The best authentic Italian Tiramisu recipe. A no bake cheesecake like dessert that’s brimming with espresso and vanilla, the ultimate pick me up!
Authentic Italian Tiramisu
One of the most popular desserts in the world originally from the Veneto, a classic Italian dessert traditionally made of lady fingers sponge cakes dipped in espresso and amaretto then topped with whipped mascarpone cheese. It’s easy to make but takes some planning.
Tiramisu literally means “pick me up, cheer me up”or carry me up”, alluding to the power of espresso and creamy mascarpone. It is rumored to have been create late one night in a restaurant in Treviso, Italy, called “Le Beccherie” and enjoyed by the ladies who “worked” in the brothel above the restaurant. Imagine that!
Tiramisu Ingredient Notes
- Espresso – dark and strong espresso is mandatory, do not use coffee liquor or diluted coffee.
- Lady fingers or Savoiardi – light, crunchy Italian biscuits made from sponge cake batter resembling the fingers of a woman. Lightly dipped in espresso they make the base of the cheesecake acting as little bricks. Take care not to drench them or they will get soggy, a quick dip on both sides is all that’s needed.
- Egg yolks – the authentic recipe calls for raw egg yolks to be whipped / creamed together with sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy.
- Mascarpone cheese – sweet Italian cream cheese whipped with egg yolks and sugar until smooth and fluffy then folded into whipped cream. If the Savoiardi are the bricks, the mascarpone filling is the mortar.
- Whipped Cream – you want to achieve stiff peaks and it’s very important that it stays refrigerated and chilled until ready to be folded into the mascarpone.
- Amaretto liquor – traditionally mixed with the espresso but it’s totally optional. Make an alcohol free version or go for a dark rum or brandy instead for the grown ups.
Tiramisu Recipe Tips + FAQ
- What can i substitute for Mascarpone? The only thing i can suggest is plain cream cheese. There are a couple of creamy plant based options on the market with a mild flavor that would work really great in this recipe.
- What If I can’t find lady fingers? I insist you look harder haha. You can order some from amazon if you must because there’s nothing quite like them. You could use pound cake or angel food cake but honestly that’s not something i would do.
- Can i make Italian tiramisu without eggs? Even though the classic recipe calls for raw egg yolks you can certainly omit them if you are concerned. Instead you can use half a cup of aquafaba (the cooking liquid from a can of chickpeas) which whips really nice.
- Chocolate variation – top with 3 oz of dark chocolate shavings and dust with 1/4 cup cocoa powder.
- What dish should i use? – I like to use a glass loaf pan so you can see the layers from the side. Truth be told any dish will work and you can opt for individual glasses or a trifle bowl if desired.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 5 days loosely covered with some parchment paper. Yes you can also freeze it and bring to room temperature about 20 minutes before serving.
How to Make Italian Tiramisu Recipe from Scratch
- Make Whipping Cream. Using a hand held mixer or your kitchen whip together the cream with 2 tablespoons of sugar until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate.
- Cream the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Start adding the mascarpone cheese a spoonful at a time until all of it is incorporated.
- Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.
- Get a glass loaf pan and start layering it with ladyfingers quickly dipped in espresso.
- Top with half of the mascarpone filling and repeat with another layer of espresso dipped lady fingers. Finish with the remaining mascarpone.
- Using a fine sieve dust the top of your tiramisu with cacao or espresso powder. Dark chocolate shavings makes a lovely garnish too. Chill in the refrigerator for about 3 hours until set or best just prepare it a day in advance.
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Authentic Italian Tiramisu
The best authentic Italian Tiramisu recipe. A no bake cheesecake dessert that’s brimming with espresso and vanilla, the ultimate pick me up!
Servings 12 slices
Calories 760kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups espresso cold
- 12 oz Savoiardi lady fingers
- 8 egg yolks (farmer's market free range organic)
- 2 lb mascarpone cheese
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar + 2 tbsp
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp finely ground espresso beans (Optional for garnish)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a kitchen aid mixer whip together the heavy cream with 2 tbsp of granulated sugar until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Rinse the kitchen aid bowl and dry it well. Add the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk together until creamy then start adding the mascarpone cheese spoon by spoon. Wait until it is incorporated before adding more.
