• Make the gluten free lady fingers and then allow to cool completely. The are actually best made at least a day or two before making the tiramisu - they absorb the coffee better if left to stale slightly!
• Make the espresso and allow to cool to room temperature.

To make the cream layer:

• Add the double cream to a large mixing bowl and sift in the icing sugar. Using an electric whisk, whip until it forms soft peaks. Be careful not to over-whip (it can change fast!) - you don't want the cream to be too stiff.
• Drain any excess liquid from the mascarpone cheese then add to the cream. Beat with the electric whisk for a minute or until combined with no lumps. It should still be quite thick but spoonable.

To construct the dessert:

• Pour the espresso into a large, shallow bowl and add the Tia Maria. Get your serving dish ready (I used a 20cm x 30cm rectangular dish).

  TOP TIP: I find it helps to work out how the sponge fingers best fit in an even layer BEFORE soaking them. In my dish I wanted them all facing the same way, so had to cut some of the fingers in half before soaking)
• Working one-at-a-time, dip a sponge finger into the coffee, quickly turn it over then remove from the coffee and place in your serving dish. These absorb the coffee VERY quickly so do NOT leave them to soak! Keep going until you have created an even layer in the serving dish.
• Spoon half the cream mixture over the top of the sponge fingers and then use a palette knife to smooth it into one even layer.
• Repeat steps 5 and 6 with the remaining sponge fingers and then the remaining cream, so you have 2 more layers. Liberally grate the dark chocolate over the top and then place in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Don't skip this step, I know it's hard - once chilled, serve and enjoy!