Tiramisu Recipe

Cook egg yolks with sugar (zabaglione-style)

Place a medium heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler). Whisk together 4 egg yolks and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar until smooth. Put the bowl over the simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk constantly for 6–8 minutes until the mixture becomes pale, thick, and slightly ribboning. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

Incorporate mascarpone

When the egg mixture has cooled slightly (still warm but not hot), add 450 g mascarpone cheese in three additions, folding gently with a spatula until smooth and no lumps remain. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of salt; fold to combine. Chill briefly if it feels too loose (10–15 minutes).

Whip cream and combine

In a separate chilled bowl, whip 1 cup cold heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream in two additions until fully combined and smooth. Do not overmix — keep a light, airy texture. Return to refrigerator while preparing coffee and ladyfingers.

Brew 300 ml very strong espresso or coffee and let it cool to room temperature. Stir in 3 tablespoons dark rum or Marsala and 1 teaspoon sugar if desired to balance bitterness. Taste and adjust: it should be bold but not overly sweet.

Prepare a 9x9 inch (or similar) shallow dish. Quickly dip each ladyfinger (savoiardi) — about 200 g total — into the coffee mixture: immerse one side for 1–2 seconds only, or briefly dip both sides if needed, so they absorb coffee but do not become soggy. Arrange a single layer of soaked ladyfingers snugly on the bottom of the dish.

Spread about half of the mascarpone cream evenly over the first layer of ladyfingers, smoothing the surface with a spatula.

Repeat: add a second layer of quickly dipped ladyfingers over the cream, pressing gently to level. Spread the remaining mascarpone cream over the top, smoothing to an even layer.

Cover the assembled tiramisu tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably 8–12 hours or overnight. Chilling allows the flavors to meld and the ladyfingers to soften to a cake-like texture.

Just before serving, dust the top evenly with 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder using a fine sieve. Grate or shave 15 g dark chocolate over the cocoa for extra texture and garnish, if desired. Serve chilled in slices or scoops.