- Once all the mascarpone cheese has been incorporated, remove the whipped cream from the fridge and gently fold it into the egg yolk mascarpone mixture.
Assemble the Tiramisu:
- Set a glass loaf pan on the kitchen counter. Quickly dip the lady fingers in the espresso on both sides and layer them in the bottom of the pan close to each other. Top with half of the mascarpone whipped cream filling and layer it with the remaining espresso dipped ladyfingers. Finish the with the remaining mascarpone mixture on top.
- Using a fine sieve dust the top of your Tiramisu with espresso grounds or cocoa powder and refrigerate. Allow to set in the refrigerators for about 3 hours before serving.
- CHOCOLATE VERSIONTop with about 3 oz dark chocolate shavings or sprinkle with 1/4 cup of cocoa powder.
Notes
- What can i substitute for Mascarpone? The only thing i can suggest is plain cream cheese, there are a couple of creamy plant based options out there with a mild flavor that would be great here.
- What If I can’t find lady fingers? I insist you look harder haha. You can order some from amazon if you must because there’s nothing quite like them. You could use pound cake or angel food cake but honestly that’s not something i would do.
- Can i make tiramisu without eggs? Even tough the classic recipe calls for raw egg yolks you can certainly omit them if you are concerned. Instead you can use half a cup of aquafaba (the liquid from cooking chickpeas) which whips really nice.
- Chocolate variation - top your cheesecake with 3 oz of dark chocolate shavings and dust with 1/4 cup cocoa powder.
- What dish should i use? - I like to use a glass loaf pan so you can see the layers from the side. Truth be told any dish will work and you can opt for individual glasses or a trifle bowl if desired.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 5 days loosely covered with a lid or parchment paper. Yes you can also freeze it and bring to room temperature about 20 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 760kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 309mg | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 1463mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1826IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 210mg | Iron: 3mg
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Yum! This 2 layer cake looks amazing! I can’t imagine how big the slices would be if there were 4 layers! Happy birthday too!
aww thank you! Yeah it would be pretty tall and too messy for me to handle haha!
Hey, How much cream? Tisk, Tisk.
bahahah 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream, but if you want you can go for 2 😉
i want to reach into the computer and have some 🙁
then i did my job 😉
I’d love to make this but is this okay to eat not having the eggs cooked?
Hi Nicole, traditional Tiramisu is never made with cooked eggs. We only use the yolks, I’ve been doing it this way all my life and never had a problem. However, I would only use fresh Organic, free range eggs from pasture raised chickens. Hope that helps ~ Florentina
my traditional tirimisu recipe is from Italy & does not have raw eggs! Instead, a classic Italian custard called zabaglione cream is mixed with the Marscapone cheese. It is simply egg yolks, tiny amount of sugar and Marsalis wine or sherry. It is cooked in a double boiler until it forms soft mounds. The wine can be eliminated although it is a traditional part of recipe. The alcohol & expresso give it the name “pick me up”
Thank you for this recipe. I appreciate a recipe without alcohol. I’m going to be making it for a large crowd (25 people). How many of them do you think I would need to make to serve them all? Thanks for your feedback:-)
Hi Heather, to be safe and just in case some guests will ask for seconds I would say 3. If you plan on serving smaller portions 2 would suffice as well. Let me know how it goes 🙂 ~ Florentina
Thank you! Wish Me Luck:-)
Good Luck! I know you’ll do awesome! Remember: organic eggs 😉
Looks scrumptious. Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks Hollie, hope you love it as much as we do!
Are these the hard lady fingers that are used?
Yes they are 🙂
Look no further, this is absolutely the best Tiramisu I have ever had ever! I didn’t use egg yolks just whipped the mascarpone with powder sugar and vanilla instead and mixed into the whipped cream. Amazing recipe!