This dreamy classic tiramisu is surprisingly easy to make but looks and tastes like it came from a million dollar restaurant! It has all the classic features of a perfect tiramisu with layers of coffee soaked lady fingers and a creamy mascarpone mixture.
Tiramisu was the 13th post I ever published on Eats Delightful (alllll the way back in early 2020!) and it's something I've been making for over 10 years! I'm writing this in 2024 by the way. Buuuut it's safe to say that it was in dire need of a new round of photos - and the fact that it seems to be trending on Instagram felt like the sign I needed to remake it.
Plus, I was really craving it.
what is tiramisu?
Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert that consists of layers of coffee soaked lady fingers and mascarpone cream. It's most traditionally made with some sort of liquor in the coffee soak (usually sweet Marsala wine, but rum is also a popular option) and often uses raw eggs in the mascarpone cream. This recipe deviates a little from those 2 traditions.
I'm not a huge alcohol girlie so I omit that from my recipe (although you're more than welcome to add it in if you like). Additionally, there are absolutely no raw eggs in this tiramisu! We're going to pasteurize the egg yolks (don't worry, it's easier than it sounds!) and we're using whipped cream instead of whipped egg whites to ensure we eliminate any risk of harmful bacteria that may be found in raw eggs.
quick look: how to make classic tiramisu
- Heat eggs and sugar over a bain-marie.
- Add mascarpone cream and whisk to combine.
- Cool egg mixture completely.
- Whip cream until it reaches stiff peaks.
- Fold cream into the mascarpone mixture.
- Quickly dip lady fingers in coffee and arrange in the bottom of your serving dish.
- Top with half the mascarpone cream mix, followed by another layer of coffee soaked lady fingers and then the remaining cream mixture.
- Chill until set then dust with cocoa powder before serving!
how to cook eggs for tiramisu
In order to make the eggs safe to eat, we're going to be heating them over a double boiler or "bain-marie". To start, here's how to set up a bain-marie:
- Pick out a bowl and a pot. You need a bowl that can sit on top of the pot with at least 2 inches of space between the bottom of the pot and the bottom of the bowl.
- Fill your pot with about 1 inch of water and bring to a very gentle simmer.
- Add eggs and sugar to your bowl then place over the pot. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the surface of the water.
This setup allows for a gentle heating of the eggs to a safe temperature, killing off any harmful bacteria. It's basically like an at home pasteurization process!
When it comes to actually cooking the eggs, they'll need about 10 minutes over the bain-marie. A few signs that the eggs are fully cooked are:
- The sugar should be fully dissolved
- The mixture will be thick and a pale yellow color
- The eggs should reach what's called the "ribbon stage" - meaning if you pick up some of the mixture with a spoon or whisk, you should be able to draw a figure 8 in the mixture without it disappearing right away
- An instant read thermometer should register 160°F - if all other signs are showing, but the eggs haven't reached this temperature, they still need to sit over the bain-marie until the temperature is met!
tips for making classic tiramisu
- heating the egg yolks: It's important to whisk constantly when heating the egg yolks to prevent scrambling. When it comes to testing if the eggs are ready to come off the heat, the only way to know for sure if the eggs are at a safe temperature is by using an instant read thermometer, so this is the recipe to crack it out!
- cooling: Make sure the egg and mascarpone mixture is at room temperature before adding the heavy cream in - otherwise it will deflate the mixture and lead to a soupy mess. Also ensure the coffee is at room temperature or cold, otherwise it can oversoak into the lady fingers.
- choosing the lady fingers: The best lady fingers for tiramisu are the dry and crisp ones. Avoid the soft and cakey lady fingers as they can very easily oversoak.
- dipping the lady fingers: Be VERY quick when dipping the lady fingers in the coffee - like less than a second! They'll begin soaking up the coffee right away and can easily turn to mush if left too long.
- setting the tiramisu: Tiramisu needs time in the fridge to allow the lady fingers to soften, the mascarpone cream to set, and for all the flavors to mingle together. It'll need about 4 to 6 hours (or overnight) and then it should be set enough to give you perfectly clean slices!
- make ahead tiramisu: Since tiramisu needs time in the fridge, it makes it the perfect make ahead dessert! Tiramisu is best served within 2 to 3 days - anything longer than that may cause the lady fingers to over soften).
- tiramisu storage: Tiramisu should not be left out at room temperature otherwise it can turn into a soupy mess. Keep tiramisu covered and in the fridge until you're ready to serve.
check out these other tiramisu recipes!
