Tiramisu Gelato Recipe

Brew 1 cup very strong espresso or coffee. While hot, stir in 1 teaspoon sugar until dissolved, then add 2 tablespoons dark rum or coffee liqueur if using. Set the coffee soak aside to cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes).

Heat milk and cream

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup whole milk and 1.5 cups heavy cream. Warm over medium heat until the mixture is steaming and small bubbles form at the edges (do not boil). Remove from heat.

Whisk egg yolks and sugar

In a heatproof bowl, whisk together 6 egg yolks and 3.5 tablespoons granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened, about 1–2 minutes.

Temper the yolks

Slowly drizzle about 1/2 cup of the hot milk/cream into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper. Gradually add another 1/2 cup in the same way until roughly 1 cup has been incorporated and the yolks are warmed.

Cook the custard

Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan with the remaining milk/cream, stirring constantly. Cook over low–medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon (an instant-read thermometer should read 170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not let it boil.

Strain and cool

Immediately remove from heat and strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked bits. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Incorporate mascarpone

While the custard is still warm (but not hot), whisk in 10 ounces mascarpone cheese in small dollops until smooth and fully incorporated. If lumps remain, use a whisk or immersion blender briefly to smooth.

Chill the base

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin. Chill in the refrigerator until completely cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. (For faster cooling, place the bowl in an ice bath until cool, then refrigerate.)

Prepare mix-ins

While the custard chills, break 3 ounces of ladyfingers into roughly 1/2–1 inch pieces. Sift 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder to remove lumps. Have 2 tablespoons chocolate shavings ready, if using.

Churn the gelato base

When the mascarpone custard is thoroughly chilled, give it a gentle stir and transfer it to your ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency (typically 20–30 minutes).

Fold in coffee soak and mix-ins

Transfer half of the churned gelato to a freezer-safe container. Drizzle about half of the cooled coffee soak over that layer (you want flavor without making it soupy) and sprinkle half the ladyfinger pieces and a light dusting (about 1 tsp) of cocoa powder and half the chocolate shavings. Top with the remaining gelato, drizzle the remaining coffee soak evenly, and fold in the rest of the ladyfinger pieces, remaining cocoa powder, and chocolate shavings gently to create marbled ribbons. Do not overmix.

Firm up in freezer

Cover the container tightly and freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm enough to scoop. For best texture, allow the gelato to rest at room temperature 5–10 minutes before scooping.

Dust and serve

When serving, dust the scoops lightly with additional cocoa powder if desired and top with extra chocolate shavings. Serve chilled.