My easy-to-make and amazingly delicious Tiramisu recipe is made with coffee-soaked ladyfingers, creamy mascarpone, homemade whipped cream, and dusted with cocoa powder for the perfect finish on this classic Italian dessert.
And don’t worry, my Tiramisu Recipe is made without using raw eggs (they are cooked while making the sabayon)!
I have tried many recipes for tiramisu over the course of my lifetime, and I can promise that you’ll agree that this is The Best Tiramisu Recipe you’ll ever make! It took many attempts to perfect my recipe, and I’m happy to share it with my friends and followers so they can enjoy my all-time favorite dessert!
My tiramisu recipe may be a little different than most that claim to be “authentic tiramisu,” but truth be told, there are as many different recipes as there are Italian grandmothers, each with its own little twist. Some of which aren’t really tiramisu at all.
My tiramisu recipe speaks of a time when I first sampled this Italian classic when food had a magical quality all its own. When Mama Jeanette saw the best in me and taught me how to make Authentic Italian Tiramisu. I am forever grateful for all her lessons in life and cooking.
Ingredients
I’ve had so many questions about the process of making Tiramisu that I’ve added step-by-step pictures to help you along the way.
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Authentic Italian Tiramisu. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Chef Dennis Tip: Have the eggs and mascarpone at room temperature before making this recipe. That will help them mix together more smoothly. You only need egg yolks for this recipe, so save the egg whites for a healthy omelet or meringue.
What is Mascarpone?
Mascarpone is basically the Italian version of cream cheese. It is made of whipped cream, stabilized with an acidic ingredient such as lemon juice or citric acid. Mascarpone cheese has a smoother consistency; it’s milder in flavor and has twice as much fat as cream cheese. Cream cheese can be substituted for mascarpone, but the flavor and consistency won’t be the same.
*Galbani is my first choice for mascarpone. Bel Giosi and Vermont Creamery are also good choices. Always make sure the mascarpone has a long use-by date. Old mascarpone can cause the tiramisu cream to be too loose to set properly
How to make Tiramisu Cream
It’s a lot easier than you might think to make tiramisu. Just follow my step-by-step instructions, and you’ll be making tiramisu better than your favorite local restaurant!
- The first step is whipping the egg yolks (approx. ½ cup) and the sugar until they are very thick. *One of the mistakes people tend to make is under-whipping the egg mixture.
- Using a double boiler method with a bowl over a pot of simmering water, whip the mixture until it has almost doubled in volume and is thick.
*egg/sugar mixture needs to reach a temperature of at least 165 degrees F. - Add room-temperature Mascarpone to the whipped yolks, and mix until well combined. Don’t overmix; this can cause curdling. *Mascarpone only needs to get to set out for 15-20 minutes. Don’t let it get warm.
- In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to whip the cream to stiff peaks (a hand mixer or stand mixer is fine). This process should be slow, starting on low and increasing the speed gradually over ten minutes. **This method is how you keep the whipped cream from breaking. The cream should be ice-cold and as fresh as possible. Look for heavy cream with the longest expiration date.
- Gently fold the whipped cream in the mascarpone mixture and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the tiramisu.
Chef Dennis Tip: Always use the freshest products available. If the eggs, cream or mascarpone are close to the expiration date, they can break down in the recipe.
How to make Perfect Whipped Cream
Whipping your cream is also where some people make a mistake. The idea with whipped cream is to do it slowly. Using an electric mixer, begin whipping the cream on low, increasing the speed over 10 minutes. This makes a whipped cream that will last for days in your fridge without the aid of gelatin.
*If you make whipped cream as a topping for desserts, don’t forget to add sugar and vanilla; for the tiramisu, we are not adding powdered sugar or vanilla to the mixture.
Why is my Sabayon grainy?
If you used regular sugar instead of superfine / castor sugar, your finished sabayon might be grainy. That’s okay. It will finish dissolving while your tiramisu is firming up.
*If you can’t find superfine sugar or caster sugar, you can always pulse your sugar in a food processor to make the grains smaller.
Why did my sabayon curdle?
- Over-whipping can cause the fat to separate, causing the mixture to curdle.
- Allowing the mascarpone to get too warm can wreak havoc with the fat in the mascarpone, causing it to curdle.