• Tiramisu Cupcakes
• Caramel Tiramisu
• Tiramisu Cookies
• Fresh Lemon Tiramisu
Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.
watch how to make classic tiramisu
Classic Tiramisu
- Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 1 (8x8") tiramisu
Description
This dreamy classic tiramisu is surprisingly easy to make but looks and tastes like it came from a million dollar restaurant! It has all the classic features of a perfect tiramisu with layers of coffee soaked lady fingers and a creamy mascarpone mixture.
Ingredients
- 1 & ¼ cups (300mL) strongly brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature
- 4 large egg yolks
- â…“ cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (8oz / 225g) mascarpone cheese
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 & ¼ cups (300mL) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 24 Savoiardi lady fingers*
- cocoa powder (for dusting on top)
Instructions
- Brew 1 & ¼ cups of your favorite blend of coffee (you can also dissolve 3 tablespoons of instant espresso powder in 1 & ¼ cups hot water). Pour the coffee into a wide bowl (wide enough to dip a lady finger in) and set aside to cool completely to room temperature.
- Set up a bain-marie (water bath): Start by picking out a medium sized heat-safe bowl and a pot. You need a bowl that can sit on top of the pot with about 2 inches of distance between the bottom of the bowl and the bottom of the pot.
- Fill the pot with about an inch of water and set over high heat. Bring the water to just barely under a simmer and reduce heat to low to maintain a very gentle simmer.
- In your medium bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar. Whisk together to combine.
- Place the bowl over the pot of barely simmering water. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the surface of the water.
- Gently heat the egg yolks over the bain-marie, while whisking constantly, for about 10 minutes. You'll know they're ready to come off the heat when the sugar is dissolved, the mixture turns a pale yellow color, doubles in volume, and reaches 160°F.Â
- **Although I've listed more than one sign to look out for perfectly heated egg yolks, its very important to test the mixture with a thermometer to ensure it's reached a safe temperature.
- Take the egg and sugar mixture off the pot of simmering water - be careful, the edge of the bowl may be hot! While the mixture is still warm, add in your mascarpone cheese and whisk it in to incorporate. The heat from the eggs will melt the cheese and the cheese will help cool the egg mixture down quickly. Take care not to overmix or it can make the mixture grainy.
- Add vanilla extract and stir to combine. Set aside for about 5 minutes or until cooled completely to room temperature.
- Add your heavy cream into a separate large bowl - make sure it's cold from the fridge so it whips up faster and more stable!
- Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream on high speed until it reaches stiff peaks. To test for stiff peaks, dip your beater into the cream and invert it. The tip of the cream should not curl over. Take care not to overmix!
- Add about half of the whipped cream to the cooled egg and mascarpone mixture. Gently fold the cream into the mixture. Again, take care not to overmix or it can deflate the cream. Add the remaining whipped cream and fold it in as well until it just blends into a streak-free mixture.
- Assembly:Â Very quickly dip one lady finger into the coffee. Turn to soak the other side of the cookie with coffee as well. You don't want to leave the lady finger in the coffee for more than about 1 second or it will over soak.Â
- Place the coffee dipped lady finger into the bottom of an 8x8 inch serving dish. Repeat the dipping process and arrange in your serving dish to cover the bottom completely with lady fingers. You may need to cut some of the lady fingers to fit in the dish.
- Top the bottom layer of lady fingers with half of the mascarpone cream mixture. Spread the cream into an even layer to cover the lady fingers.
- Dip another round of lady fingers in coffee and arrange on top of the cream mixture to cover. Top with the remaining mascarpone cream and spread to even out.
- Cover your tiramisu and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or up to overnight to set.
- Use a fine mesh sifter to dust a layer of cocoa powder on top of the tiramisu to cover the surface. Use a sharp knife to cut the tiramisu. Alternatively, you can use a spoon to scoop portions out. Keep tiramisu stored in the fridge until ready to enjoy!
Notes
* Use the crisp and firm lady fingers (not the soft and cakey type!) Cakey lady fingers can easily oversoak and won't hold their shape very well.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Method: No bake
Enjoy!
Sonia says
After reading lots of recipes on making tiramisu, I settled on this one. I really liked the simple list of ingredients, the easy to understand instructions and the video. You made it seem easy and the result was AMAZING. I will never look for another recipe. Thank you for sharing!
Sonia says
I forgot to leave the rating. 🙂
Tania says
I want to make the recipe, but I have 450 grams of mascarpone cheese and 200 ml of cream, will it work well?
Naama says
Not hard, and tastes really good
Mimi says
I'm so glad you liked it!! 🙂
Hannah says
The layers look incredible! I’ve never made tiramisu before but I am going to have to try now
Mimi says
Thank you! I hope you do give it a try, it's super fun to make!