Somehow between culinary school and today (which was legit almost 10 years ago) I seem to have forgotten about a Classic Italian Tiramisu! Well - not anymore!! I made my recipe from culinary school a few weeks back and OMG WHAT HAVE I BEEN DOING WITH MY LIFE!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
This Classic Italian Tiramisu is seriously one of the easiest recipes and is made with a sweet mascarpone filling and layered with espresso dipped lady fingers. It's truly perfection and I can't believe I haven't made it since culinary school. Instead of resorting to my usual cookie consumption for dessert for all of our recent parties, I changed it up and made Tiramisu. BRILLIANT. It takes almost no time to make and the recipe below is one that my culinary school instructor literally engrained into our brains during the dessert portion of our curriculum.
If you are making tiramisu as dessert for a dinner party, here's some dishes you can make to go with that: Cacio e Pepe, Bolognese, Pasta alla Vodka, Baked Rigatoni, Sausage with Tortellini
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder - this is my favorite kind!
- Espresso - you'll need a cup, so brew a handful of shots or buy them pre-brewed from your favorite coffee shop or grocery store
- Vanilla Extract
- Pasteurized Eggs - I always buy pasteurized eggs for this recipe as that means the eggs have been heat treated to kill off bacteria that could potentially cause a food borne illness. And since we're using raw eggs, it's the way to go!
- Sugar
- Kosher Salt
- Mascarpone Cheese - an integral part!! There isn't a great substitution here.
- Heavy cream
- Ladyfinger Cookies - make sure you get the hard ones
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
How to Make Tiramisu
Step 1:Whisk together the cocoa powder, espresso and vanilla in a bowl and set aside to really infuse the flavors together.
Step 2: In a mixer or using a hand mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick, about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Add in the salt, mascarpone cheese and continue to whip until smooth.
Step 4: Add the chilled cream and continue to whip, until light, creamy and smooth
Step 5: Make sure it can hold a soft peak.
Step 6: Dunk each ladyfinger in the espresso mixture to absorb the liquid and start to line a 7x11 oval baking dish with the cookies.
Step 7: Top the first layer of cookies with ½ of the whipped mascarpone mixture and use the back of a metal spoon to spread it into an even layer. Dust with cocoa powder.
Step 8: Repeat for another layer and then finish by dusting with cocoa powder on top.
Step 9: Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
How to Store Tiramisu
You can store tiramisu covered with plastic wrap for 3-4 days. The flavors of the tiramisu marry and develop as it keeps, especially once its been stored overnight.
How to Freeze Tiramisu
I do not recommending freezing tiramisu since. The no-bake and nature of other ingredients do not make it a great candidate for freezing.
Tips and Tricks
- ALL the ingredients for the filling must be cold. So when you read the recipe below, pay attention to the few things that need to be taken directly from the fridge.
- Get the ladyfingers from an Italian market if possible!!
- Mascarpone is essential. There is no substitution for it - so while you're out looking for the ladyfingers, grab the Mascarpone.
- No espresso on hand - no problem! Use coffee!
- Dunking the ladyfingers is an art form - you need enough to get a good flavor and texture, but you don't want them to fall apart. Just a quick dunk will do - nothing more than 1-2 seconds!
- NOTE - DO NOT SERVE IT RIGHT AWAY! While it will be delicious, the cocoa powder needs time to soften up and infuse into the cream topping otherwise you'll inhale straight cocoa powder and let me tell you from experience, it's not cute lol.
FAQs
What is traditional tiramisu made of?
A Classic Italian Tiramisu is a coffee-flavored Italian dessert that dreams are made of. It's made of ladyfingers dipped in espresso, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese and layered with cocoa powder.
What is the predominant flavor in the classic Italian dessert tiramisu?
The espresso dunked ladyfingers take center stage along with the creamy mascarpone mixture. Both are light and compliment each other beautifully.
Similar Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Classic Italian Tiramisu
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Dutch Processed cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
- 1 cup brewed espresso (optional to add a few tablespoons of dark rum)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 5 large egg yolks, cold (I use pasteurized eggs)
- ½ cup white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 8-ounce tubs mascarpone cheese, chilled
- 1 ¾ cups heavy cream, chilled
- 2-3 dozen hard ladyfinger cookies
Instructions
- Whisk together the cocoa powder, espresso and vanilla in a bowl and set aside
- In a mixer or using a hand mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Add in the salt, mascarpone cheese and continue to whip until smooth. Add the chilled cream and continue to whip, until light, creamy, smooth and can hold a soft peak.
- Dunk each ladyfinger in the espresso mixture to absorb the liquid and start to line a 7x11 oval baking dish with the cookies. Top the first layer of cookies with ½ of the whipped mascarpone mixture and use the back of a metal spoon to spread it into an even layer. Dust with cocoa powder. Repeat for another layer and then finish by dusting with cocoa powder on top. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
-
- ALL the ingredients for the filling must be cold. So when you read the recipe below, pay attention to the few things that need to be taken directly from the fridge.
- No espresso on hand - no problem! Use coffee!
- Dunking the ladyfingers is an art form - you need enough to get a good flavor and texture, but you don't want them to fall apart. Just a quick dunk will do - nothing more than 1-2 seconds!
- Make sure you leave time to rest the tiramisu. The cocoa powder needs time to soften up and infuse into the cream topping otherwise you'll inhale straight cocoa powder and let me tell you from experience, it's not cute lol.
I made this for my nephew's birthday he is just crazy about Tiramisu. Yours was great a big hit with everybody. I will definitely make this again thanks again, Better than even in the restaurant.
What kind of 7x11 baking dish? Glass or metal?
doesn't matter because you're not actually baking it. You just need a vessel that can be used for serving
How do you find pasteurized eggs? I am having a hard time at my grocery store.
You can technically pasteurize them yourself. Google has instructions. I’ve done it for my Caesar dressing.
This is wonderful ❤️
I'm making the tiramisu now, and I'm curious, because when I've made it in the past, there's a little bit of sugar in the espresso. Why does this recipe not call for that? I'm trying to decide if I should add a tablespoon or not...
you can add! I don't find it necessary!
I'm sure I am going to sound silly for asking this, but when it says "1 cup brewed espresso," does that mean I should make 8 shots (1 shot = 1 ounce) of espresso? That seems kind of strong.
yes you need 8 fluid ounces of brewed espresso! that might be 4 shots as most shots are 2 ounces
Best I've ever eaten and same goes for a friend I offered it to. Only changes made were using regular salt and only 2 doz. ladyfingers. Used Goya ladyfingers and scraped off the sugar on the top of them. Let it sit in the frig overnight so the flavors melded. My God, was it to die for.