This tiramisu recipe is one of our absolute favorite desserts. We layer espresso-soaked ladyfingers with a light, airy filling made from mascarpone cheese, egg yolks, and cream. If you have never tried making tiramisu at home, now is the time to try!
We call for egg yolks cooked over a double-boiler and whipped heavy cream to make the creamy filling. Instead of using the cream, other recipes call for whipped raw egg whites. In the tips section below, we have shared directions for using egg whites instead of cream. There is little difference in flavor. If anything, tiramisu made with egg whites will be a little lighter than whipped cream.
1/2 cup (120 ml) brewed espresso or very strong coffee, at room temperature
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry Marsala wine, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar, divided
8 ounces (225 grams) mascarpone cheese (about 1 1/4 cups)
3/4 cup (175 ml) heavy cream
18 to 20 Savoiardi Italian ladyfingers (from 7-ounce package)
1 ounce (30 grams) bittersweet chocolate or cocoa powder for dusting
Combine espresso (or coffee), 2 tablespoons of the Marsala wine, vanilla extract, and a tablespoon of the sugar in a wide bowl.
Vigorously whisk egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of Marsala, and 3 tablespoons of sugar in a bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water until tripled in volume, 5 to 8 minutes. To make this step easier, use a handheld electric mixer at medium speed. (Do not stop beating until removed from the heat).
Remove the bowl from heat, and then beat in mascarpone cheese until just combined.
Whip cream in a bowl until it holds stiff peaks. Once the yolk-mascarpone mixture has cooled a little, gently fold in half of the whipped cream into the yolk-mascarpone mixture, then the remaining half just until fully incorporated (the whipped cream will deflate a little).
Dip half of the ladyfingers very quickly into the coffee, and line the bottom of a 9-inch square dish. (You might find that you need to break a few into pieces to fit them in the dish).
Spoon half of the mascarpone filling over the lady fingers and spread into an even layer. Grate half of the bittersweet chocolate over filling. Then dip the remaining ladyfingers very quickly into the coffee and arrange a second layer over filling.
Spoon remaining mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers. Grate more chocolate on top or dust with cocoa powder. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours.
When ready to serve, dust with more grated chocolate or cocoa powder. Leave out at room temperature about 20 minutes before serving. (Tiramisu can be chilled up to 2 days, but no longer or else the ladyfingers will break down and become mushy).
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste