Instructions: This is definitely not a weeknight dessert. Its for special occasions, when you want to roll out the heavy artillery for people whove really earned it. It makes 3 cups of custard. Youll use a cup for the tiramisu, and have 2 cups left over for another use. Enjoy it after your party with nothing more than candied orange peel sprinkled over it. The custard must be made the night before you begin the tiramisu.

Custard:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 cups milk (I use 2 percent)

1 tablespoon rum
Tiramisu:
1/2 cup dark rum
1/2 cup orange muscat wine (Essencia)

2 (7-ounce)

packages crisp lady fingers (youll use about 1 1/2 packages)

1 pound fresh mascarpone cheese
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
1/2 cup good quality bittersweet chocolate, grated 1 tablespoon (approximately) espresso coffee granules 1/2 cup candied orange peel

To make custard: Mix the sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks in the top of a double boiler (do not set over heat yet). Scald the milk in a 4- or 5 cup glass measuring cup in the microwave (be careful it doesnt overflow). Pour the milk slowly over the egg mixture while beating with a whisk. Cook over barely simmering water, stirring with a whisk, until it thickens (dont let it boil).

Cool; stir in the rum. Put in a bowl and cover top with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To make tiramisu: Use a large trifle dish or a straight-sided glass salad bowl. Pour the rum and muscat together in a pie plate and dip in each lady finger on both sides, then set upright around the bowl, pushing gently into the side and against one another to secure. When the sides of the bowl are covered, break several other lady fingers in half or thirds to cover the bottom of the bowl (they dont have to cover it completely), dipping them into the rum mixture.

Using about a third of the mascarpone, drop tablespoonfuls over the bottom lady fingers, and then carefully spread to cover. Add about a third of the custard, followed by a thin layer of whipping cream, then a sprinkling of chocolate, coffee and orange peel. Repeat layers 2 more times, finishing with lady fingers if theres room. Pipe remaining whipping cream over the top and sprinkle with remaining chocolate (or add chocolate curls).

Refrigerate at least a couple of hours before serving. Theres no way to keep it pretty once you start scooping into it, so dont even try. (In other words, its not an attractive dish for an extended buffet.)

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