Perfect Tiramisu
- PREP 6hrs 30min
- TOTAL 6hrs 30min
You will love this incredible tiramisu recipe! We make it with three layers: coffee-dipped ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, and grated chocolate. To make the mascarpone cream, you will cook egg yolks with Marsala wine and sugar in a double boiler (a heat-safe bowl on top of a saucepan of simmering water). Watch our video to see me do it.
You Will Need
24 Italian ladyfingers, Savoiardi in Italian, from one 7-ounce package
3/4 cup (175ml) brewed espresso or strong coffee at room temperature
5 tablespoons (75ml) dry Marsala wine, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large egg yolks
4 tablespoons (50g) granulated sugar, divided
8 ounces (225g) mascarpone cheese at room temperature (about 1 1/4 cups)
3/4 cup (175ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
2 ounces (60g) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate for grating
Directions
Prepare Tiramisu
Set aside a 9×9-inch baking pan or dish.
Add the warm coffee, 3 tablespoons of Marsala wine, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of sugar to a wide, shallow bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves, and then set the bowl aside.
You will need a double boiler. If you have one, use it. Otherwise, find a heat-safe bowl that fits over a small saucepan. Fill the saucepan with an inch or two of water and place over medium-low heat. Bring the water to a simmer.
With the heat-safe bowl on the counter, add the egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of Marsala wine, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Beat with a handheld electric mixer at medium speed until frothy, 20 to 30 seconds.
Place the bowl over the simmering water, and continue to beat on medium using the electric hand mixer until the mixture has tripled in volume, looks pale yellow, and the beaters leave distinct tracks as you move them through it, 5 to 8 minutes. (Look for a thin ribbon that falls from the beaters when lifted from the bowl.) Do not stop beating, and keep the water at a low simmer during this step (otherwise, you risk scrambling the eggs).
Remove the bowl from the heat, then while it is still hot, beat in the mascarpone cheese until just combined. Allow the mixture to cool while you whip the cream.
In a clean bowl with clean beaters, whip the cream until it reaches medium to firm peaks (as you pull the beaters away, the peaks will hold for a bit and then slowly fall back).
Use a spatula to fold half of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. Then, repeat with the remaining whipped cream. The whipped cream will slightly deflate, but the mixture should be light and airy.
Assemble Tiramisu
Dip half of the ladyfingers quickly into the coffee and line the bottom of the pan/dish. Depending on the shape of your dish, you might need to break a few into pieces to fit them. If you don’t seem to have enough, spread the ladyfingers out a little.
Spoon half of the mascarpone filling over the ladyfingers and spread into an even layer. Grate half of the chocolate over the filling.
Dip the remaining ladyfingers into the coffee and arrange a second layer over the grated chocolate.
Spoon the remaining mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers, then grate more chocolate to cover the top completely.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 3 days.
When ready to serve, add more grated chocolate and leave it at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Slice into squares and serve.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Substitutes for wine: Try dark rum, brandy, or coffee-flavored liqueur. These are stronger than Marsala, so consider increasing the coffee and using less alcohol. Try the coffee mixture before dipping the ladyfingers and adjust to your taste.
- Tiramisu without alcohol: Leave the Marsala out of the recipe completely. You can also substitute with rum extract (we recommend using 1 ½ tablespoons of rum extract).
- Using egg whites instead of cream: Some authentic recipes for tiramisu use whipped egg whites instead of whipped cream. Tiramisu made with egg whites is lighter and more airy. To make our recipe with egg whites, whip 3 egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Then, instead of folding whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture, fold the whipped egg whites. Since the egg whites are not cooked, I recommend fresh, high-quality, pasteurized eggs.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.