Tiramisù

Classic Italian Tiramisù

A traditional Tuscan/Venetian chilled dessert of espresso-soaked savoiardi layered with a mascarpone–egg yolk cream, dusted generously with bitter cocoa. No baking, no gelatine — it sets in the refrigerator.

Prep

30 min

Total

30 min

Serves

8

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •4 large egg yolks, from pasteurized eggs if concerned about raw egg; see safety step
• •100 g (½ cup) caster sugar, fine granulated
• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) mascarpone cheese, cold, straight from the fridge
• •300 ml (1¼ cups) freshly brewed espresso, strong and hot; cooled to room temperature before dipping
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) Marsala wine, sweet Marsala; can substitute dark rum, amaretto, or coffee liqueur
• •24 pieces (about 24) savoiardi ladyfingers, Italian dry ladyfingers; do not substitute soft sponge cake fingers
• •10 g (1 tbsp, plus extra) unsweetened cocoa powder, bitter Dutch-process cocoa, for dusting
• •3 large egg whites, optional; from pasteurized eggs if concerned about raw egg; see safety step

Steps

1. 1 SAFETY NOTE ON RAW EGGS: Traditional tiramisù uses raw egg yolks (and sometimes raw whites). To reduce salmonella risk, either use pasteurized eggs OR gently heat the yolks over a bain-marie to 63 °C (145 °F), whisking constantly, then cool completely before proceeding. Skip this step only if you are confident in the provenance of your eggs.
2. 2 Brew 300 ml (1¼ cups) of strong espresso and let it cool to room temperature. Stir the Marsala (or other liqueur) into the cooled espresso.
3. 3 In a heatproof bowl, whisk the 4 egg yolks and 100 g (½ cup) caster sugar until pale and thick. If using the bain-marie method, set the bowl over simmering water and whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 63 °C / 145 °F on an instant-read thermometer, then remove from heat. Otherwise, simply whisk vigorously until the sugar dissolves and the ribbon stage is reached. Let the yolk mixture cool.
4. 4 In a separate bowl, whisk the 3 egg whites (if using) to soft peaks. Fold them gently into the cooled yolk mixture to lighten it.
5. 5 Add the cold 500 g mascarpone to the yolk mixture in two additions, folding very gently with a spatula until just smooth and uniform — do not overwork or the cream will loosen and become greasy.
6. 6 Pour the cooled espresso into a shallow bowl. Dip each savoiardi for 1 to 2 seconds per side — they should be moist but still hold their shape; do not let them soak or the dessert will be soggy.
7. 7 Arrange a single layer of dipped ladyfingers across the bottom of a 20 × 25 cm (8 × 10 in) dish (or 8 individual glasses). Break biscuits as needed to fill gaps.
8. 8 Spread half the mascarpone cream evenly over the ladyfingers. Add a second layer of dipped savoiardi and top with the remaining cream, smoothing the surface.
9. 9 Cover tightly and chill for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight (8–12 hours). This chilling is what sets the dessert — do not rush it.
10. 10 Just before serving, sift a thick, even layer of bitter cocoa powder over the top so the surface is completely covered and dark brown.
11. 11 Serve cold, cut into squares or spooned from glasses. Doneness cue: the cream should be spoonable but hold its shape, and the ladyfingers should yield softly without collapsing into liquid.