TIRAMIMOUSSE

Can you say rich -- and easy? Just melt the chocolate in this recipe in a microwave, blend with the other ingredients and chill (the mousse, that is). The recipe is our last from "Cooking With All Things Trader Joe's" by Deana Gunn and Wona Miniati ($29.95, Brown Bag Publishers).

Ingredients

2 bars (7 oz. each) dark bittersweet chocolate

4 oz. mascarpone cheese

1 pint (2 cups) heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons instant coffee dissolved in 4 tablespoons hot water

2 tablespoons Marsala wine

Directions

To melt chocolate, break up bars into squares and place in a small Pyrex bowl. Microwave for 1 minute and stir. Repeat using 30-second intervals, stirring after every interval until fully melted and waiting a minute between intervals to let the heat of the bowl dissipate. Melting 2 chocolate bars should take a total of about 2 minutes.

Add mascarpone, cream, coffee and wine to a blender, adding melted chocolate last. Blend only until mixture thickens (about 10-20 seconds). If you continue blending, the cream will curdle and your guests will cry.

Spoon into individual cups and chill in the fridge. If leaving for longer than a couple of hours or making the day before, cover each serving with plastic wrap.

Makes 6 servings.