Tiramisu
This traditional Tiramisu is unlike any you’ve ever tasted, and many readers have declared this the best they’ve ever tried! It’s a classic Italian dessert and authentic no-bake recipe made with espresso soaked ladyfingers layered with a light and airy mascarpone cream, and dusted with cocoa powder to finish.
Most of us have had Tiramisu plenty of times in our lives, but probably not like this. It wasn’t until a trip to Italy years ago that I realized how incredible it can be. The Tiramisu there tasted SO different from any tiramisu I’d ever tried. And I really wanted to know why.
If you take a look at some of the tiramisu recipes on the internet, you’ll see a huge variation in ingredients. And therein lies the issue. An authentic Italian tiramisu only uses a small handful of ingredients, and they are:
- eggs
- mascarpone
- espresso
- ladyfingers
- a touch of sugar
- a touch of alcohol (I like amaretto or spiced rum)
- a dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder on top
The airy, light texture of true Italian authentic tiramisu comes primarily from whipped eggs. It’s what gives the tiramisu an ethereally light and creamy quality.
I see so many people using heavy whipping cream in tiramisu, or even cooking and thickening the filling in a double boiler almost like a pudding. This is not how this Italian no bake dessert is traditionally made, and to me, none of these versions compare to the traditional method.
They simply aren’t as good, and I say that as someone who loves all things heavy cream and whipped cream. But not here!
There is also no need to add vanilla extract here. This is a coffee-flavored dessert, and adding additional flavors prevents you from tasting the nuances of the espresso or coffee you’re using.
Why This Recipe Is The Best
Incredibly airy, light texture and creaminess – We achieve this by using the classic method of whipping eggs, which giving the dessert a light mouthfeel and creaminess.
Only 7 ingredients – You don’t need a million ingredients to make tiramisu, and in fact, I think that makes it worse. This version is elegant, minimal, but with an incredible flavor and deliciousness.
Customizable to different serving styles – I have made this both in single serving ramekins and also in one big dish. I share below how you can customize the serving you prefer, and the pros and cons of each.
The most divine, pure flavor – This is the best tiramisu because it has such a clean, fresh flavor. The sweet and rich mascarpone really allows the flavor of the espresso to bloom on the palate. It’s so, so good.
Overall, this is easily in my top 5 favorite desserts of all time, only tied up with this Rice Pudding, Baklava, Peanut Butter Pie, and Millionaire’s Shortbread.
Since first posting this recipe in 2012, I have since updated it with the option of making the tiramisu in individual ramekins (or you can do the 8×8 dish). Over time I’ve come to prefer the individual cups for guests.
While you can cut the tiramisu into slices (as shown in my photo above), it is very delicate. It takes a lot of practice plus building the structure properly with sturdy ladyfingers, plus a thorough chilling so the mascarpone is as firm as possible.
I’ve also noticed that storebought mascarpones vary in terms of thickness, which can affect the end result. You don’t have to worry about all this when you do the individual ramekins.
Brands Vary
Since first posting this recipe, I have tried several brands of mascarpone, and I have been absolutely astounded by how much they vary. For best results, I recommend using Belgioso brand.
Whole Foods’ brand of mascarpone is way too thin, and Vermont Creamery’s mascarpone in my opinion has a chalky texture.
In this post, I will show you how to make tiramisu both ways, in a square 8×8 dish, and in the cups. The choice is yours.
Tips for Best Results
Use really fresh eggs – This is not the time to use old eggs from the back of the fridge, not only because they’re not as fresh, but because the yolk will be more likely to break, and we need to separate the yolks and whites cleanly for proper whipping.
Use packaged ladyfingers – I almost always say homemade everything is better when it comes to food, but I’ve found that packaged store-bought ladyfinger cookies actually work best here because there’s absolutely no moisture in them. I’ve made homemade ladyfingers many times, and while delicious, I always found them to be inferior as an ingredient for tiramisu because they’re so much more trouble to get right.
