 tablespoons
• Basic sponge cake (around 10-12'' in width and about 3" in height), 1

Preparation
Make two even layers of the sponge cake by cutting it across the middle. This should be around 1½ inches in height. Combine the coffee and the brandy and sprinkle this mix over the bottom half of the cake. This is done to add a strong flavor. Take care while doing this because the cake should not be moistened more than necessary with the mixture.

Beat the cream cheese along with the sugar. Wait until it dissolves completely and the mixture turns light and fluffy. Use half of this mixture to spread across the bottom layer of the cake. Place the second layer of the cake on top of this, and coat it with the remaining cheese mixture. Sprinkle it with the sifted cocoa and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Ingredients

• Granulated sugar, ½ cup
• Ricotta cheese, 1½ cups
• Cocoa, 3 tablespoons
• Egg yolk, 1
• Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
• Egg whites, 3
• Light cream cheese, ½ cup
• Granulated sugar, ⅓ cup
• Strong prepared coffee, ¾ cup
• Chocolate/coffee-flavored liqueur, 3 tablespoons
• Ladyfinger cookies, 16

Preparation
Ladyfinger cookies are light, sweet sponge cakes that are shaped like a finger. Firstly, spray some vegetable spray on a 9-inch square baking dish. Then, combine the sugar, cocoa, ricotta cheese, cream cheese, egg yolk, and vanilla extract in a food processor and blend till the mixture smoothens. Once done, transfer it to a bowl.

Now, beat the eggs whites in another bowl, and gradually add some sugar to it. Fold this gently into the ricotta mixture. Take a small bowl and combine the coffee and liqueur in it. Place half of the ladyfinger cookies in the baking dish, and spread half of the coffee-liqueur mixture over this.

Now, spread half of the ricotta mixture above this. Repeat these layers and cover the dish. Place it in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.

Ingredients

• Egg yolks, 6
• White sugar, 1¼ cups
• Mascarpone cheese, 1¼ cups
• Heavy whipping cream, 1¾ cups
• Ladyfingers, 2 (12 ounce) packages
• Coffee-flavored liqueur, ⅓ cup
• Unsweetened cocoa powder (for dusting), 1 teaspoon
• Square semisweet chocolate 1 (1 ounce) package

Preparation
Combine the egg yolks with the sugar in a double boiler. Then, reduce the heat to low, and cook this for about 10 minutes. Ensure that you keep stirring this constantly. Once you are through, remove the boiler from the heat. Whip the yolks until they thicken. Add the mascarpone cheese to these whipped yolks.

Beat this mixture until it combines well. Whip the cream in a separate bowl till it forms stiff peaks. Gently fold this into the yolk mixture; set aside. Split the ladyfingers in half and use this to line the bottom and the sides of a glass bowl. Gently brush them with some coffee liqueur and spoon half of the cream filling over this.

Repeat the layer of the ladyfingers, coffee liqueur, and the filling layers. Use some cocoa and chocolate curls (these can be made with the help of a vegetable peeler; run this over the edge of the chocolate) to garnish. Refrigerate this overnight or for a couple of hours.