I use fresh chopped strawberries in a layer inside, and fresh whole berries to decorate the top.
Strawberry Syrup
1 Pint Strawberries, Hulled
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 Cup Strawberry Liqueur
Put strawberries into a glass or enamel saucepan and mash with a potato masher. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes or until the berries are soft and tender. Line a sieve with a large square of cheesecloth folded in half. Put it over a large glass measuring cup. Scrape berries and juice into the sieve. Gather the cheesecloth into a ball and allow the mixture to drip through. You should have about 3/4 cup strawberry juice. Discard the cheesecloth. Rinse the saucepan and return strawberry juice to the pan. Stir in sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for about 1 minute, until a clear syrup forms. Remove the pan from the heat. Rinse the sieve and strain the syrup through again. Skim any foam off the top. Cool to room temperature, add the liqueur, and chill the syrup for at least 2 hours before using. Strawberry Syrup will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week to 10 days.
1 Pound Mascarpone Cheese At Room Temperature
1 cup Whipping Cream
5 Eggs, Separated
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
24 Savoiardi Cookies (Ladyfingers)
2 Cups Chopped, Fresh Strawberries
15 Strawberries To Garnish
Beat the egg yolks until light. Slowly beat in the sugar, and then the mascarpone cheese. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold these gently into the cheese mixture. Now whip the cream until soft peaks form, and fold this too into the cheese mixture. Carefully dip in ladyfingers one at a time in the strawberry syrup just until the outside of the cookie is barely damp. Arrange cookies side by side in a dish large enough to hold 12 cookies flat. After the first 12 are layered, spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture on top. Spread the fresh berries over the cream mixture, and finish with another layer of syrup moistened cookies and cream mixture. Garnish the top with the fresh berries. Refrigerate several hours before serving.
Note: Be careful not to over saturate the cookies, or you will end up with a runny Tiramisu.