Make at room temperature – For the best mixing and texture, you’ll want to use room temperature ingredients here, especially the mascarpone.
Step by Step Overview:
To get started, separate 6 eggs, and place 3 of the egg whites in a medium sized bowl, and 6 egg yolks in a separate large bowl. The remaining 3 egg whites are not needed here, and may be saved for another recipe.
Make sure there’s no yolk in the white
As you separate the eggs, make sure that absolutely no egg yolk gets into the raw egg whites bowl, or else the egg whites will not whip properly. It may be safest to separate the eggs in a different bowl one by one so that if a yolk breaks, it doesn’t ruin the whole batch. Older eggs are more likely to break.
Add 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar to the egg white bowl:
Use an electric mixer to whip the egg whites to stiff peaks (you may also use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment). At first, with about 30 seconds of whipping, the mixture will look foamy (left photo), but after a couple minutes of whipping, the egg whites will start to thicken (right photo).
You’ll know the egg whites have reached stiff peaks when the mixture has a fluffy consistency, and when you pull a beater out of the mixture, a little peak sticks straight up, like this:
Do not overwhip
If you’ve never whipped egg whites to soft or stiff peaks before, make sure you take care not to over whip the egg whites. After stiff peaks, the egg whites will curdle and you’ll have to start over again. If you’re using a stand mixer, it’s especially important not to walk away while it’s whipping.
Set the stiff egg whites aside, and switch over to the egg yolk bowl. Now add 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar to the raw egg yolks:
Whip this mixture for a couple minutes, until the mixture goes from bright yellow (left photo) to a pale yellow color (right photo):
It should be thick, and you can see that the egg mixture piles on top of itself when you let it drip from the beater.
Are raw eggs safe?
You are more likely to get sick from the lettuce in your salad than raw eggs, as lettuce is actually the most common food linked with food poisoning.
The risk of salmonella from raw eggs is minimal. If you Google ‘how many eggs have salmonella,’ you will see articles (like this one from Slate) that discuss this risk, and it’s estimated that about 1 in 20,000 eggs has salmonella. That number is small enough that I just go ahead and normally eat raw eggs when the situation comes up. Ultimately, this is a judgment call, and you will need to use your own discretion based on your health.
Now it’s time to add the mascarpone, which is a mild and creamy Italian cheese that typically comes in small tubs. It’s one of my favorite ever ingredients, and the base for this incredible Strawberry Tart and my favorite Peanut Butter Pie. Mascarpone is often compared to cream cheese, but the flavor is SO different, and the texture is much nicer in my opinion. You can see how creamy and smooth it is here:
The flavor of mascarpone is unlike anything else, and it’s essential for this recipe. Fortunately, it is widely available and should be easy to find.
Mix in the mascarpone with a hand mixer until incorporated, then gently fold in the stiff egg whites, 1/3 at a time, taking care not to deflate the egg whites too much as you fold.
Now it’s time to build the tiramisu!
Espresso vs Coffee
Espresso is the superior choice for tiramisu over coffee, though you may use strongly brewed coffee if you prefer. Since there are so few ingredients, the quality of the tiramisu is dependent on the quality and freshness of the ingredients, so make sure to use fresh espresso here, and not an instant espresso powder.
If you don’t have an espresso machine or the equipment to make your own, stop by a coffee shop to get some (some grocery stores even have coffee stands inside). You’ll need the espresso to come to room temperature anyway, so it will be fine for the car ride home.
In a small bowl, combine room temperature espresso with a couple tablespoons of amaretto or spiced dark rum. Those are my two favorite choices, but marsala wine and brandy are also commonly used if you prefer those instead. Also, feel free to omit the alcohol if you don’t want it, but it does enhance the flavors.
To dip, I like to place the espresso mixture (or coffee mixture) in a flat and small shallow dish, so the entire ladyfinger soaks evenly:
The ladyfingers only need a quick soak, about 1-2 seconds.
What ladyfingers are best?
