Best Italian Tiramisu | Classic & Easy Recipe
The best easy authentic Italian tiramisu recipe with creamy mascarpone, espresso, and soft ladyfingers. Light, rich, and perfect for entertaining or holidays.
Servings: 12
Calories: 423kcal
Ingredients
- 5 Egg yolks large
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons Sugar
- 1 ⅔ cups Heavy cream cold
- 14 oz Mascarpone cheese room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1½ cups Brewed espresso
- 36-40 Ladyfingers
- 2-3 tablespoons coffee liqueur/marsala/brandy (optional)
- Cocoa for dusting unsweetened
Instructions
- Make the Coffee Mixture: Brew fresh espresso (or very strong coffee). While it’s still hot, stir in the alcohol of your choice (if using). Pour into a wide dish and set aside to cool completely, cold liquid prevents soggy ladyfingers.
- Prepare the Mascarpone Filling: Set a heatproof bowl over a pot of gently simmering water (bain-marie), ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Add the egg yolks and sugar, and whisk constantly for 6–8 minutes until the mixture thickens, the sugar dissolves, and it reaches 154–158°F (68–70°C). This tempers the eggs for food safety.
- Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
- Whisk in the mascarpone and vanilla until completely smooth and creamy.
- Whip the Cream: In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to stiff peaks, light and fluffy, but not grainy.
- Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining cream until fully combined.
- Assemble: Quickly dip each ladyfinger into the cooled coffee mixture for 1–2 seconds (no longer, they absorb fast). Arrange them in a snug layer in the bottom of a 9×13-inch (22×33 cm) dish.
- Spread half of the mascarpone cream on top.
- Add a second layer of dipped ladyfingers and finish with the remaining cream.
- Chill & Serve: Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight for the best texture.
- Dust with cocoa powder just before serving.
Video
Notes
- Alcohol Options: Classic tiramisu uses Marsala wine, but dark rum, brandy, or coffee liqueur are also delicious (more options in the blog post). Want a non-alcoholic tiramisu? Simply skip it. The dessert is still rich and flavorful
- Coffee: Use fresh espresso for the best flavor. Strong brewed coffee works too. Let the coffee cool completely before dipping.
- Food Safety - Why Tempering Matters: In traditional tiramisu, eggs are raw. In this recipe, the yolks are gently heated to a safe temperature (154–158°F/68–70°C), giving you authentic flavor with safer preparation.
- Mascarpone: Mascarpone is essential for authentic tiramisu texture and flavor. I don’t recommend swapping it, but if you must: softened cream cheese.
- Storage: Tiramisu lasts 2–3 days in the fridge. Cover well so it doesn’t absorb fridge odors. You can freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Make-Ahead Tips: Tiramisu is BEST made ahead, overnight chilling gives it the perfect set. For entertaining, assemble the day before.
- Variations:
- With egg whites: For the classic Italian version, fold stiff-peaked whipped egg whites into the yolk mixture before adding mascarpone. (See the optional variations section in my post.)
- Kids-friendly: Use decaf coffee + no alcohol.
- Chocolate tiramisu: Add grated chocolate between layers.
- Eggless Tiramisu Option: If you prefer a completely eggless tiramisu, I’ve created a dedicated version that uses a creamy mascarpone–whipped cream base with no egg yolks at all. The texture is light, stable, and perfect for anyone avoiding eggs. You can find the full recipe here: How to Make Eggless Tiramisu.
- Leftover Egg Whites: This recipe uses only yolks, which means you’ll have leftover egg whites. Don’t throw them away! You can use them for recipes: What to Do with Leftover Egg Whites
- FAQs: Make sure you read the FAQs for this recipe which are located above the recipe box for additional tips and troubleshooting! For extra tips and variations read the article.
- Watch the Video: For a better understanding of the recipe, I always recommend watching the video recipe, which includes a step-by-step guide to help you succeed
Nutrition
Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 224mg | Sodium: 84mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1241IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 1mg