Tiramisu

Want to learn how to make Tiramisu? This recipe yields a wonderfully creamy dessert. Full of flavor from coffee and Marsala (or dark rum), this Italian no bake classic is the best way to end a celebratory meal!

Tiramisu, oh how we love thee. I’ll be honest: I had Tiramisu three times in my life before I met my husband. But in his family, it is the dessert of choice (they have Italian-adjacent heritage, long story). But now I eat it for every birthday, holiday celebration or family get-together. And I’m not one bit sorry about it!

A great Tiramisu recipe

This really is the gold-star of desserts.

• You don’t need a lot of ingredients, but with the right preparation and in their combination, a Tiramisu is an explosion of deliciousness.
• It’s a great dessert to make a day ahead, so you don’t have any last-minute dessert prep to get done while your guests are already there.
• With a few tips and tricks, you can take your Tiramisu from good to beyond great – and thankfully, it really isn’t difficult to achieve this!

Ingredients you’ll need

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!

Ingredient notes

• Ladyfingers: The ladyfingers you need for Tiramisu are dry, hard biscuits (called Savoiardi in Italian). You should be able to source them in a larger grocery store. If you really desperately want to make Tiramisu and don’t have access to ladyfingers at all, you can try using sponge cake. Cut it into ½ inch thick strips. You can bake them at 350°F for 10 minutes to dry them out a little, but it’s not mandatory. The texture will not be the same as with ladyfingers, but it’s the only substitute I have tried that came close to the original.
• Mascarpone: Make sure to drain any lingering liquid from your Mascarpone (it usually collects at the bottom) for best results. If you do not have access to Mascarpone cheese, my sister in law uses cream cheese as a substitute when she’s at her parents who live far from a large grocery store. It’s an acceptable substitute if you’re OK with not making the most authentic-tasting Tiramisu out there. At the very least, nobody has ever complained to her about it ?
• Heavy whipping cream: You must use cream from a carton that says “Heavy Whipping Cream”. If you use anything else, the recipe will not work.
• Coffee: You must use very strong coffee for the Tiramisu to have the best taste. Either make a full 2 cups of Espresso, or at the very least make a very strong brew. Otherwise, there will not be enough coffee flavor. The recipe also works when you make a strong coffee with Instant coffee granules.
• Alcohol: The classic alcohol in Tiramisu is Marsala. If you don’t have access to Marsala, dark rum is a great substitute. If you want to add a flavour twist, coffee liquor, Grand Marnier or Amaretto are also very delicious. If you avoid alcohol, you can skip it. The Tiramisu will not have its authentic flavor, but it is still very delicious. I do not make my Tiramisu overly boozy as-is, because I want to keep it about the layered flavors and not about getting drunk by eating your dessert. Too much alcohol in Tiramisu can make it taste soapy and unpleasant.
• Egg whites: Authentic Tiramisu is made with raw whipped egg whites. I choose to add two whipped egg whites from pasteurized eggs to my Tiramisu because it adds a little extra aeration to the cream and makes the Tiramisu taste lighter and more authentically Italian. I understand not everyone wants to go hunt for pasteurized eggs, so the recipe works perfectly without them. They are just an extra-extra you can add if you’re after perfection.

How to make Tiramisu

This is a walk-through of the recipe with step photos. Skip to the printable recipe card at the bottom for exact times and temperatures.

1. Before you get started on anything else, brew your coffee. It is best to use the coffee at room temperature later, in order not to over-soak the ladyfingers. So brew it, then set it aside in a safe place on the counter to cool down.

2. Next, you’ll want to make your double boiled egg yolks. Yes, we’re going full effort here for no raw eggs.

Whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar in a heat-safe bowl. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a small saucepan, then reduce the heat to a low simmer.

Sit the bowl with the egg yolk mixture on top of the saucepan (do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water!) and whisk continuously for 5-10 minutes, until the egg yolk mixture has lightened in color, has slightly thickened and looking a little fluffy. The egg yolk mixture has to reach 160°F. Take it off the pan and set it aside to cool for 5 minutes.

3. Once the egg yolk mixture has cooled for 5 minutes, add it to a large mixing bowl with the mascarpone cheese (my mixing bowl holds 2 quart and is just large enough).

Using a whisk, cream the ingredients together until the mascarpone is smooth. Do not use an electric mixer, or your mascarpone may become runny!