Look for dry and crunchy Savoiardi ladyfingers, and not the soft and spongy cake ladyfingers. I’ve tried many brands of ladyfinger biscuits, and have also made my own. I find that the best kind of ladyfingers to buy are the smaller and thinner ones. My go-to brand is Natural Nectar, which I find at Whole Foods.
Whole Foods also sells their own brand of ladyfingers imported from Italy, but they’re twice the size of the others (they’re in the photo below), and I think thinner layers taste better (I used Natural Nectar for the glass ramekins).
As far as making your own, I’ve concluded that it’s not worth the trouble, and often times the homemade ladyfingers are not as dry, and won’t soak up the espresso as well.
As you soak the cookies, place them in a 8×8 square dish in an even layer:
Then pour over a layer of the mascarpone cream to cover, and repeat:
You can also make the tiramisu in small glass ramekins, like below. Just break apart or cut the ladyfingers to fit the glass.
I like making tiramisu this way because the single-serving portions are really nice, and it looks pretty!
And now comes the hardest part…letting the tiramisu sit in the fridge for a good 4-6 hours, covered tightly in plastic wrap. This chill time lets the layers soak into each other and lets the flavor meld. Additionally, if you’re making the 8×8 pan, the tiramisu must be chilled close to the 38 degree range in order to hold when cut into squares. This lets the mascarpone cheese and everything else firm up.
Then you can dig into the ramekins with a spoon, or cut squares from the 8×8 pan.
How to Serve
Serve with a dusting of cocoa powder on top of the tiramisu. I use this dusting wand (affiliate) and it gives the most even layer on top. I find it’s best enjoyed the same day, but the next day is okay too. The eggs will deflate a little bit by the next day, but it still tastes great.
This classic tiramisu recipe can be fun to serve with Caramel Macchiato for sipping, or even The Best Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe.
Enjoy! And there’s a full video below the recipe on how to make the tiramisu, if you’d like more guidance. Check out all the Dessert recipes in my recipe index.
Recipe FAQ and Tips:
I wouldn’t keep this longer than a couple days, because the egg whites start to deflate.
Unfortunately I don’t recommend it. It will be so inferior compared to making it fresh.
If you do a Google search, you’ll see that the CDC estimates 1 in 20,000 eggs to have salmonella. That’s a small enough risk that I take my chances (and haven’t had an issue). If you prefer, you can purchase pasteurized eggs for this recipe, and there are also tutorials online for pasteurizing eggs yourself.
Once you assemble the tiramisu, it needs 4-6 hours to properly chill anyway, so it has to be made ahead, to a degree. I recommend making it no more than 1 day in advance.
Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!
Tiramisu
Ingredients
- 3 egg whites*
- 6 egg yolks*
- 3 +3 tbsp sugar
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup freshly pulled espresso cooled to room temperature
- 2 tbsp amaretto or spiced rum
- 3-4 dozen ladyfingers storebought or homemade**
- cocoa powder for dusting
Instructions
- In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites and 3 tbsp of sugar together with a hand mixer, for about 3-5 minutes until the egg whites hold stiff peaks.
- In a separate bowl, whip the egg yolks with the remaining 3 tbsp sugar for 2-3 minutes until the egg yolks are thick and pale yellow in color.
- Add the mascarpone to the egg yolks and whip until combined.
- Gently fold the stiff egg whites into the egg yolk mixture and set aside.
- In a small flat dish or bowl, combine the espresso and amaretto.
- Dunk each ladyfinger fully into the espresso mixture for 1-2 seconds and place into the bottom of a 8×8 dish, or into individual ramekins. Don’t let the ladyfinger soak so much that it falls apart, just a quick dunk to let it absorb a little bit of espresso.
- Once the ladyfingers have formed a single layer in the bottom of the dish, spread 1/2 of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers.
- Arrange another layer of espresso soaked ladyfingers on top, and spread over the remaining mascarpone cream.
