Restaurant-worthy Tiramisu Recipe with coffee-soaked ladyfingers, whipped mascarpone, and a cocoa dusting.
author’s note
Tiramisu Recipe Straight From Italy!
I’ve shared quite a few recipes from my time in Italy and from the cooking classes I took (hi, bruschetta, fennel salad, gelato, and beef ragù), yet I still haven’t shared one of the most iconic desserts: tiramisu. It’s one of my all-time favorites, and I ordered it every chance I got in Italy. Finally, it’s getting the spotlight today!
While this recipe is fairly authentic (and closely based on a recipe I was given in a cooking class), I’ve adapted it by adding whipped cream (not in the traditional recipe). The cream adds a little more to the mascarpone-egg mixture in flavor and texture. You can leave it out for a more traditional recipe, but now that I’ve had it, I can’t make it without this addition.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swap or Tip |
|---|---|
| Mascarpone | Don’t swap with cream cheese if you want classic flavor and texture. |
| Ladyfingers (Savoiardi) | If stores do not carry them, order online. I’ve tried these, these, and these. |
| Espresso or strong coffee | I love using this instant espresso powder whisked into hot water. |
| Eggs | Bring to room temp before mixing. |
| Cocoa powder | Dutch-process gives a smoother, darker finish. Sift on just before serving and again after slicing if you want a fresh look. |
| Coffee liqueur or dark rum | Skip for alcohol-free. Start light to keep the flavor balanced. |
| Heavy cream | Whip to medium peaks only. Fold gently into the mascarpone mix to keep it airy. |
How To Make This Tiramisu Recipe
- Make espresso mixture: Cool it to room temp. Stir in liqueur if using.
- Whip yolks with sugar: Go until pale and thick. Fold in mascarpone and vanilla.
- Whip cream: Whip until medium peaks form. Fold into the mascarpone mixture.
- Whip whites with a pinch of salt: Fold gently into the cream to keep it airy.
- Dip and layer: Very quickly dip each ladyfinger. Arrange in the pan. Spread half the cream. Dust cocoa. Repeat.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate, preferably overnight. Slice, dust again, and serve.
Pro Tips For Success
- Pasteurized eggs: The FDA recommends pasteurized eggs for uncooked egg dishes.
- Dip ladyfingers fast: One quick in-and-out. Never soak. This prevents soggy layers.
- Medium peaks only: Stop whipping the cream once it forms soft, medium peaks. Over-whipping can cause the cream to separate and the tiramisu to feel heavy.
Variations
- Alcohol-free tiramisu: Skip the liqueur. Add a touch more vanilla.
- Decaf version: Use decaf espresso in this tiramisu recipe.
- Chocolate-forward: Dust with extra cocoa and add fine chocolate shavings.
- Cup versions: Build in small cups for parties.
- Sheet-pan tiramisu: Assemble in a rimmed sheet for a crowd.
Storage
- This Tiramisu recipe needs to stay cold because of the creamy layer. Cover leftovers tightly and refrigerate right away. Eat within 3 to 4 days.
- You can freeze it, but the dairy often separates when thawed and can turn watery.
Quick Tip
Serving up Tiramisu
Use a sharp knife for cutting slices. I like to run the knife under hot water, quickly dry it off, and then make a cut. Repeat for each cut.
More Dessert Recipes:
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Coconut Cream Pie Recipe
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Lemon Tart
Tiramisu
Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert with coffee-soaked ladyfingers, creamy mascarpone, and a dusting of cocoa on top. Simple, elegant, and irresistibly delicious!
