Classic tiramisu
Classic Italian tiramisu with espresso-soaked ladyfingers and a light mascarpone cream made with gently cooked egg yolks. Make it a day ahead.
8% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 30 min
- Cooking
- 8 min
- Resting
- 6 hr
- Serves
- 9
- Calories
- 360
- Protein
- 5 g
- Per serving
- $1.80
Why this recipe works
Tiramisu means 'pick me up' in Italian: layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and silky mascarpone cream, finished with cocoa. It needs no oven and is best made the day before, which makes it an ideal dessert for entertaining.
- Whisking the yolks and sugar over simmering water to 160°F makes them safe to eat and turns them into a thick, airy base that keeps the cream light.
- Dipping each ladyfinger in the coffee for just 1 to 2 seconds keeps the layers soft but not soggy; the biscuits keep absorbing moisture as the tiramisu chills.
- At least 6 hours in the fridge lets the cream set firm enough to slice cleanly.
Ingredients
You will need
- 9x9-inch or 8x8-inch dish
- Heatproof bowl and saucepan
- Hand mixer
- Instant-read thermometer
- Shallow dish for the coffee
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Cook the yolks
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (the bowl shouldn't touch the water). Whisk constantly until thick, pale and 160°F, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes.
Make the cream
Beat the mascarpone into the cooled yolk mixture until smooth. In another bowl, whip the cream and vanilla to medium-stiff peaks, then fold it gently into the mascarpone mixture in two additions.
Dip the ladyfingers
Stir the coffee and liqueur together in a shallow dish. Quickly dip each ladyfinger, 1 to 2 seconds per side, and lay half of them snugly in the dish.
Layer
Spread half the cream over the ladyfingers. Add a second layer of dipped ladyfingers and top with the remaining cream, smoothing the surface.
Chill
Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight, until set.
Dust and serve
Just before serving, dust the top generously with cocoa through a fine sieve. Cut into squares with a sharp knife.
Techniques in this recipe
Rolling boil: too hard for most sauces Simmer: small, gentle bubbles Simmer, don't boil
A boil has big, rolling bubbles; a simmer has small bubbles that break gently. Most sauces, soups and stews want a simmer.
Read the full guide
Cook's notes
- Use crisp Italian savoiardi, not soft cake-style ladyfingers, which go to mush the moment they touch coffee.
- Cold mascarpone and cream whip up thicker; warm mascarpone can turn the cream runny.
- Tiramisu keeps 3 days covered in the fridge; dust with fresh cocoa before serving leftovers.
Nutrition per serving
360 calories
$1.80 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 6% of calories | 5 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 32% of calories | 29 g |
| Fat | 62% of calories | 25 g |
| Fiber | 1 g | |
| Sodium | 50 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
Is it safe to eat tiramisu with eggs?
In this recipe the yolks are cooked to 160°F over simmering water, which is the USDA safe temperature for eggs. Traditional recipes use raw eggs.
Can you make tiramisu without alcohol?
Yes. Leave out the liqueur and use only coffee. Some people add ½ teaspoon of vanilla to the coffee instead.
Why is my tiramisu runny?
The cream was under-whipped, the mascarpone was warm, or it wasn't chilled long enough. Whip the cream to firm peaks and chill at least 6 hours.