- Using mascarpone that is too cold can cause curdling. Let it sit out for 15-20 minutes before using.
- The brand Bel Gioso has been reported to cause curdling, although I have never experienced this.
How to make Tiramisu
The first step is a quick dip of the ladyfingers in the coffee/Kahlua mixture. The coffee flavor of the Kahlua enhances the overall flavor, but it can be left out if you want to make this dessert alcohol-free. And if you’re not a fan of Kahlua, you can use Gran Marnier, dark rum, or Marsala in its place.
*Instant espresso powder can be used to make the coffee for dipped ladyfingers.
How do I prepare the ladyfingers:
- Dip the ladyfingers in the coffee mixture. If you don’t want the added caffeine, decaf coffee or decaf espresso can be used.
- Brushing on the coffee mixture instead of dipped ladyfingers is a great way to control how much liquid gets on the ladyfingers.
- Only use crunchy Savoiardi (Italian ladyfingers); cake-style ladyfingers will get too soft.
- Set your pan up with a layer of coffee-soaked ladyfingers. (Standard 9″x 9″ pan)
- Then add your first layer of tiramisu cream mixture. Use half of your mixture and spread it evenly.
- Add a second layer of prepared ladyfingers to the pan.
- Add the remainder of the tiramisu cream mixture and spread evenly.
Dust the tiramisu with cocoa powder and you’re finished!
Now comes the hardest part. Let the tiramisu set up for at least 6 hours; overnight is best. This tiramisu can be made a day or two ahead of time and should last in your fridge for up to a week.
Chef Tips to Make the Best Tiramisu:
- Quick Dip – Dip the ladyfingers one or two at a time. A quick dip on each side is enough. You can also use a brush to coat the ladyfingers with the coffee mixture.
- Do not over-soak the ladyfingers or the layers will be soggy and not hold up.
- Double Boiler – When whisking the egg yolks and sugar over the double boiler, make sure the bowl is not touching the water beneath it.
- Allow the yolk mixture to cool until it’s just slightly warm by using the whisk to help disperse the heat. This will cool down the mixture quicker.
- Use very cold whipping cream -whip the cream slowly over about 10 minutes and the cream will be more stable and hold up.
- Do not overmix the cream– When folding the cream into the mascarpone sabayon mixture, do not overmix, or it may become grainy.
- Allow the tiramisu to chill for at least 6 hours or overnight before slicing to allow it time to fully set up.
- Tiramisu can be made in advance- it holds up well and can be made up to two days ahead of time.
- Tiramisu will last refrigerated for up to 6 days.
FAQ about Tiramisu
Yes, you can freeze tiramisu. Use plastic wrap and place it directly against the surface (without cocoa powder) to prevent skin from forming; cover tightly. Repeat the process with an additional layer of plastic wrap and then cover with tin foil and freeze. To defrost, let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. After it has defrosted, add a layer of cocoa powder and serve.
Yes, you can. Leaving out the Kahlua is not a deal-breaker, just use more coffee when dipping the ladyfingers.
There are two methods that you can use to make a faux mascarpone. You won’t get quite the same flavor, but it will work. Blend 8 ounces softened full-fat cream cheese with ¼ cup heavy cream, and 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter; OR – Blend 8 ounces softened cream cheese with ⅛ cup whipping cream and ⅛ cup sour cream.
No, you should not use raw eggs! The eggs in my version of tiramisu are slowly cooked over the simmering water as you whip the sabayon. This tiramisu will be safe to eat if you follow my directions.
How to Save your Tiramisu if it doesn’t set:
If, for some reason, your Tiramisu doesn’t firm up, don’t throw it away! You can freeze the cream and have an amazing frozen dessert. I have done this when testing new recipes. Use a springform pan, and you can slice it. Add fruit or other toppings, and you’ve got an amazing dessert.
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Best Tiramisu Recipe {step by step}
Equipment
- double boiler
- wire whisk
- 9 x 9 inch pan
- electric mixer
Ingredients
- 6 large egg yolks (approx. ½ cup of yolks)
- 1 cup sugar superfine or caster if possible
- 1¼ cups mascarpone cheese room temperature
- 1¾ cups heavy whipping cream
- 30 each Italian ladyfingers about 1 ½ of the 7 ounce packages (Savoiardi style)
- 1 ½ – 2 cups cold espresso or strong coffee
- ½ – 1 cup coffee flavored Liqueur optional to taste
- 1 ounce unsweetened cocoa for dusting
Instructions
- Add one inch of water to a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer. Find a metal bowl that will fit on top of the pot so it's sitting on the pot without touching the water.
