The perfect Valentine’s dessert, best made ahead to give the flavours time to mingle …                                            

Ingredients

• 1 egg yolk
• 2.0 tbsp caster sugar
• ¼ tsp vanilla paste or extract
• 85.0g mascarpone
• 150.0ml double cream
• 2.0 tbsp Kahlúa
• 5.0 tbsp very strong coffee
• 85.0g sponge fingers
• cocoa powder , for dusting

For the honeycomb

• a little mild oil , like sunflower, for greasing
• 85.0g caster sugar
• 2.0 tbsp clearhoney
• 1.0 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Method

1. Whisk the egg yolk with the caster sugar and vanilla paste until pale. Add the mascarpone and cream, then beat with an electric whisk until smooth and thick.
2. Put the Kahlua and coffee in a bowl and dip in enough sponge fingers to cover the bottoms of 2 small bowls or ramekins. Cover with half the creamy mixture, repeat with some more soaked biscuits, topping with more creamy mixture, until your dishes are full. Dust with a little cocoa powder and chill for at least 2 hrs or overnight.
3. For the honeycomb, oil a baking tray or tin or line with a non-stick mat. Gently heat the sugar and honey with a splash of water in a heavy-based pan until melted. Increase the heat and bubble to a good caramel colour, then lift off the heat, whisk in the bicarb and tip onto the baking tray to cool. Once cold, crush with a rolling pin or thinly slice into shards, and scatter a little over the tiramisus to serve. Leftover honeycomb will keep for a week in an airtight tin.