Almondina Tiramisu

2 packages of Almondina biscuits
6  eggs (3 yolks, 6 whites at room temperature)
2 containers  mascarpone cheese (8 oz each)
2 tablespoons Brandy or Rum
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup strong coffee or espresso (cooled)
1/2 cup kaluha (or just add an additional 1/2 cup of coffee)
cocoa powder for dusting

Mix 1/2 cup kaluha with 1 cup espresso and set aside in shallow dish wide enough or tall enough to dip Almondina in and set aside.

Heat egg yolks and sugar in saucepan on low heat and stir until sugar is until well mixed and mixture begins to bubble and begins to thicken into a custard (about 3 to 5 mins) Remove from heat and allow to cool before placing in a mixing bowl. In the mixing bowl with the custard, add mascarpone, brandy, and vanilla until well mixed and smooth.

In a separate steel bowl whip egg whites until stiff then softly fold into mascarpone mixture until just blended, do not overblend as you want to keep as much air in the mixture as you can.

Quickly begin dipping Almondina cookies in the coffee/kaluha mixture. Soak long enough that you can tell they are absorbing some of the liquid but not so long that they begin to crumble. Layer along the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan. Then layer half of the mascarpone mixture over the cookies and dust that layer with powdered cocoa.

Repeat dipping the Almondinas and layering them on top of the mascarpone layer then spread the remaining mascarpone mixture over the cookies and dust with cocoa again.

Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to mix and mixture to set.