4. Now whip the cream to medium peaks (and the egg whites to stiff peaks, if using).

You want your whipped cream to be like a big, fluffy duvet. Do not over-whip it or you’ll turn it into butter. If you’re using egg whites, I recommend whipping the egg whites first before doing the cream, otherwise you’ll need to wash the beaters in between in order to keep the fat away from the egg whites.

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Fold the cream into the mascarpone mixture first. If you’re using the egg whites, fold in ⅓ of the egg whites first to slack down the mixture, then carefully fold in the rest until you have a fully uniform cream.

Here is a little video to show how to correctly fold the cream:

5. Now it’s time to assemble your Tiramisu. Use a 9×13 inch pan. You’ll also want to have your Savoiardi/ladyfingers ready. Combine the coffee and Marsala (or any alcohol you’re using, if using) and pour half of it into a shallow dish.

There are a lot of theories out there on how to best dip the ladyfingers in the coffee. I have gone through much trial and error, and here is how I have found what seems to me the perfect method:

• use room temperature coffee, not hot coffee!
• work with one ladyfinger at a time
• hold the ladyfinger around the middle
• dip the rounded/sugary side into the coffee mix for 3 zero counts
• quickly turn the ladyfinger around and dip the bottom into the coffee mix for 2 zero counts
• immediately place the dipped ladyfinger, rounded/sugary side up in the pan

This sounds like I’m an absolutely insane control-freak, but there you go. This is the information I have never seen in any Tiramisu recipe, but I have always, always wondered about it.

I’m in no way saying this is the only perfect method, but it is what I have found to be working best for me. It soaks the Savoiardi enough without over-soaking or under-soaking.

Because just like too much coffee can yield a watery Tiramisu, not enough coffee makes the ladyfingers stay firm and crunchy on the inside and that, honestly, tastes terrible (been there, done that).

6. Finally, you’re at the layering part: Spread ½ of the mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers, do another layer of soaked ladyfingers and then cover with the remaining mascarpone cream.

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7. Chill your Tiramisu in the refrigerator overnight. You may be able to get away with a 6 hour chill, but overnight is best.

Generously and evenly dust the top with unsweetened cocoa powder right before serving.

I really recommend slicing your Tiramisu and lifting it out with an offset wooden spoon or something similar instead of scooping with a spoon for the perfect presentation.

Such a luxurious and special dessert!

Recipe tips

I have already mentioned most of my tips and tricks in the write-up above, but I’ll summarize again here for the text skimmers ?

• When double boiling the egg yolks, make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. You only need an inch or so of water in the pan, do not overfill it or your eggs may scramble. Only use a low simmer as well, otherwise your eggs will cook too fast and again, scramble.
• Make sure to double boil your egg yolks long enough, 5-10 minutes while continually whisking. According to the USDA, the mixture needs to reach a temperature of 160°F.
• Do not use an electric mixer when working with the mascarpone. Only use a whisk, wooden spoon or rubber spatula to handle it. Otherwise, it may become runny and ruin your Tiramisu.
• Beat the cream to medium peaks. If you under-beat it, the cream will be too runny. If you over-beat it, you’ll make butter! It should be very thick and fluffy and around double in volume.
• If using the pasteurized egg whites, make sure to whip them to stiff peaks. Make sure there is no lingering liquid egg white at the bottom of your bowl, or the cream filling may turn out too runny.
• To help evenly fold in the whipped egg whites without knocking out too much air, fold in ⅓ more vigorously at first before gently folding in the rest.
• To best dip your ladyfingers in coffee:
  • use room temperature coffee, not hot coffee!
  • work with one ladyfinger at a time
  • hold the ladyfinger around the middle
  • dip the rounded/sugary side into the coffee mix for 3 zero counts
  • quickly turn the ladyfinger around and dip the bottom into the coffee mix for 2 zero counts
  • immediately place the dipped ladyfinger, rounded/sugary side up in the pan
• The Tiramisu is best after chilling in the refrigerator for 12 hours, although if you’re in a hurry, you can serve it after 6 hours. It may not yet be slice-able and you may need to spoon it out. If you know you only have a few hours for chilling available, it may be better to assemble individual Tiramisus in small dishes (wine glasses, individual Trifle glasses or just wide drinking glasses all look great).

Storage tips

The Tiramisu needs to be refrigerated at all times, except when you remove it for serving. If you have any leftovers in the pan after serving, immediately refrigerate them again!

You can store the Tiramisu in the fridge for up to 3 days. Cover the pan with plastic wrap to keep fridge odors away.

Watch the recipe video

PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.

Printable recipe

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