- Add the egg yolks and sugar to the bowl, whipping to mix the ingredients together.
- Place the bowl on the small pot of simmering water. Using a whisk to mix, whip the egg/sugar mixture constantly for about 10 minutes. This will cook the eggs. The mixture will increase in volume as it thickens. This is your sabayon. *egg/sugar mixture needs to reach a temperature of at least 165 degrees F. **If the bowl starts to get too hot, lift it off the pot of water for 15 seconds or so while continuing to whip the mixture. You can do this as often as necessary. ***If you used regular sugar instead of superfine / castor sugar your finished sabayon may be grainy. That's okay it will finish dissolving while your tiramisu is firming up.
- After you have finished whipping the sabayon, remove the bowl from the heat and continue to whip yolks to help it cool. The mixture should be thick and a lemon yellow color. Allow to cool briefly before mixing in mascarpone.
- Add room temperature Mascarpone to the whipped yolks, mix until well combined. Don't overmix this can cause curdling.*Mascarpone only needs to get to set out for 15-20 minutes. Don't let it get warm.
- In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, whip the cream to stiff peaks. (hand mixer or stand mixer is fine). This process should be slow, starting. on low increasing the speed over about ten minutes.**This method is how you keep the whipped cream from breaking. The cream should be ice cold and as fresh as possible. Look for heavy cream with the longest expiration date.
- Gently fold the whipped cream in the mascarpone sabayon mixture and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the tiramisu.
- Mix the cold espresso (or strong coffee) with the coffee liqueur and dip the ladyfingers into the mixture just long enough to get them wet, do not soak them!**If you can't use alcohol, just leave out the liqueur.
- Arrange the ladyfingers in the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish (or container similarly sized)
- Spoon half the mascarpone cream filling over the ladyfingers.
- Repeat process with another layer of ladyfingers
- Add another layer of tiramisu cream
- Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.
- Dust with cocoa before serving
Video
Notes
Chef Tips
- Have the eggs and mascarpone at room temperature before making this recipe. That will help them mix together more smoothly
- Whipping your cream is also where some people make a mistake. The idea with whipped cream is to do it slowly. Begin whipping the cream on low, increasing the speed over 10 minutes. This makes a whipped cream that will last for days in your fridge without the aid of gelatin.
- Soak the ladyfingers in the coffee mixture briefly. Don’t let them get soggy, it will ruin the dessert.
- Only use Crunchy SAVOIARDI (ITALIAN LADYFINGERS) Cake style ladyfingers will get too soft.
- Allow Tiramisu to set up for at least 6 hours before serving. Overnite is best.
- Have the eggs and mascarpone at room temperature before making this recipe. That will help them mix together more smoothly.
FAQ ABOUT TIRAMISU
-
Chef Dennis Tip***
If for some reason your Tiramisu doesn’t firm up, don’t throw it away! You can freeze the cream and have an amazing frozen dessert. I have done this when testing new recipes. Use a springform pan and you can slice it. Add fruit or other toppings and you’ve got an amazing dessert.
Darlene Rodriguez
Love love this recipe Chef Dennis. So simple to make and so delicious. It has become my family Christmas dessert tradition and have made it every year (and sometimes in between) for the last 5 yrs.Although my family has become much smaller now (just me) I still make it and share it with friends. Everyone who has tried it has loved it. Thank you for sharing this fabulous recipe. Merry Christmas Chef Dennis.
Chef Dennis Littley
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a wonderful comment and review Darlene! I’m happy to hear you’ve been enjoying my recipe. Merry Christmas!
Susan
Friends made this Tiramisu recipe for us a while ago and it was delicious, so I’m going to make it this year for Christmas! Wondering if it’s best to use whisk attachments on the electric beater for the whip cream, or just regular beaters? Also, can I substitute Grand Marnier for Khalua, or will that ruin the taste? Thank you for sharing this great recipe!