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder see note 1
- Cooking spray
- 3 large pasteurized eggs at room temperature, divided
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 (8-ounce) container mascarpone cheese see note 2
- 1-1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 3/4 cups heavy cream cold
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons coffee liqueur or dark rum or brandy; skip for alcohol-free
- 1 (7-ounce) package ladyfingers savoiardi or pavesini, see note 3
- 1 tablespoon Dutch process cocoa powder divided
Instructions
- Make espresso mixture (see note 1). Set coffee mixture aside in a shallow bowl that has room to dip the entire cookie at once. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch pan with cooking spray; set aside. Separate 3 eggs—yolks from whites. Add yolks to a bowl attached to a stand mixer and whites to a separate bowl for now. Take mascarpone out of the fridge.
- Pour sugar on top of egg yolks. Attach whisk attachment and beat at high speed 6 for 10 minutes or until its color changes to a very light (almost white) yellow and becomes thick. Scrape sides occasionally as needed. Turn off mixer, then use a spatula to scrape in all the mascarpone. Add vanilla. Beat on low speed just until combined and smooth. Use a spatula to scrape all this mixture to a separate, very large bowl.
- No need to clean out stand mixer bowl or whisk yet. To the stand mixer bowl, add in heavy cream (cold—straight from the fridge) and beat, still with whisk attachment, at high speed 6 for 3 minutes or until medium peaks form (not soft but not stiff—here's a helpful graphic). Be careful to not overbeat. Use a spatula to gently mix cream into egg yolk mixture. Now wash out stand mixer bowl and whisk and thoroughly dry both.
- Add egg whites and salt to stand mixer bowl. Beat on high speed 6 until eggs are stiff, bright white, and foamy, about 2–3 minutes. Add 1/2 the egg whites to the cream mixture and very gently fold into the mixture with a spatula. When mostly incorporated, add remaining egg whites and again, very gently fold egg whites into the mixture to combine.
- If using, add in the liquor to the coffee and stir. Very quickly dip one cookie at a time in the mixture (don’t soak at all!), then line the base of the pan with cookies, breaking cookies apart to fit if needed.
- Spread half the cream mixture on top. Sift 1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder through a fine-mesh sieve on top. Then repeat—cookies dipped in coffee followed by the remaining cream mixture. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 6–8 hours, preferably overnight.
- Right before serving, sprinkle remaining 1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder on top through a fine mesh sieve. Cut into pieces, serve, and enjoy! (To get clean cuts, use a sharp knife. Run the knife under hot water, quickly dry it off, and make a cut. Repeat for each cut.)
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Espresso: Boil 1-1/4 cups water; whisk in 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder. Set aside to cool to room temperature. (This is much stronger than brewed espresso, which is what we are going after for this dessert. An okay substitute is very strongly brewed coffee).
Note 2: Avoid any low-fat/low-quality mascarpone that are likely to make the cream layer runny. Typically, you can find mascarpone in the dairy case. Eggs and mascarpone should be at room temperature, but mascarpone shouldn’t sit out longer than 15–20 minutes, or it could get too warm and break.
Note 3: Your local grocery store may carry ladyfingers, but I’ve never had any luck! I order them online—I’ve tried Alessi Ladyfingers and Balocco Ladyfingers. Only use the crunchy ladyfingers; cake-style ladyfingers will get too soft.
Storage: Tiramisu is particularly sensitive to temperature because of the cream layer. Promptly return any leftovers, tightly covered, to the fridge, and consume within 3–4 days. You can freeze it, but because of the dairy, it is prone to weeping or separation when thawed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 81mg | Potassium: 273mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 635IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tiramisu Recipe FAQs
Is Tiramisu Safe To Eat?
Classic tiramisu uses raw eggs. For most people, using pasteurized eggs makes it low risk. Those who are pregnant or immunocompromised should avoid raw-egg desserts or use a fully cooked version.
Will Tiramisu keep you awake?
One slice of tiramisu is most likely not enough caffeine to keep you up at night. Tiramisu is spiked with just a touch of espresso, and especially if you’re only enjoying one slice, it’s not very much.
Why is my Tiramisu Recipe soggy?
You likely dipped the ladyfingers too long or used cake-style ladyfingers. Switch to savoiardi and dip faster.
