1. The first set of ingredients is for the filling.

2. 1) Whisk egg yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar together.

3. Whisk in the Mascarpone cheese.

4. 2) In a seperate bowl, whip the cream, the rest of the sugar and the vanilla until almost stiff - no peaks.

5. 3) Fold the Mascarpone cheese mixture in to the whipped cream and continue to whip, until stiff.

6. Set aside.

7. 4) Make a fully dissolved syrup with 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tbs water, espresso and rum. 5) Brush a layers of sponge cake with the espresso mixture.

8. with a spatula, smooth about a 1/2 inch thick layer of the mascarpone cheese mixture on top. Brush the second layer with espresso, and place it espressso side down on the first layer.

9. Brush the top with espresso.

10. Spread on another 1/2 inch of the mascarpone cheese mixture.

11. repeat the procedure with the third layer of cake.

12. Cover the top and sides of the cakes with thin layer of the mascarpone filling.

13. 6) With a sieve and a spoon, sprinkle the top of the cake with cocoa powder.

14. Cover the sides of the cake with chocolate shavings.

15. Refrigerate at least three hours.

16. This cake does not hold up well when exposed to any heat, so keep it cool.

17. From the book; La Cucina di Andrea's by Author Chef Andrea Apuzzo.