Tiramisu

Tiramisu is a classic no-bake Italian dessert made with lady fingers, coffee, and cream. This easy version is about as luscious as it gets, and you can even make it ahead.

Did you know Tiramisu means “lift me up”?  Perhaps it’s the espresso… or the rum… or the whipped cream… or the thin layer of powdery unsweetened cocoa over the very top. Every single part of this traditional Italian dessert is special.

And one thing is for sure; Tiramisu lifts everyone’s spirits. The chocolate lovers, custard fanatics, and the something-sweet-but-not-too-sweet people all adore it. How many other desserts can do all that?

Recipe ingredients:

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes:

• Egg yolks: The custard uses a lot of egg yolks, but no egg whites. Hold onto the whites, though!  You can freeze them for meringue later.
• Mascarpone cheese: An Italian cream cheese that is usually sold in small plastic tubs in the cheese, dairy, or deli section at grocery stores. If you can’t find it, you can make a substitute with cream cheese and heavy cream. For every 8 ounces of mascarpone you need, mix together ¼ cup heavy cream with 8 ounces of softened cream cheese.
• Espresso or strong coffee: Brew a cup of your deepest, darkest coffee, then chill it. To use instant powdered espresso, combine 1 tablespoon espresso powder with ¼ cup hot water.
• Dark rum: Substitute an equal amount of light rum, coffee liqueur, brandy, or cognac. If you have a bottle, use Marsala, a sweetened Italian wine with a nutty flavor. It’s a common ingredient in authentic tiramisu recipes. You can also substitute ⅛ teaspoon rum extract mixed with 2 tablespoons water, or just add more coffee.
• Italian ladyfingers: Oblong, very dry sponge cake cookies, aka savoiardi. They don’t taste like much all by themselves, but they’re the backbone of this dessert. You should be able to find cellophane wrapped packages of lady fingers at almost any well-stocked grocery, made by Italian brands such as Delallo, Balocco, Vicenzovo, or Marini.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Much more than just for show, the cocoa melts onto the top whipped cream layer and tastes incredible. Dutch processed or natural are both fine.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. To begin, make the mascarpone filling. Whisk the sugar and egg yolks together in a medium saucepan. Add the milk, then cook over medium heat on the stove, whisking constantly, until boiling.
   
2. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. Pour the hot custard into a bowl and cover the surface of the custard with a piece of plastic wrap. This prevents a tough skin from forming on the custard as it cools. Pop the bowl into the refrigerate and chill for at least an hour. While the custard is chilling, take out the mascarpone cheese and let it soften at room temperature.
   
3. Once the custard is chilled, blend it with the softened cheese. You can use an electric mixer with a paddle attachment or a spatula, working by hand. Set the filling aside.
   
4. Make the whipped cream. Beat the cream and vanilla together using an electric mixer and a whisk attachment. The whipped cream should be fluffy, with stiff peaks.
   
5. Mix together the coffee and rum. Arrange a layer of individual cookies flatly on the bottom of the dish you plan to serve the tiramisu in.
   
6. Next, brush the cookies with the rum/coffee liquid. They’ll soak up the coffee and soften over the next few hours.
   
7. Then spread half of the mascarpone custard over the ladyfingers, smoothing it out with a spatula.
   
8. After that, top with half of the whipped cream, smoothing that out, too. Repeat the steps with more ladyfingers arranged on top of the whipped cream. Then more coffee/rum. Then the remaining custard. And finally, the rest of the whipped cream.
   
9. Before you chill the tiramisu, sprinkle the entire top with unsweetened cocoa. Wrap with plastic wrap or foil.  Then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving, to give the ladyfingers a chance to soften and the cake to set up.
   

Recipe tips and variations:

• Don’t over-soak the cookies. If you don’t have a pastry brush, you can quickly (really quickly!) dip the ladyfingers into the coffee liquid, pulling them out as soon as possible. Then arrange them in the baking dish.
• Don’t skimp on the cocoa. The denser the layer of chocolate on top, the less likely it is to stick to the plastic wrap or foil. Wipe the edges of the dish to keep the cocoa from going everywhere as you move it.
• Cutting tiramisu: I usually take the rustic route and scoop out portions with a big spoon, but you can slice it into neat squares using a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean in-between cuts. A small metal spatula helps coax the pieces out of the dish.
• Make ahead: You can make this the morning before you plan to serve it, or even the night before. However, it doesn’t freeze well because of the whipped cream layers. A perfect dessert for your Valentine’s Day meal.
• Leftovers: Chilled Tiramisu makes a heavenly breakfast with fresh berries (I won’t tell) a delightful afternoon snack with a demitasse of espresso, or an unforgettable midnight snack. If you’re lucky enough to have any left, that is!

More chocolate dessert ideas

Cake and Cupcake Recipes

Easy Chocolate Eclair Cake

Cookie and Bar Recipes

Mock Italian Cannoli with Pizzelle

Cake and Cupcake Recipes

Chocolate Lasagna

Cake and Cupcake Recipes

Frosty Chocolate Cheesecake

Tiramisu

Tiramisu is a classic no-bake Italian dessert made with lady fingers, coffee, and cream. This easy version is about as luscious as it gets, and you can even make it ahead.

