This Italian tiramisu recipe is made in the authentic Italian way, and might have a few tips that you’ve never seen before in a tiramisu!
I recently made this tiramisu in the classic Italian way by using mascarpone and Italian espresso coffee.
But I added an additional twist, and one which has turned out to work wonder!
And what’s that twist?
Grated dark chocolate!

Every Italian grows up learning how to make a proper Italian tiramisu.
My grandmother taught me as a child, and I have been making them ever since.
It’s an easy and quick dessert which requires no baking at all.
When you need to serve it, all you have to do is cut it into cubes with the help of a spatula, take it out of the baking dish and place it onto a dessert plate.
Give it a sprinkling of cocoa and you are all set!
This Italian tiramisu recipe, after a night of rest in the fridge, becomes even better as the cream becomes a bit more compact.
Keep scrolling down and you’ll see what I am talking about.
Ingredients needed To Make Tiramisu
These are the main ingredients you need for this recipe.
For the step-by-step directions and measurements, scroll down to our printable recipe card.
- Lady finger cookies
- Fresh eggs
- Mascarpone cheese
- Sugar
- Cold espresso coffee
- Dark chocolate
- Sherry or Marsala
- Cocoa powder
How To Make Tiramisu
Start by making coffee; we will need it cold.
To the coffee, add the sugar and the liqueur of your choice.
Prepare the cream, start by separating the egg yolk from the egg white.
Add half the sugar to the egg yolk and start to whisk it until you get a light and fluffy cream then, slowly add the mascarpone. ( lower the speed of the beater).
Add another shot of liqueur, if you want you can omit this step.
In another bowl whisk the egg whites with the sugar until stiff.
Using a spatula, add the beaten egg white to the cream with the mascarpone.
Mix gently so as not to disassemble the cream.
To assemble the tiramisu, in a baking pan spread 2 generous spoons of our cream.

Dip the ladyfingers in the coffee & sherry and start distributing them evenly onto our bed of cream.
Cover with a layer of cream and repeat.
In the last layer dust the tiramisu with sifted cocoa.
Recipe Variations
In my opinion, there is no variation for the preparation of this fantastic dessert.
This is the original recipe with the addition of dark chocolate flakes.

Recipe Tips
Always use fresh produce – I use very fresh eggs in my recipe, but if you want to pasteurize eggs you can find the process here.

Frequently Asked Questions
What liquor is in tiramisu?
The original recipe calls for Marsala wine. But many times it is difficult to find Marsala outside of Italy. In my recipe I used Sherry. Other liqueurs I recommend are kalua or amaretto.
Does tiramisu always have alcohol?
No, you can omit the addition of alcohol in tiramisu
How long does homemade tiramisu last?
Personally, I never get to keep any tiramisu, because it disappears in a day!
This tiramisu can be stored for a maximum of two to three days due to the fact we use eggs and mascarpone.
You can freeze it, maybe already divided into single portions, and store it for a month.
When you want to serve it, simply leave it at room temperature for a couple of hours.
See also:
- 15 Of The Best Italian Breakfast Recipes You Need To Try
- Authentic Italian Pasta Recipes: 34 Delicious Recipes
- Authentic Italian Dessert Recipes: 20+ Of The Best Italian Desserts!
- Zabaione Recipe: A Delicious & Easy Treat To Prepare For The Holidays

Your friends and family are gonna love my Italian tiramisu recipe.
It’s easy to make and I guarantee it will be the best tiramisu you’ve ever eaten!
Enjoy!

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Classic Italian Tiramisù Recipe
Tiramisu is much easier than you think. Follow my step by step instructions and you will prepare a delicious tiramisu in no time!
Ingredients
- 300g of Lady finger cookies ( about 30)
- 4 Fresh eggs
- 500g of Mascarpone cheese ( 1,1 lb = 2 1/4 cups)
- 100g of Sugar ( 1/2 cup)
- 300ml of Cold espresso coffee ( 1 ¼ cup)
- 1 Bar of good, dark chocolate
- 2 Shots of sherry
- Enough cocoa powder as needed
Instructions
- Prepare the coffee, it is essential that it is a good quality coffe (not instant!), as it's flavor is then much more intense.
- Once ready, add a spoon of sugar and a shot of sherry and let it cool down in a bowl.
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks, and start whipping the yolks with half of the sugar.
- When the mixture becomes light and fluffy, slowly add the mascarpone. (I usually add another shot of Sherry to this mixture, so feel free to do so too).
- At this point, we need to whip up the egg whites until stiff with the remaining sugar.
- Thereafter, mix this into the egg yolk & mascarpone mixture from the previous step. Fold in the egg white and sugar mixture, until your tiramisu sauce is even and smooth.
And now it's time to compose our tiramisu:
- In a baking pan spread 2 generous spoons of our cream on the bottom, in order to form a cream layer.
- Dip the ladyfingers in the coffee & sherry and start distributing them evenly onto our bed of cream.
Tip: Dip the ladyfingers briefly into the coffee. Do not let them soak too long as then they will become too soggy.
- Chop up (or grate) the dark chocolate and spread it over the ladyfingers. (You decide how much chocolate you want on your tiramisu, you can even prepare it without it! )
- Cover with a layer of cream and repeat.
- In the last layer dust the tiramisu with sifted cocoa.
- Cover the tiramisu with clear film and let it rest for at least 3/4 hours in the fridge.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 844Total Fat: 56gSaturated Fat: 31gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 350mgSodium: 601mgCarbohydrates: 71gFiber: 3gSugar: 34gProtein: 15g
Nutrition is automatically calculated by Nutritionix - please verify all nutrition information independently and consult with a doctor or nutritionist for any and all medical and diet advice.

Sanna
Friday 28th of August 2020
Tiramisu is my favorite dessert. Start Layering the mascarpone cheese is a nice idea. Thanks.
Magali
Wednesday 26th of August 2020
Count me in for tiramisu! They are so delicious!
Amanda
Wednesday 26th of August 2020
What a great tiramisu recipe! It's one of my all-time favorite desserts, and this is great. Thanks for all the helpful tips!
Capri Lilly
Wednesday 26th of August 2020
Tiramisu is my favorite dessert! I made this for my family and they loved it! Thanks for the recipe!
Andrea Janssen
Wednesday 26th of August 2020
I love eating tiramisu as dessert and this recipe is really delicious. Thank you for sharing!