Dubai Chocolate Tiramisu

Method

1. 1Make the kataifi filling first. Chop the kataifi pastry into 2–3cm pieces with scissors or a knife. Melt the butter in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the kataifi and stir constantly for 5–8 minutes until evenly golden and crispy — it burns quickly once it starts colouring, so don't walk away. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool completely. Once cool, add the pistachio cream and mix until the kataifi is coated. Set aside.
2. 2Brew the espresso and let it cool to room temperature. Warm espresso makes ladyfingers fall apart instead of absorbing properly.
3. 3Make the cream filling. Beat the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until stiff peaks form. Add the mascarpone and fold gently until combined — don't overmix or the cream will become grainy. The texture should be thick and cloud-like.
4. 4Assemble. Quickly dip each ladyfinger into the cooled espresso — 1–2 seconds per side, not longer. They should be moist but still hold their shape. Arrange in a single layer in a 20x30cm dish.
5. 5Spread half the mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers. Add the kataifi-pistachio filling in an even layer. Add a second layer of dipped ladyfingers, then the remaining cream.
6. 6Make the ganache. Chop the chocolate and place in a bowl. Heat the 80ml of cream until it just simmers, pour over the chocolate, and let it sit for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let it cool 10 minutes until slightly thickened, then pour over the top of the tiramisu. Scatter crushed pistachios on top.
7. 7Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. The tiramisu sets as it chills and the flavors integrate. Serve cold — the kataifi will have softened by this point, giving a chewy rather than crunchy layer.