High angle delicious tiramisu tray on table

Best Tiramisu Recipe: Get the Coffee and Ladyfingers Ready!

A tiramisu recipe is a coffee-flavored Italian dessert. It is made with layers of ladyfingers soaked in coffee, and a mascarpone cream.

Tiramisu means “pick me up” or “cheer me up” in Italian.

There are a lot of tiramisu recipes out there, but this is by far the best one. It’s easy to make and always turns out perfectly.

The coffee and cocoa flavors complement each other perfectly, and the mascarpone cheese filling is rich and creamy. This recipe is sure to become a new favorite.

chef holding out finished tiramisu ready to serve

What is Tiramisu?

Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert that is perfect for coffee lovers. It is made with coffee-soaked ladyfingers, a rich mascarpone cream, and a dusting of cocoa powder. Tiramisu is a wonderful dessert to share with friends and family.

The coffee-soaked ladyfingers are the key to this dessert. They are layered in the dish with the mascarpone cream, and then dusted with cocoa powder. The coffee flavor is essential to the tiramisu, so be sure to use a good quality coffee.

The mascarpone cream is what makes this dessert so rich and indulgent. It is made with mascarpone cheese, eggs, and sugar.

The mascarpone cheese gives the cream its unique flavor and texture. If you cannot find mascarpone cheese, you can substitute it with ricotta cheese.

The eggs are what give the mascarpone cream its light and airy texture. Be sure to use fresh eggs for this recipe. The sugar is essential to balance the coffee and mascarpone flavors.

Tiramisu is best served chilled, so be sure to refrigerate it for at least an hour before serving. This dessert can be made a day ahead of time, which makes it perfect for entertaining.

Serve tiramisu with a dusting of cocoa powder and a cup of coffee.

How do you make Tiramisu?

If you want to make the best tiramisu possible, you need to choose your ingredients carefully. High-quality coffee and fresh ladyfingers are essential.

The coffee should be strong, and the ladyfingers should be soft and fresh. You’ll also need a good marsala wine, eggs, sugar, mascarpone cheese, and cocoa powder.

With these ingredients, you’ll be able to make a tiramisu that’s truly unique and delicious.

Tasty tiramisu ingredients arrangement flat lay

Ingredients:

For the Coffee:

  • 2 cups of coffee, strong espresso recommended
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • ½ cup rum or Marsala wine, optional

For the Zabaione Filling:

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 ½ cups mascarpone cream cheese, cold
  • 4 eggs, separated

For the Layers:

  • 1 package ladyfingers
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder
Side view of chef dipping ladyfinger into coffee for tiramisu

But first, Coffee!

To make the best tiramisu, start by brewing the coffee. You will need about 2 cups of coffee for this recipe.

Once the coffee is brewed, add the sugar and then pour into a shallow bowl or dish large enough to lay a ladyfinger cookie fully inside; set aside.

What is Mascarpone?

Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese that is made from cream and lemon juice (or sometimes vinegar).

It is a very rich and thick cheese, and it is often used in desserts. It has a sweet, yet slightly tangy, flavor which goes well with many different types of sweets.

Mascarpone can be used in a variety of different desserts, but it is most commonly used in tiramisu.

Tiramisu is a layered Italian dessert that is made with coffee-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, and cocoa powder. It is a very rich dessert, and the mascarpone helps to balance out the sweetness of the other ingredients.

Making the Zabaione Filling:

To make the zabaione filling, whisk the egg yolks (set whites aside) and 3/4 cup sugar together in a heatproof bowl (or double broiler). Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk until the mixture is thick and creamy.

Keep whisking away until all sugar granules are disolved. Set aside and let cool.

In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, to beat the mascarpone on medium speed until it smooths out and softens — for about 15 to 30 seconds,

Fold 1/3 of the mascarpone cheese to the egg yolk mixture and whisk gently. Fold in remaining mixture until all the ingredients have been blended well.

Take the egg whites and whip with an electric hand mixer to form stiff peaks. Slowly fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture until it is fully incorporated.

spoon spreading Zabaione Filling onto layer of ladyfingers for tiramisu

Time for the Ladyfingers!

If you’re wanting to add the rum or wine, now is the time! Stir it into the coffee and prepare to break out the ladyfingers!

Before dunking, spread 1/3 of the filling into your baking dish to make the first layer!

Taking one at a time, dunk each ladyfinger into the coffee. Make sure to dip both sides of the cookie.

Be sure to dunk gently, but quickly, as the ladyfingers will start to disintegrate.

After dunking, arrange the soaked ladyfingers in rows on top of the layer of filling. Then cover that layer of ladyfingers with another 1/3 of filling.

Repeat the process for one more layer of ladyfingers and the top layer of the filling.

Just Chill

Now comes the hardest part! Waiting!

Cover and refrigerate the tiramisu for at least 4 hours, or overnight. This will allow the flavors to meld together, as well as give the tiramisu time to firm and for the ladyfingers to soften.

hand dusting the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a strainer

Time to Eat!

Before serving, dust the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a strainer. Serve chilled in small squares.

If you’re in the mood for a delicious and indulgent treat, look no further than this tiramisu recipe.

Made with coffee-soaked ladyfingers, rich mascarpone cream, and topped with cocoa powder, this dessert is sure to please. So gather your ingredients and get ready to enjoy one of the best tiramisu recipes around.

High angle delicious tiramisu tray on table

Classic Tiramisu

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Additional Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes

If you're in the mood for a delicious and indulgent treat, look no further than this tiramisu recipe. Made with coffee-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone, this dessert is sure to please.

Ingredients

For the Coffee:

  • 2 cups of coffee, strong espresso recommended
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • ½ cup rum or Marsala wine, optional

For the Zabaione Filling:

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 ½ cups mascarpone cream cheese, softened
  • 4 eggs, separated

For the Layers:

  • 1 package ladyfingers
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

    1. Brew coffee, add sugar, then pour into a shallow bowl or dish large enough to lay a ladyfinger cookie fully inside; set aside.
    2. To make the zabaione filling, whisk the egg yolks (set whites aside) and 3/4 cup sugar together in a heatproof bowl (or double broiler). Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk until the mixture is thick and creamy.
    3. Keep whisking away until all sugar granules are disolved. Set aside and let cool.
    4. In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, to beat the mascarpone on medium speed until it smooths out and softens — for about 15 to 30 seconds,
    5. Fold 1/3 of the mascarpone cheese to the egg yolk mixture and whisk gently. Fold in remaining mixture until all the ingredients have been blended well.
    6. Take the egg whites and whip with an electric hand mixer to form stiff peaks. Slowly fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture until it is fully incorporated.
    7. (OPTONAL STEP) If adding rum or wine, stir it into the coffee before proceeding to next step.
    8. Before dunking ladyfingers, spread 1/3 of the filling into your baking dish to make the first layer!
    9. Take one ladyfinger at a time and dunk each into the coffee. Make sure to dip both sides of the cookie. (Be sure to dunk gently, but quickly, as the ladyfingers will start to disintegrate.)
    10. After dunking, arrange soaked ladyfingers in rows on top of the layer of filling. Then cover that layer of ladyfingers with another 1/3 of filling.
    11. Repeat the process for one more layer of ladyfingers and the top layer of the filling.
    12. Cover and refrigerate the tiramisu for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to allow the flavors to meld together.

    Before serving, dust the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a strainer. Serve chilled in small squares.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 437Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 171mgSodium: 351mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 0gSugar: 22gProtein: 6g

Serving size can vary based on baking dish. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

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Best Tiramisu Recipe Get the Coffee and Ladyfingers Ready!