sf wrote:

> >I was doubtful about the espresso powder I ended up purchasing, but the
> >man who was helping me said it would taste better than the extra-strong
> >coffee I was going to use.
>
> It's a good substitute. My SIL uses espresso powder and like I said
> in chat, hers is better than any commercial tiramisu I've eaten.

While I use instant espresso powder in ice cream I use real espresso in
tiramisu.

I had a horrible tiramisu in a local sports bar restaurant last year.
Luckily it was a freebie, comped to my wife after her meal order was messed
up. I would have been upset if I had ordered it and paid for it. Everything
was artificial. First of all, it was made with a sponge cake base, which is
a viable substitute if it is a decent sponge cake. This was not. The filling
was made with pastry cream instead of marscapone and egg yolk. The big crime
was dousing it with artificial rum.