Classic Italian Tiramisu Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links, please visit our privacy policy for details.
This classic tiramisu recipe is rich, creamy, and oh-so light. Made with homemade ladyfingers dipped in coffee liqueur, layered with a luscious mascarpone cream, and dusted with cocoa powder. It’s surprisingly easy to make and tastes just like the real deal from Italy!
Our Family’s Tiramisu
Believe it or not, this no-bake tiramisu recipe has been a family favorite for over 35 years! We were honestly a little surprised it wasn’t already on the blog. So, we knew it was time to share it!
This recipe is the result of countless batches made, with a few secret tips from decades of recipe testing thrown in for good measure. We guarantee it’ll be a hit with your family too – it’s a classic for a reason!
What Is Tiramisu Made Of?
Every tiramisu recipe differs slightly! Though, the basics of a traditional tiramisu are: egg yolks, mascarpone, espresso, and ladyfingers. From here, the recipes can start to differ! Some more traditional recipes may not include sherry, marsala wine, or rum; whereas others may! Our recipe, we like to include a coffee liqueur with our espresso to add a more intense flavor.
Here is everything you will need for our recipe:
- Egg Yolks
- Granulated Sugar
- Mascarpone Cheese
- Vanilla Extract
- Heavy Cream
- Ladyfingers
- Espresso & Coffee Liqueur
- Cocoa Powder
⊹ A Quick Tip! ⊹
Don’t waste the egg whites! You can make our super simple meringue cookies with them.
We like to finish our tiramisu with a generous amount of chantilly cream, but this is more for decorative purposes! If you’d like to skip it, feel free too.
Here’s How To Make The Best Tiramisu
Over the years, we’ve learned the best tips and tricks to make tiramisu. Today, we are sharing everything we know to ensure that your tiramisu is delicious and perfect every time!
- Cook the yolks: For this tiramisu, we make a sabayon, where we cook the egg yolks! While most eggs in the United States are pasteurized, this isn’t always the case elsewhere. By cooking the yolks, we ensure this recipe is safe for everyone to enjoy while also achieving the best possible flavor and texture. Then, we add the classic tiramisu ingredients: mascarpone, vanilla, and whipped cream.
- Brew some coffee: Whether you have an espresso machine or just a capsule coffee machine, you gotta brew some strong coffee! Though, over the years, we learned that by adding some coffee liqueur really enhances that amazing coffee flavor.
- Don’t over soak: One of our most important tips for a perfect tiramisu! You only want to submerge the ladyfingers for 1-2 seconds so they are sturdy enough to support the filling.
- There’s a specific order to build this tiramisu: To build a perfect tiramisu, we need to start with start with the ladyfingers as our base. From there, we add the mascarpone mixture and a generous dusting of cocoa powder. After that, we repeat the layers and finish with some chantilly cream!
Egg mixture over bain-marie. Cooked sabayon. Cream folded into sabayon. Dipping ladyfingers. Layering tiramisu. FINISHED!!
Now that we have our tiramisu assembled, it’s time for the hardest part…NOT EATING IT! 😭 Sadly, we can’t just dive in immediately. It’s best to refrigerate this tiramisu for at least 4 hours (but preferably overnight!!) to allow all of those amazing flavors to meld and for the ladyfingers to soften.
How To Slice and Serve Tiramisu
Once this tiramisu is set, you shouldn’t be afraid to cut into it! With a sharp knife, make even square cuts, being sure to wipe the knife clean between each cut. Using a small serving spatula to remove the slices is super helpful!
Your Tiramisu Questions, ANSWERED!
More Recipes You’ll Love:
When you make this Classic Italian Tiramisu Recipe, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.
Happy baking!
x, Caylie
Homemade Tiramisu
Ingredients
Filling
- 4 large egg yolks, room temperature
- ⅜ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese, cold
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cups heavy cream, cold
Syrup
- 1 cup espresso, or strong coffee
- 1 cup coffee liqueur
Assembly
- 26 ladyfingers , or savoiardi
- cocoa powder
- Chantilly cream, optional
Instructions
Filling
- In a medium saucepan that will hold your mixing bowl, bring about an inch of water to a simmer.
- In a medium, heat-proof bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar.
- Place over top of simmering water, being careful not to let the bottom of the bowl touch the water.
- Whisk continually until egg mixture is tripled in size and an instant read thermometer reads between 149℉ (65℃) and 158° F (70℃).
- Remove from heat.
- Wipe off bottom of bowl.
- Cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate until cold, about an hour.
- Stir in mascarpone and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Set aside.
- Whip cream to stiff peaks.
- Gently fold cream into mascarpone mixture.
