Tiramisu Recipe
A delicious coffee-flavored italian dessert. Ladyfingers dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar & Mascarpone cheese, flavored with cocoa.
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Ingredients
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Coffee soak
Mascarpone filling
Assembly & garnish
Method
Coffee soak
Brew 1 1/4 cups of very strong coffee or espresso. While hot, stir in 1 tsp sugar if using until dissolved. Let coffee cool to room temperature, then stir in 3 tablespoons dark rum or Marsala. Transfer to a shallow dish wide enough to quickly dip ladyfingers.
Mascarpone filling
Prepare egg yolk custard
In a heatproof bowl (metal or glass), whisk together 5 large egg yolks and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until smooth and slightly pale. Set the bowl over (not touching) a saucepan of gently simmering water (double boiler). Whisk constantly for 6–8 minutes until the mixture reaches about 160°F (or is thick, ribboning off the whisk) and is warm to the touch. This cooks the yolks for safety and thickens the custard slightly. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
Incorporate Mascarpone
When custard is warm (not hot), whisk in 16 oz Mascarpone, 1 tsp vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth and lump-free. If the Mascarpone is very cold and lumps remain, whisk gently until combined but avoid overbeating.
Whip cream
In a separate chilled bowl, whip 1 cup cold heavy cream to soft-medium peaks. Do not overwhip; you want slightly billowy peaks that still fold easily.
Fold together
Gently fold one-third of the whipped cream into the Mascarpone mixture to loosen it, then fold in the remaining cream in two additions until homogeneous and light. Use a spatula and fold gently to keep the mixture airy.
Assembly & chill
Choose a 9x9-inch square dish or similar (or a 9x13 if you prefer a thinner layer). Quickly dip each ladyfinger into the cooled coffee mixture for 1–2 seconds per side — do not soak them; they should be moist but not falling apart. Arrange a single layer of dipped ladyfingers, cut to fit if necessary, to fully cover the bottom of the dish.
Spread about half of the Mascarpone filling evenly over the first ladyfinger layer using an offset spatula or spoon. Smooth gently to the edges.
Repeat: dip remaining ladyfingers quickly in coffee and arrange a second layer over the cream, then spread the remaining mascarpone mixture evenly on top.
Cover the assembled tiramisu tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. This resting time lets the flavors meld and the texture set.
Just before serving, dust the top evenly with 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder through a fine sieve. Optionally sprinkle 2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate shavings across the top for extra garnish.