Ingredients :

• Mascarpone — It’s the foundation of everything. Get a good one — the Galbani brand is reliable and found everywhere; avoid low-fat versions which make the cream liquid and characterless. It must be at room temperature before working with it, otherwise it will clump when you incorporate it into the whipped cream.
• Ladyfingers (savoiardi) — Not the soft sponge fingers from the pastry aisle. Real Italian savoiardi — drier, firmer — they hold up better to soaking without disintegrating. You can find them in Italian grocery stores or the dry biscuit aisle of supermarkets.
• Coffee — Strong. Really strong. A coffee that is too light leads to a bland result and the whole aromatic structure of the dessert collapses. Espresso or very strong filter coffee. It must be completely cold before use — coffee that is still lukewarm softens the ladyfingers too quickly and everything turns into mush.
• Full-fat heavy cream — 30% fat minimum, no less. And it must come straight out of the fridge — cold, very cold. Lukewarm cream won’t whip, or it turns into a soft mass that doesn’t hold. If you have time, put the bowl in the freezer for ten minutes beforehand.