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How to Make Classic Tiramisu Recipe – Italian Recipe

This authentic 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 ladyfinger biscuits, eggs, 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?

Chopped dark chocolate!

 Classic Tiramisu Recipe in a dish

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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 easy 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 Classic 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. 

Ladyfinger Cookies

Savoiardi are crumbly, light cookies with an elongated shape and a delicious sugar crust on the surface.

They are named after the House of Savoy but are also known as Finger Lady because of the characteristic shape reminiscent of ladies fingers.

Fresh Eggs

For the classic tiramisu recipe , raw eggs are used.

Many people worry about the risk of salmonella, but if fresh eggs are used, it is very rare.

In any case, they can be pasteurized, is very simple but you need a kitchen thermometer. Pour the sugar to combine with the yolks into a saucepan, dilute it with a little water, melt it, and wait for the thermometer to reach 248°F .

Put the yolks in the bowl while the temperature of the syrup rises and start whipping them with the whisk and pour sugar over them, continuing to whisk.

Mascarpone Cheese

Mascarpone is an Italian version of cream cheese.

Used as a known ingredient to make desserts such as in this case tiramisu is made from the cream of milk. This cream cheese originated in the city of Lodi.

Sugar

I used white sugar, but brown sugar is also fine.

Cold Espresso Coffee

For the making of tiramisu we need strong coffee, such as espresso.

I do not recommend the use of instant coffee. You can make the coffee in a espresso machine or a moka.

The coffee should not be sweetened, as the ladyfingers already contain a good amount of sugar.

Dark Chocolate

You can also leave it out if you want to make traditional tiramisu recipe. But I assure you it’s a delicious twist.

Liqueur

For the classic Italian tiramisu recipe, marsala is the liqueur used.

Marsala is a very fortified wine, but you can also use other liqueurs, such as sherry or a coffee liqueur. You can also make tiramisu without the use of liqueurs.

Cocoa Powder

The cocoa must be unsweetened, it is used to decorate our tiramisu.

How To Make Classic Tiramisu Recipe

Step 1

Start by making coffee; we will need it cold.

To the coffee, add the sugar and the liqueur of your choice.

espresso coffee

Step 2

Prepare the cream, start by separating the raw egg yolks from the egg white.

Combine egg yolks with sugar in a large bowl and start to whisk with an electric mixer until you get a light and fluffy cream, then slowly add the mascarpone. (low speed of the beater).

Add another shot of liqueur. If you want you can omit this step. 

Step 3

Clean the whisk attachment well and, in separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with the sugar until stiff.

egg white 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 and then a layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers. 

layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers.  in mascaropone 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.

tiramisu in a cup, small portion

Kids’ friendly

Instead of coffee you can soak the ladyfingers with milk, perhaps combined with chocolate.

You can use matcha tea or, if you have chosen to make a fruit tiramisu, try soaking the cookies with juice. 

Best Tips When Making Tiramisu

  • 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.
  • Use the ingredients at room temperature, not cold right out of the refrigerator, so that they can blend together properly.
  • Add the mascarpone by spoonfuls and not all at once.
  • For a perfect tiramisu, wet the Savoiardi for 2/3 seconds by dipping only the smooth half of the cookie horizontally.

FAQFrequently 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

Can I use Philadelphia cheese or any cream cheese instead of mascarpone for tiramisu?

No, absolutely not! Philadelphia would ruin the taste of tiramisu.

Is it safe to make tiramisu with raw eggs?

Yes, the important thing is that they are super fresh.

Can you make tiramisu ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare it the night before, in fact the result will be better because the cookies will have absorbed the cream nicely.

Storage

Personally, I never get to keep any tiramisu, because it disappears in a day!

This tiramisu can be stored for a maximum of 2/3 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.

Best Classic Tiramisu Recipe

See also:

italian tiramisu recipe

italian tiramisu recipe

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Yield: 6 servings

Classic Italian Tiramisù Recipe

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!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 30 Lady finger cookies
  • 4 Fresh eggs
  • 2 1/4 cupsMascarpone cheese (1,1 lb = 500g)
  • 1/2 cup Sugar (100g)
  • 1 ¼ cup Cold espresso coffee (300g)
  • 1 Bar of good, dark chocolate
  • 2 Shots of sherry (Optional)
  • Enough cocoa powder as needed

Instructions

  1. Prepare the coffee, it is essential that it is a good quality coffe (not instant!), as it's flavor is then much more intense.
  2. Once ready, add a spoon of sugar and a shot of sherry and let it cool down in a bowl.
  3. Separate the egg whites from the yolks, and start whipping the yolks with half of the sugar.
  4. When the egg yolk mixture becomes light and fluffy, slowly add the mascarpone, if you use the electric whisk, turn the speed down to the lowest setting (I usually add another shot of Sherry to this mixture, so feel free to do so too).
  5. At this point, we need to whip at medium speed up the egg whites until stiff with the remaining sugar.
  6. 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:

  1. In a baking pan spread 2 generous spoons of our cream on the bottom, in order to form a cream layer.
  2. Dip the ladyfingers in the coffee & sherry and start distributing them evenly onto our bed of cream.
  3. 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! )
  4. Cover with a layer of mascaropone cream and repeat.
  5. In the last layer dust the tiramisu with sifted cocoa.
  6. Cover the tiramisu with clear plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 3/4 hours in the fridge.

Notes

Tip: Dip the ladyfingers briefly into the coffee. Do not let them soak too long as then they will become too soggy.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 542Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 258mgSodium: 314mgCarbohydrates: 72gFiber: 3gSugar: 32gProtein: 14g

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.

Did you make this recipe?

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italian tiramisu recipe

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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!

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