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Susan
yes use the whip attachment for whipped cream if you have them. If this a flavor combination you usually enjoy, the grand Marnier should be okay, it will give it a different flavor, the Kahlua is coffee flavored which is why I use it, but I’ve had others make it with a variety of liqueurs and they have enjoyed the taste.
Andrew Curtis
I have made tiramisu many times (for my daughter), but not this recipe. I will try it, but wonder why not use the egg whites whipped and sweetened instead of cream? I use both in my chocolate mousse to good outcomes, but thought I might skip the cream in this case so as not to waste the egg whites…and the whipped cream might be too much of the whipped portion. I usually don’t use cream, but certainly will give it a try; is this sensible?
Chef Dennis Littley
This is an authentic Italian recipe and how I made it for many years. The cream does make a richer dessert and using egg whites instead would definitley change the flavor and texture of the dessert.
Sheri
Hello! I’m planning to make this tomorrow for my son’s 12th birthday since tiramisu is his favorite dessert. I’m confused about the liqueur, though. Should I use it or not? How much does it add to the flavor? I’m concerned about the alcohol in it. What are your thoughts? Also, can I really just use my regular coffee, but make it extra strong?
Thank you so much!
Chef Dennis Littley
you don’t have to use the liqueur its definitely not a deal breaker. And using strong coffee instead of espresso is okay too. Neither will affect the overall flavor of the dessert that much.
Sheri
Thank you so much for responding so quickly. I made it and it was wonderful! My son said it’s his favorite tiramisu ever; even better than at the authentic, family owned Italian restaurant we usually go to. I did stop by the coffee shop and order one cup of espresso. I also used about half of the amount of liqueur. After dipping the lady fingers, I had some liquid left over. So that was good, in that even less alcohol went into the dessert. It was a complete hit with everyone. Thank you SO much! This really helped make my son’s birthday memorable and has definitely started a new tradition.
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m happy to hear the tiramisu turned out well Sheri, thanks so much for letting me know and the great review!
Barb Mueller
Hi Chef Dennis. I am really looking forward to making this recipe for Christmas this year. However I cannot find the size of pan to use in your instructions/recipe. Have I missed it some where? Please add. Thank you!
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Barb
In the instructions, I do mention a 9-inch square pan (step 6 instructions).
Thanks for asking!
Shannon Mullaney
Tiramisu is my favorite dessert and I finally attempted to make it at home…wow! This was surprisingly easy and taste AMAZING. The hardest part, truth be told, was finding mascarpone in the market; just took a few laps around the cheeses 🙈. Thank you for such a fantastic recipe!
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed my tiramisu. And more grocers are carrying mascarpone, the trick is finding where they have it in the store. It’s the same with the ladyfingers.
Frank V
One step I’m not totally clear on is mixing the egg and sugar mixture with the marscapone. Do I let that sabayon cool to room temperature first? Thanks on advance!
Chef Dennis Littley
As you are whipping the sabayon it will be cooling. Finish whipping it off the heat for a few minutes and that will cool it enough to add the room temperature mascarpone.
Melissa
Yeh, I understand that. And I did what your recipe says. But you don’t specify how to whip (my hand with whisk, hand mixer, stand mixer). Neither do you say how long..
Chef Dennis Littley
under the picture of the whipped cream, it reads “Begin whipping the cream on low, increasing the speed over 10 minutes” I just added using an electric mixer to that text and also to the recipe.
Melissa
Hi,
I tried your turkey and saw your tiramisu recipe and decided to give it a go. First time making this dessert so I didn’t expect it to be easy the first time. Only thing I messed up was the “stiff peaks”. Recipe says to mix for 10 mins increasing speed from low to high. I’m guessing that’s using a handmixer? I read it wrong and mixed by hand with a whisk for 10 mins. Nothing. Just liquidy. Then I used hand mixer. Still nothing. I used that mixture anyways in between the lady fingers. After baking and putting in the fridge overnight, still was liquidy the next day. How do you make stiff peaks? Because 20 mins was not enough. Either I under did it, and should have used a stand mixer or hand mixer from the start, or I over did it and turned it to butter. Any recommendations for next time? Other than that, still tasted great. I used Melitta dark Italian roast coffee and no liquor as a side note.