- Cover the top of the dish with plastic wrap and let the tiramisu refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
- Serve cold, with a light dusting of cocoa on top. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
148 Comments on “Tiramisu”
Hi, Joanne,
I lived in Italy for four years, married an Italian woman, moved back to “the States”, and return to Italy frequently. I’m also a bit of a “foodie”. I’ve made tiramisu many times, and was searching the web for some inspired twists on this traditional Italian treat, when I happened upon your blog. The recipe looks to be pretty good, and I can hardly wait to try your variation.
I should say, however, that because this dessert has been around a lot longer than espresso and has always been a standard homemade dish, it is usually made with caffe made in a moka, rather than espresso. There’s a minor difference, but I think the caffe is generally more tenable than espresso. It’s also more economical. I’ve never even heard of espresso powder.
I also wanted to say that you must have visited all the worst places to eat while in Italy, likely the tourist traps. Rome and Florence are most notorious for that, and judging by your pictures, that’s where you were. If you get to venture into the countryside, or go where the workers eat, I believe you’ll find, as I did, that the food far surpasses anything you’ll ever eat anywhere in France.
I hope you get back to Italy and get the chance to try the real Italian cuisine.
Cheers,
Will
I enjoyed your comment, Will. I will definitely go to Italy again and this time go out to different areas and the countryside. Thanks for the info!
So very true… You went to places that know they’re on a ‘list’ somewhere and therefore don’t try.
Next time go out of town for good food! You also must understand that American – Italian food is rarely authentic. Pasta is a side dish and NEVER served as it is here in the states as an entree.
My husband is Italian and when his aunts come over to Italian restaurants here in little Italy they are confused. Most places are not remotely serving in an Italian manner.
Meatballs and sugo are served by themselves. Pasta is served mixed with a couple spoons of sauce… no meat and maybe a few vegetables leftover from another meal. Meat is simple, everything is truly simple and that is the Italian way. Life is colorful, the food doesn’t compete but compliments.
Hi Angela, thanks for all your thoughts on this. I enjoyed reading them!
Hi. I made this tiramisu (single layers) and the Blondie Brownies 2 days ago for a work potluck and it was a huge success. Everyone loved it and I only got to taste a sponnful of the tiramisu before it disappeared.
My only problem was that even after over 10 hours in the fridge, the consistency was not stiff enough to cut into squares. After awhile out it just fell apart. How can I make it thicker/stiffer?
Should I freeze it instead and take it out about a hour before serving it to thaw it out?
Thanks.
Hi Mercedes, glad it was a success! As far as the consistency of the tiramisu, it sounds like you’re expecting this to be much stiffer than it ever will be. There are some tiramisus thickened with cornstarch that are thicker, but this intentionally has a light, airy, delicate texture. You can serve in individual containers if you wish. I don’t recommend freezing.
Most recipes require more mascarpone than 8oz and that may be the problem. I would suggest doubling up the cheese for a better consistency. I had the same problem–it’s too runny. You have to balance out the egg.
hi Joanne, I enjoy watching your video and pics~ I can’t wait to try the tiramisu now!
Do you know where can I get amaretto liqueur? What brand did u use for lady fingers?
Thanks!
Hi Alice! You can get Amaretto at any liquor store. I like C&L Cristiani, it’s really good and isn’t expensive. Any brand of ladyfingers that’s imported from Italy should be decent! Enjoy!
Can i substitute amaretto with rum? Can you make another recipe for substituting raw eggs with heavy cream? ^^
Unfortunately I don’t recommend using rum, as it is quite different from the amaretto. Also the whipped eggs and heavy cream don’t have similar consistencies, so I can’t recommend that substitution either 🙁
In the video, amaretto is added to the egg yokes, as well as to the espresso. This is different from the typed directions, which only include amaretto in the espresso. Well, I followed the steps in the video, and now I am a bit worried that the liqueur made the mascarpone/egg mixture curdle. I guess I’ll know for sure in 6 hours.
Correction, the typed direction do call for amaretto in the yokes, but not in the espresso. What is the correct prescription? In the yokes or in the espresso, or both?
