This authentic tiramisu recipe combines light ladyfingers soaked in an espresso-alcohol (alcohol optional) mixture then layered with a fluffy, rich, creamy mascarpone mixture before being topped off with a dusting of cacao powder. This Italian tiramisu recipe is sure to impress friends and family alike - rich, creamy, decadent, and yet light enough to enjoy year-round.
Prepare the espresso, add the alcohol (if using), and allow it to cool down while you prepare the remainder of the ingredients.
Step 2: Prepare the cream mixture
Separate the eggs into yolks and whites.The egg whites aren't needed in this recipe, so you can save them for something else. Store, covered, in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for between 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Add the egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a large bowl or stand mixer (with whisk attachment). Whisk until well creamed and a light pale-yellow color. This will take between 3-5 minutes using a stand mixer.Alternatively, you can add the egg yolks, sugar, and salt to a double boiler (bowl over a pan with about 1 inch of boiling water), whisking/mixing until the color becomes pale yellow. The extra heat will slightly cook the eggs (without scrambling them) if you're particularly worried about bacteria/don't have pasteurized eggs.Make sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water in the double boiler. Otherwise, you may end up accidentally scrambling the eggs.
Add the mascarpone to the egg mixture and slowly whisk/fold in at low speed.
In a separate bowl, whisk the heavy cream until soft peak phase. Make sure you don't overwhip it, or you'll end up with homemade butter!For a lighter cream, you could whisk the egg whites into soft peaks, then fold them into the whisked cream. However, I find that there's more of a chance of ending up with a runny cream mixture when doing this. I also prefer the dessert richer.
Fold the whipped cream into the egg mixture, careful not to knock out too much air.
Step 3: Assemble the tiramisu
Add a layer of cacao powder to the bottom of your dish. I used a Pyrex dish that’s 6x8 inches/15x20 cm.
Dip each ladyfinger into the espresso mixture for just 1-2 seconds and lay them into your dish until you have a single layer of soaked ladyfingers. Be careful not to oversoak the ladyfingers, or they'll become too soggy and make it harder to slice pieces of your tiramisu. It’ll also make the dessert watery (mine were actually slightly oversoaked this time- eep).If you're worried about this, I recommend you dip just one side of the ladyfingers in the coffee mixture for 2 seconds, then flip it over when laying it in the dish – that way, the espresso mixture will slowly filter down to the other side of the biscuit, for the perfect amount of soaking.
Add half of the mascarpone cream mixture over the ladyfingers and use a spatula to spread it into an even layer.
Arrange another coffee-soaked ladyfinger layer and top with the remaining half of the cream mixture. Then dust the top with a light coating of cacao powder.Alternatively, you can omit the cacao powder for now, as it will become "wet" while the tiramisu chills/sets. Just add the cacao powder right before serving.
Step 4: Allow the tiramisu to chill
Transfer the tiramisu to the fridge to set for at-least 4-5 hours or overnight. Then, enjoy!
How to Store?
Make ahead: since the tiramisu requires hours of chill time, I actually recommend you prepare it the day before you plan on serving. In fact, the flavor always tastes best after a day of setting.Storing: store any leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, though it's best enjoyed after a day of setting and then within 24hrs.Freeze: alternatively, freeze the homemade tiramisu for up to 2 months. To save yourself from having to keep the dish in the freezer, line it with plastic wrap or tin foil (plus overhang) before assembling the tiramisu. Once solid, remove the tiramisu from the container and wrap tightly to protect it from freezer burn. When you want to thaw it, place it back in the dish and leave it in the fridge overnight.If you plan to freeze some immediately, then omit the cocoa powder before freezing.
Notes
Make tiramisu cups: if you want to make individual-serve tiramisu in a cup, I recommend crumbling the ladyfingers into your cups and brushing/pouring a little alcohol over them. Alternatively, you can carefully cut them the size of your cup right after you've dipped them in the coffee. Then layer up the fillings and allow them to set. I still recommend 4 hrs minimum for the flavors to meld and develop.
For patterned cream: you can transfer the cream mixture into a pastry bag and use different nozzles to create different shapes in the cream for more decorative finishing.
Using mascarpone well: make sure to mix the mascarpone cold, just 5 or so minutes from the fridge, and use full-fat natural mascarpone.
Mixing the mascarpone: be careful not to overmix the mascarpone, or else it can curdle. You want it "just" mixed until the ingredients are combined
Use fresh ingredients: avoid using eggs, cream, or mascarpone close to the expiration date. Otherwise, they can impact the texture of the tiramisu.
To control the amount of coffee: rather than dipping the biscuits, you can use a pastry brush to brush the coffee over the biscuits. Then, as it soaks up, the coffee will filter down the biscuits.
Optional add-ins and Variations:There are several simple variations you can make to this homemade tiramisu. While there are versions out there that omit coffee entirely for the likes of fruits, etc., for this authentic tiramisu recipe, I’ve just added a few suggestions that don't make it too different. Let me know in the comments if you'd like me to share alternative tiramisu recipes!
Gluten-free tiramisu: make sure to use gluten-free ladyfingers. Otherwise, the recipe is already gluten-free.
Coffee-free tiramisu: though it's not authentic, you can swap out the espresso in this Italian tiramisu recipe for hot cocoa instead (with or without alcohol).
Vanilla extract: instead of (or alongside) the alcohol, you could add a little vanilla extra – around ½ tsp.
Banana: the combination of coffee and banana is surprisingly delicious. Thinly slice the banana to lay in a single layer over the cream layer and optionally a few on the top of the tiramisu to garnish.
Chocolate cream: definitely not an authentic tiramisu recipe addition. However, if you want more of a chocolate tiramisu, you can add some melted chocolate into the mascarpone mixture. The amount you add depends on if you want the entire cream mixture to be chocolate or only one layer (1/2 the mixture). I recommend between 1-2 oz/30-60 g of melted dark chocolate (around 70%).
Check the blog post for serving suggestions and answers to top FAQs!