Jodie
For whipped cream, you really need an electric mixer. With that you should making whipped cream quite easy. Hand mixing is quite laborious and I find I can never whip it properly that way. Also, you said “bake”… um I hope you didn’t bake this. It is meant to eaten as is.
Chef Dennis Littley
If you couldn’t get it to stiffen after 10 minutes, even by hand I might suspect the heavy cream. It needs to be the freshest possible, if its almost out of date it won’t whip as well. But yes you do need an electric mixer to get the best results. Leaving out the liquor is fine.
Blove
Also the size of the bowl affects the ability to turn that liquid into cream. I always whip my own in a large wide bowl and the 2 times I thought “aha I’m just making a little, let me use a smaller bowl to save room”…those never panned out. Then i would transfer to a wide bowl, mix again, and voila whipped cream.
Mary M
Hi-I need to make enough for 12 and was planning on using a 9X 13 pan. Should I just increase all ingredients by 1/3? Just don’t want to mess up the recipe.
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Mary
that’s exactly what I usually do, it won’t hurt the recipe at all. And if you have any leftover cream I’m sure you’ll enjoy sampling it!
Mary M
Thank you!
Amanda Timbre
Has anyone done this and has the measurements for making 9 by 13? I’m making it this weekend and don’t want to mess it up !
Chef Dennis Littley
Amanda
for a 9 x 13 dish multiply the ingredients by 1.5. That will get you pretty close.
Tierney
Thank you for sharing your recipe. This is amazingly tasty tiramisu! I just made it and put it in the fridge. I already know it will be perfect tomorrow. Tonight, we soaked the extra cookie bits in the espresso and scraped the tiramisu cream bowl absolutely clean. I hope I can hold off on digging in until tomorrow. Thank you again!
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks for the wonderful comment and review Tierney, I hope you love my Tiramisu as much as I do! PS it makes a great breakfast!
Stefania Ambrosetti Murphy
Perfectly clear instructions. I have had dozens of Tiramisus, between Italy, U.S., Canada and Australian restaurants….it is my favorite dessert. Attempted to make it several years ago and had an epic fail! Finally, with company coming and unable to resist my Italian imported lady fingers, I googled lots of recipes. Found yours and made it!! My zabaglione was finally perfect and I was singing with joy!! Refrigerated for 48 hours and I am honest in saying it shocked me – the best tiramisu I’ve ever had! My own too!! I did use marsala. Thank you, will write this down by hand and keep with special recipes. Company loved it and we scraped 9×13 dish clean! Grazie!!
Chef Dennis Littley
you are very welcome Stefania, and thank you for such a wonderful comment and review of my recipe! You made my day!
Geri
I’m a fairly good dessert maker and made this for the first time yesterday. I was so worried about the cookies being too wet that I went the other direction and they were too dry. I could barely taste the coffee/kalua mixture and the cookies were crunchy. The rest of it was delicious and I’ll make again. Is there a trick you use to know how long to soak the cookies? I did make it the day before, so there was plenty of time for it to sit.
Chef Dennis Littley
I pretty much just dunk them completely then pull them out. You can also brush on the liquid to make sure you’re getting enough without over soaking.
Lori
I want to buy the correct lady fingers – have you used either the Marini or Lago brand of Savoiardi?
Chef Dennis Littley
Either are fine, as long as they are the Savoiardi variety
Brittany
I’ve made my recipe using Biscoff Speculoos cookies…. quite a tasty and lovely surprise and pairs perfectly with coffee!
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks for letting us know that Biscoff cookies work well with the recipe Brittany!
Lori
Excellent excellent recipe. Everyone loved it. Thank you for posting it.
Chef Dennis Littley
You are very welcome! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!!
Natasha Lawson
Tiramisu is my favourite dessert. I used this recipe to make my first tiramisu this year. It came out delicious. I used baileys in mine. I am now about to make my second for a birthday cake. Thanks so much.
Chef Dennis Littley
you’re very welcome Natasha and thank you for letting me know you enjoyed my tiramisu!
Linda in Calif.
Chef,
Thank you so much for this recipe. It is fantastic! The best Tiramisu I’ve ever had. And that includes the ones I had in Italy and a darn good one in Las Vegas. Thanks too for all the extra tips – they certainly made a difference. My daughter and I made this together – it was so fun and actually easy. We will be making it again, and again and again.