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Tiramisu in a dish and on plates on a wooden table.

Authentic Italian Tiramisù Recipe

My Italian family's traditional tiramisù recipe. An easy, no-bake, crowd pleaser!
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Resting Time 4 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Servings 10 people

Ingredients
  

  • 5 large eggs
  • 17.5 oz mascarpone cheese (500g)
  • 5 Tbsp sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Vin Santo optional
  • 1 cup espresso or moka pot-made coffee
  • 14-18 oz lady fingers cookies around 40-50, depending on your pan size
  • unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions
 

  • Brew your espresso. Pour it into a shallow dish or bowl and add the Vin Santo, if using, and allow it to cool while you prepare the mascarpone cream.
  • Divide the egg yolks and the egg whites. With a whisk, an electric mixer or stand mixer, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until they have turned pale yellow in color and are fluffy. The sugar granules should be completely dissolved. This should take a couple of minutes.
  • Add the mascarpone cheese and continue to mix until it’s completely combined.
  • In another bowl whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
  • Gently fold them into the mascarpone cream mixture, being sure not to deflate your egg whites.
  • In a large shallow casserole-style dish spoon out just a few tablespoons of the mascarpone cream and spread it evenly. This is important as it will keep the entire dessert from sticking to the bottom.
  • Quickly dunk the ladyfingers into the coffee (don’t let them sit in the coffee or they will fall apart - just a dunk on both sides will do) and layer them over the mascarpone cream, side by side, being careful not to overlap the cookies.
  • Cover the ladyfingers with about half the mascarpone cream.
  • Sprinkle a light layer of cocoa powder.
  • Make another layer of ladyfingers and the remaining cream in this fashion, finishing with a dusting of cocoa powder.
  • Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving, preferably longer.

Notes

  • Try not to over soak the ladyfingers. They can make for a very soggy tiramisù.
  • When separating your egg whites from the egg yolks , be careful not to get any yolk into the white or they will not whip up into stiff peaks.
  • Go easy on the cocoa powder. A light dusting is better than a thick layer which can lead to an initial chalky consistency.
  • This dessert can emit a bit of liquid after a day or so. This is normal so don’t be alarmed. Just wipe it out of your serving dish before helping yourself to more!
  • Preparing for a smaller crowd? Just halve the recipe and use a smaller casserole dish. I usually use 2 large eggs and one regular egg.
  • Sometimes you need to make more coffee - you just run out that time because the cookies soaked up just a bit too much - no problem. Just brew a bit more, cool it off quickly in a shallow pan in the freezer and continue on.
  • If you are using a smaller dish, just make three layers instead of two.
  • Don’t be afraid to break your lady fingers into smaller pieces or lay them in an odd fashion if you are using an oddly shaped or round serving dish. Just be sure they are layered side by side, touching each other. 
  • The longer you refrigerate tiramisù, the more cake-like it will be. “Fresh” or “young” tiramisù, meaning having been refrigerated for only an hour, will be more soupy. 
  • This recipe contains raw eggs so if for any reason this is a concern for you, find another dessert!
*This recipe contains raw eggs.
**You might have to look in a couple of different grocery stores to find these but Amazon stocks various brands such as these.
Keyword authentic, easy
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