Hi Rachel, both ways are fine. Sometimes I add it to the espresso when I want the amaretto flavor in the ladyfingers too, and sometimes I don’t (frankly it doesn’t matter very much). Adding amaretto to the espresso makes no difference in terms of its effect on the texture of the mixture. I’m unclear about the curdling, did you have trouble with the mixture? Let me know and I’ll try to help troubleshoot.
I made this for my girlfriend and she loved it. Mine also didn’t turn out as firm as the picture, but it wasn’t “watery” like the last comment. It was somewhere between pudding and bread pudding. This was the first time I made something with “stiff peaks” or had to “fold” a mixture so I might have to check my technique, but it seemed like it matched the consistency of the mixture in the video. I think I could’ve fit more ladyfingers in the dish – there was a centimeter gap at the edge where another wouldn’t have fit lying flat, but I could’ve wedged one in if I rotated it. Maybe next time I won’t dunk them as long either so they’ll be firmer (I did about five seconds each and rotated 2-3 times). I also had it under the light on the top shelf in my fridge, so maybe that affected how it settled. I’m experimenting with freezing the last piece to see if I can get it firmer. That’s probably an amateur move, but I’m just curious 🙂
I also noticed the video had an extra 2 tbsp of amaretto in the espresso dunking step that the written instructions didn’t have. I went with the video’s approach because the Disaronno smelled so good. Tasted great. Thanks for posting this!
Hi Scott, I’m so glad your girlfriend loved the tiramisu! I think in the photo it looks firmer than it really is. It should definitely be something you eat with a spoon, and it sounds like from the description of the texture, your technique was good! If you’d like a firmer ladyfinger absolutely you can soak them for less time. Brands vary in firmness, but I find that I can usually gauge when it’s gone too long if it starts to fall apart at all.
HAH! Sometimes I add a little extra amaretto…I can’t help myself. And it’s exactly for the reason you described…the stuff is just heavenly!!
Ah, that makes sense. It was a bit firmer after I chilled it in the freezer and the texture was perfect for cutting cleanly with a fork. Can’t wait to make it again. Thanks Joanne!
Ive tried making this tiramisu, but it failed 🙁 Ive put the tiramisu the whole night in the refrigator, but it’s still watery! What have i done wrong?
Hi Suet, I’m sorry to hear that you did not have success and I would love to help you figure out what might have happened. When you say it’s watery, is it homogenous but too thin/watery, or is it watery in the sense where water is “leaking out” aka weeping?
So its a total of 4 tbsp amaretto isnt it?
Anyways, it sounds so easy yet so tasty! I’ll try it someday 🙂
I think in the video I was a little more generous with the amaretto LOL. 2-4 is fine!
I appreciate the recipe and have tried it….delicious.
I travelled to Venezia [Venice] in September and found food not so great generally, in my limited experience. The pizza was terrible and expensive. A 12 inch pizza dough probably had a skiff of one tablespoon of tomato sauce on it and a couple of pieces of meat and very little cheese. Very poor and very expensive for basic dough! I then went to a local pub [called BEFeD Brew Pub] and had a wonderful meal of roast chicken. I guess that I just prefer Chicago-style deep Dish Pizza………..
During the trip, I went to one of the Islands around Venice and dined at a Hungarian restaurant….wonderful meal with five courses…and friendly service……
A friend of mine [who married a girl from Italy] corroborates the need to go into smaller communities to really appreciate the essence of Italian cuisine…and that is what I plan to do on my next trip….
Interesting to hear about your personal experiences, it sounds like we need to head to the smaller towns!
I love BEFeDs been trying to make that sauce they serve with the chicken.
hmm interesting review, and honest! i haven’t been to italy, but hope to someday…meanwhile ill just have to enjoy your tiramisu!
Thanks so much Joanne! I’ve been hunting for a great tiramisu recipe for years… a long time ago I pulled together an incredible one that I lost the recipe for and have been trying to recreate since. I can’t wait to test this one out!
