Begin by making some strong shots of espresso coffee:

If you don't have an espresso maker, a potful of espresso made in a stovetop pot will do quite fine. Then mix your espresso with some of the simple syrup, if you have some on hand, or just a few spoonfuls of sugar, to taste. You can also use the coffee without sugar, as the mascarpone cream will add sweetness.

To make the mascarpone mixture, separate the yolks from the whites. Set the whites aside for the moment. Then whisk the yolks together with the sugar briskly until they form a kind of cream; you should be able to see 'ribbons' in the mixture as you whisk it. A stand mixer makes short work of this job.

Then add the mascarpone and a dash of marsala, and continue whisking until you have a homogeneous cream mixture.

Now, in a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.

Fold the egg whites gently into the mascarpone mixture.

Now that you have your coffee and mascarpone mixture ready, it is time to assemble the dish: take a ladyfinger, dip it on both sides in the espresso, very briefly, just to barely coat the outside. (Don't linger or your ladyfingers will soften to mush!) As you dip the ladyfingers, arrange them in a rectangular or square baking dish. Continue until you have covered the bottom of the dish with them. (NB: Depending on the size of your dish, you may need to lay them in different directions and/or break some of the ladyfingers into shorter lengths.)

Once you have your first layer of ladyfingers, spread some of the mascarpone mixture over them, enough to cover them entirely. Then lay another layer of ladyfingers on top of that.

Finally, lay over another layer of the mascapone mixture.

Put the dish into the fridge for at least an hour, better several hours or even overnight. The longer you let it sit, the more the mascarpone mixture will penetrate the ladyfingers and soften them up. It will also help the elements to form a more solid mass. A freshly made tiramisù will be very creamy and rather loose when served, as pictured above, while a well-rested one will be more cake-like. Each version has its charms.

In any event, right before you're ready to serve, dust the top of your tiramisù with unsweetened cocoa powder (the kind you would bake with). Use as much or as little as you like. Personally, I prefer just a light dusting.