Syrup
- In a small bowl, mix together coffee and coffee liqueur.
Assembly
- Dip half of ladyfingers, one at a time, into coffee mixture, turning once. The ladyfingers should be saturated but not falling apart.
- Place in bottom of 9 inch x 9 inch pan.
- Spoon half of filling over top of soaked ladyfingers.
- Sift cocoa powder over the top of the filling.
- Repeat with another layer.
- Top with Chantilly cream, if desired.
- Dust with cocoa powder.
Notes + Tips!
- Refrigerate: Once assembled, store your tiramisu in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This will help prevent it from drying out!
- Plastic Wrap: If you don’t have an airtight container, tightly wrap the entire casserole dish with plastic wrap to create a seal.
- Best Within 3 Days: Tiramisu is best enjoyed within 3 days of assembly. The flavors will continue to develop during this time, but the texture may start to soften after that.
- Freezing (Optional): While not ideal, you can freeze leftover tiramisu for up to a month. Wrap the assembled tiramisu tightly with plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Freeze Before Setting: Freeze the tiramisu before the final dusting of cocoa powder. This helps prevent the cocoa powder from absorbing moisture during thawing.
- Thaw Slowly: Allow the tiramisu to thaw completely in the refrigerator before serving. This minimizes the risk of a soggy texture.
- Avoid storing tiramisu at room temperature for extended periods.
- Don’t refreeze leftover tiramisu.
- High Quality is Best: Use the highest quality ingredients possible, especially the mascarpone cheese, eggs, and cocoa powder. This will ensure the best flavor and texture.
- Ingredient Temperature is Key: To avoid a split sabayon, make sure the mascarpone is not too cold and that your sabayon isn’t too hot! They both need to be about the same temperature to keep from curdling. Also be sure that your heavy whipping cream is COLD before whipping!
- Don’t Overwork Yourself: While the sabayon can be whipped by hand with a whisk, it’s much easier to use an electric hand mixer to do the work for you!
- Coffee Considerations: Choose a strong coffee you enjoy drinking. The coffee flavor is a key component of tiramisu, so don’t skimp here. If espresso isn’t your thing, strong brewed coffee works well too. Let the coffee cool completely before dipping the ladyfingers!
- Avoid Sogginess: Don’t over-soak the ladyfingers! They should be dipped quickly, just enough to absorb some coffee without becoming soggy.
- Chill Time is Crucial: Allow the assembled tiramisu to chill for at least 4-6 hours, preferably overnight. This allows the flavors to meld and the ladyfingers to soften, resulting in the perfect creamy texture.
- Cocoa Coverage: Dust the top of your tiramisu with a generous, but even, layer of cocoa powder. A sifter is a handy tool for achieving a light and even dusting!
- Have Fun with Presentation: Consider garnishing your tiramisu with a shaved chocolate, fresh berries, or even chocolate covered coffee beans for an extra touch of elegance.
- Leftovers? No Problem! Tiramisu is best enjoyed within 3 days, but leftovers can be frozen for up to a month. See the “Storing Tiramisu” above for more info.
Tools You May Need (affiliate links)
– Still Hungry? –
Here are a few recipes may like!
Best Tiramisu recipe ever. Thank you to Traci , I think, for posting it. This will be my go to forever. Light and so full of wonderful flavors perfectly balanced. The tips were very helpful.
Hi ladies. Was wondering if you could offer some advice. When I added the vanilla to the mascarpone, it curdled and turned lumpy. I used BelGioioso brand. I purchased the day before and was within expiration date, so I don’t think freshness was an issue. I set it out for 2 hours to come to room temp before using. When it curdled, I thought I did something wrong, so I went and purchased more BelGioioso mascarpone and waited for it to come to room temp to have the same thing happen again. I ran the mixture through a sieve to try to remove any curdled lumps and proceeded with the recipe, but after refrigerating overnight, the tiramisu turned out gritty tasting the next day. I was wondering if maybe it was the brand of mascarpone. I tasted it before I added the vanilla the second round and it was creamy and delicious so I’m not sure why adding the vanilla made it curdle. Any recommendations on what brand of mascarpone won’t curdle? Thanks for any suggestions you have.
Hi Susan! It doesn’t have anything to do with the vanilla or the brand of mascarpone. That’s the same one we used. It sounds like either your sabayon was too cold or your mascarpone was too warm. They need to be very close to the same temperature. I’ll make that notation in the recipe as well. Please let me know if you have any more questions.
Hi Susan. I did a lot of research and tried a few recipes. One site said that the mascarpone curdles easily and it shouldn’t get to warm . Maybe just 10 min on the counter before using it.. Don’t give up- great recipe w/o adjustments.