Tiramisu Recipe

Brew 1 cup very strong coffee or espresso and let it sit just off the heat so it's hot but not boiling.

In a small saucepan combine brewed coffee and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Warm over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves (about 2–3 minutes). Do not boil; just heat to dissolve.

Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons dark rum or Marsala if using. Transfer to a shallow dish and let cool to room temperature (15–20 minutes).

Sweetened egg yolk base (tempering)

In a heatproof bowl (glass or stainless) whisk together 4 egg yolks and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened.

Set the bowl over (not touching) a saucepan of gently simmering water (double boiler). Whisk constantly for about 5–7 minutes until the mixture is warm, glossy, and the sugar is dissolved and the yolks have thickened slightly. Temperature should reach about 160°F (71°C) if you have a thermometer—this pasteurizes the yolks.

Remove from heat and continue whisking for 1 minute to cool slightly. Let the yolk mixture cool to lukewarm (5 minutes).

In a separate bowl, beat 1 cup cold heavy cream with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/8 teaspoon salt to soft-medium peaks (do not overwhip).

Briefly loosen the mascarpone: in a chilled bowl, stir 16 oz mascarpone with a spatula until smooth. Gently fold the mascarpone into the cooled egg yolk mixture until combined and smooth.

Fold about one-third of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whipped cream until uniform and fluffy. Keep chilled until ready to assemble.

Prepare a 9x9 inch (or similar) shallow dish or an 8x8 inch pan. Have your coffee syrup in a shallow bowl for dipping.

Quickly dip each ladyfinger (one at a time) into the cooled coffee syrup for 1–2 seconds per side—do not soak, they should be moist but hold their shape.

Arrange a single layer of dipped ladyfingers, cut side down if needed, to cover the bottom of the dish. You may need roughly half of the cookies for the bottom layer depending on pan size.

Spread about half of the mascarpone filling evenly over the first layer of ladyfingers (use an offset spatula for smoothness).

Repeat with a second layer of dipped ladyfingers to cover the filling, then spread the remaining mascarpone filling over the top layer, smoothing the surface.

Cover the assembled tiramisu tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably 8–12 hours or overnight to set and let flavors meld.

Just before serving, dust the top generously with unsweetened cocoa powder using a fine sieve and sprinkle chocolate shavings if desired.

Slice into squares and serve chilled. Keep refrigerated; consume within 2–3 days.