Author: Meggan Hill

5 from 14 votes

ReviewPrint

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Chilling time 5 hrs

Total Time 45 mins

Servings 8 servings

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Calories 523

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

For the filling:

• ▢ 6 egg yolks (see note 1)
• ▢ 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 2/3 cup milk
• ▢ 1 pound mascarpone cheese (see note 2)

For the whipped cream:

• ▢ 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cake:

• ▢ 1/4 cup espresso or strongly brewed coffee, chilled (see note 3)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons dark rum (see note 4)
• ▢ 2 (3 ounce) packages lady fingers (see note 5)
• ▢ Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting (see note 6)

Instructions 

To make the filling:

• In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well blended. Stir in milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly.
• Boil for 1 minute; remove from heat. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, placing wrap directly on the surface of the custard. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. Remove mascarpone cheese from the refrigerator so it softens while the custard chills.
• In an electric mixer fit with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a spatula, blend chilled custard with softened mascarpone cheese until smooth. Set aside.

To make the whipped cream:

• In an electric mixer fit with the whisk attachment, or with an electric hand mixer, beat cream and vanilla until stiff peaks form. 

To assemble the cake:

• In a small bowl, combine chilled espresso and rum. Separate the lady fingers horizontally and arrange a single layer in the bottom of an ungreased 11-inch by 7-inch baking dish (about 16 lady fingers).
• Brush with the espresso-rum mixture. Spread half of the custard mixture over the lady fingers, then top with half of the whipped cream.
• Repeat with remaining lady fingers brush with the espresso-rum mixture, remaining custard mixture, and remaining whipped cream. Sprinkle with cocoa as desired (1 tablespoon or up to ¼ cup).
• Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Recipe Video

Notes

1. Egg yolks: The custard uses a lot of egg yolks, but no egg whites. Hold onto the whites, though!  You can freeze them for meringue later.
2. Mascarpone cheese: An Italian cream cheese that is usually sold in small plastic tubs in the cheese, dairy, or deli section at grocery stores. If you can’t find it, you can make a substitute with cream cheese and heavy cream. For every 8 ounces of mascarpone you need, mix together ¼ cup heavy cream with 8 ounces of softened cream cheese. 
3. Espresso or strong coffee: Brew a cup of your deepest, darkest coffee, then chill it. To use instant powdered espresso, combine 1 tablespoon espresso powder with ¼ cup hot water.
4. Dark rum: Substitute an equal amount of light rum, coffee liqueur, brandy, or cognac. If you have a bottle, use Marsala, a sweetened Italian wine with a nutty flavor. It’s a common ingredient in authentic tiramisu recipes. You can also substitute ⅛ teaspoon rum extract mixed with 2 tablespoons water, or just add more coffee.
5. Italian ladyfingers: Oblong, very dry sponge cake cookies, aka savoiardi. They don’t taste like much all by themselves, but they’re the backbone of this dessert. You should be able to find cellophane wrapped packages of lady fingers at almost any well-stocked grocery, made by Italian brands such as Delallo, Balocco, Vicenzovo, or Marini.
6. Unsweetened cocoa powder: Much more than just for show, the cocoa melts onto the top whipped cream layer and tastes incredible. Dutch processed or natural are both fine.
7. Don’t over-soak the cookies. If you don’t have a pastry brush, you can quickly (really quickly!) dip the ladyfingers into the coffee liquid, pulling them out as soon as possible. Then arrange them in the baking dish.
8. Don’t skimp on the cocoa. The denser the layer of chocolate on top, the less likely it is to stick to the plastic wrap or foil. Wipe the edges of the dish to keep the cocoa from going everywhere as you move it.
9. Cutting tiramisu: I usually take the rustic route and scoop out portions with a big spoon, but you can slice it into neat squares using a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean in-between cuts. A small metal spatula helps coax the pieces out of the dish.
10. Make ahead: You can make this the morning before you plan to serve it, or even the night before. However, it doesn’t freeze well because of the whipped cream layers.
11. Leftovers: Chilled Tiramisu makes a heavenly breakfast with fresh berries (I won’t tell) a delightful afternoon snack with a demitasse of espresso, or an unforgettable midnight snack. If you’re lucky enough to have any left, that is!

Nutrition

Calories: 523kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 8gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 26gCholesterol: 257mgSodium: 62mgPotassium: 78mgSugar: 20gVitamin A: 1568IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 144mgIron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill

Meggan Hill

Website | + posts

Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

• Meggan Hill

  https://www.culinaryhill.com/about/

  Pork Tenderloin with Figs and Balsamic Glaze
• Meggan Hill

  https://www.culinaryhill.com/about/

  Lobster Roll
• Meggan Hill

  https://www.culinaryhill.com/about/

  Strawberry Citrus and Ginger Smoothie
• Meggan Hill

  https://www.culinaryhill.com/about/

  25 Passover Recipes for your Seder Dinner and Beyond