With regard to food in Italy, you’re not alone. I was in Florence, Pisa and Lucca (the latter was by far the best for food and culture) and I didn’t experience any of the inconsistency that you did, but overall I didn’t think the pasta was any better than what we get at the plethora of excellent Italian restaurants in North America. For me it was the wine and gelato that were noticeably better than at home. I ate 3 cones of 1/2 pistachio and 1/2 nutella gelato every day! 🙂
Oh, and one suggestion for alcohol… instead of amaretto, try the Van Gogh Vodka in either Dutch Chocolate or Double Espresso (or a combo of both!). It is heavenly.
It’s too bad the food was disappointing, but just hanging out at the markets would thrill me 🙂
Love the tiramisu!
I’ve never been to Florence, but I lived in Rome for three months and it was amazing! What my family and I found was that the best places to eat often weren’t the big, advertised ones; it was the local’s eateries. We were right by Campo De’Fiori and our possibly favorite place to eat was at a resturant right behind it, La Carbonara. There were other great places to eat as well, including La Quercia and this amazing place that I forget the name of, but it was a little restaruant right by the Forum that had amazing food (pumpkin hummus, green apple and ginger smoothies, among other things). Our favorite pizza place was Florida, which was on Torre Argentina, right by the cat sanctuary (which also happened to be the spot where Caesar was murdered). And then, of course, there was the gelato. I could go on and on. My personal favorite was a place called Gelateria de Teatro that had so many amazing and exotic flavors, like white peach and lavender, basil, chocolate orange, strawberry sage, and so many others. My favorite gelato flavor out of all the flavors I tried (which was a total number of around 70 flavors) was, incedentally, their tirimisu flavor there. It was ultra-decadent and had pieces of the cake swirled through the gelato. Our other favorite place for gelato was Giolitti, which is down the street from the Pantheon.
And then there was the Roman coffee. I don’t like coffee, but I drank it every day in Rome. Tazza D’Oro (Cup of Gold) was by far my favorite, but my older sister and mom loved this local coffee bar called Cafffe Camerino (and yes, it’s supposed to have three f’s. In fact, it’s slogan was “el cafe con tre effe”) that had the best marrochinos, which was a shot of espresso with a dollop of rich chocolate in the bottom.
I could go on and on….living in a place for three months can make you pretty knowledgable about the area, and let’s face it: I’m feeling Romesick. 🙂 The food especially….I had to keep a daily journal as an assignment for school, and most of my entries were, “Today we went to the Colloseum. It was really cool, learning about all the history. But then, afterwards we went to this amazing restaurant! I had (insert what I had) and (insert long rant about how delicious it was).
Sorry for the food rant! 😀
–Myrtle
I have been to Italy several times and have always liked the food, especially in Tuscany, where everything is very fresh. The small places seem to take pride in what they serve. The pizza is delicious, with more sauce than we put on it over here. And the wine they serve in the little places is Tuscany is wonderful, the kind with no sulfites, so no headache in the morning! I do agree with you about how good the plates of salumi are with the Tuscan bread. Yum, when we came back that was all I wanted to eat! And Cappucino! Nice tiramisu recipe, I will try it for christmas!
Clare
Well if that isn’t the most gorgeous tiramisu I’ve ever seen….wow! Looks like the perfect texture. Bummer about the food in Italy (I’ve never been), but that gelato sure looks incredible! mmm
Hi Joanne,
So sorry that the food was underwhelming for you in Italy. My family is Italian so I found the food comforting and just like home! However, the BEST meals that we had in Italy (that we still talk about to this day) are from a few hole in the wall restaurants in my family’s hometown of Lucca (a small tuscan town). I definitely think that’s where you would get the food you were hoping for. Thanks for this recipe – I got Tiramisu at every restaurant in Italy and still can’t get enough. Can’t wait to try this one!
Christine
Lucca is my favourite favourite favourite town in Europe!!!!!