Cheesecake:
12-16 lady fingers
1 lb. cream cheese
1/2 lb. mascarpone cheese
2/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla
1 tbs. orange liqueur (optional)
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/3 c. whipping cream

Topping:
16-20 lady fingers, quartered
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. espresso or instant coffee
dissolved in 1-2 tbsp. hot water
nonstick cooking spray
confectioner's sugar for dusting
OR 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate, grated

Lightly spray a 9' springform pan or
9" deep tart pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Preheat oven to 350F.

Prepare syrup:
In a small saucepan, stir water with coffee
and sugar and heat just to dissolve sugar.
Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Stir in liqueur.

For cake, arrange lady fingers in pan,
cutting or trimming to fill out
pan bottom with cookies.
Brush syrup over cookies and
allow to soak in. Re-apply to use up syrup.

In an electric mixer on slow speed,
cream the cream cheese with sugar.
Add vanilla, (orange liqueur), eggs,
egg yolks and heavy cream.
Pour over prepared cake crust.

In a small saucepan, over low heat,
melt the butter with the sugar.
Using a whisk, briskly blend in the dissolved coffee.
Pour into a medium sized bowl.
Toss quartered lady fingers into this mixture.
Arrange on top of cake.

Bake until just set, about 30 minutes.
Chill for 4 hours or overnight.

Dust with confectioner's sugar
or grated semi-sweet chocolate.
10-12 servings