Italy's most famous dessert — espresso-soaked savoiardi layered with airy mascarpone-zabaglione cream and dusted with bitter cocoa.
Tiramisu — 'pick me up' — is the dessert that quietly conquered the world after Treviso pastry chef Roberto Linguanotto first served it at Le Beccherie restaurant in 1972. It is a no-bake assembly of crisp ladyfingers (savoiardi) briefly dipped in strong espresso and layered with a cloud of zabaglione folded with mascarpone and softly whipped egg whites or cream. There is no baking, no gelatin, no cornstarch — just eggs, sugar, mascarpone, espresso, savoiardi, and cocoa. The mascarpone must be full-fat Italian (Galbani is the standard reference) and the espresso must be properly extracted, not instant or filter — these two ingredients carry the dish. The cocoa dusting must be unsweetened Dutch-process. Tiramisu requires a minimum of 6 hours of refrigeration (overnight is far better) for the ladyfingers to soften from a dry biscuit into a moist cake-like layer and for the flavors to marry. Done properly, it tastes of espresso, vanilla, and something almost custard-like — the high-end Italian dessert that anyone with patience can make at home.
Serves 8
Pull or brew about 400 ml of strong espresso. If you don't have an espresso machine, use a stovetop moka pot — this is what most Italian home cooks use. Stir in the espresso liqueur if using, and let cool to room temperature. Pour into a wide shallow dish.
Never use hot coffee — it dissolves the ladyfingers instantly into mush.
Whisk the egg yolks with 80 g of the sugar in a heatproof bowl over (not touching) a pot of barely simmering water. Whisk continuously for 5–6 minutes until pale, thick, and tripled in volume — it should leave a ribbon when the whisk is lifted. Whisk in the Marsala. Cool to room temperature.
Add the mascarpone to the cooled zabaglione in three additions, gently whisking each time. The cream should be smooth and pourable but hold its shape on a spoon. Don't overbeat — mascarpone curdles if abused.
If the mascarpone is fridge-cold, the mixture will seize. Always start at cool room temperature.
In a clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites with the pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 40 g sugar in a slow stream and whisk to stiff, glossy peaks. The whites give tiramisu its airy texture.
Fold one-third of the whites into the mascarpone mixture to lighten it. Then fold in the remaining whites in two additions with a wide rubber spatula — over the top, down the side, turn the bowl, repeat. Stop the moment no white streaks remain.
Dip each savoiardi in the coffee for ONE second per side — no more. They should be moistened but not waterlogged. Lay them in a single layer in a 20×30 cm glass or ceramic dish, breaking some to fit the edges. Spread half the mascarpone cream over the top in an even layer.
Repeat with a second layer of coffee-dipped savoiardi and the remaining mascarpone cream, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Cover with cling film (not touching the surface) and refrigerate at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
Just before serving, dust the entire surface generously with cocoa powder through a fine sieve. Shave a little dark chocolate over the top if desired. Cut into squares with a hot wiped knife and lift out with a wide spatula.
Use Italian mascarpone — Galbani is the supermarket reference. Domestic American or UK 'mascarpone-style' cream cheese is often too loose and breaks when folded. Drain on cheesecloth 1 hour if it looks watery.
Pasteurize your eggs (using the cooked zabaglione method above) or use pasteurized-in-shell eggs (Burnbrae, Davidson's). Raw uncooked eggs are traditional in Italy but unsafe in many countries.
Dip the savoiardi exactly one second per side. The biggest tiramisu failure is soggy biscuits — they should be moistened, not soaked.
Dust the cocoa at the last minute. Cocoa dusted hours ahead absorbs moisture from the mascarpone and turns to a damp paste.
Tiramisu al limoncello — replace coffee with limoncello-spiked lemon syrup, omit cocoa, top with candied lemon. A Sorrento variation.
Tiramisu al pistacchio — fold pistachio paste into the mascarpone and top with crushed Bronte pistachios instead of cocoa.
Strawberry tiramisu — use strawberry purée instead of coffee, layer with macerated strawberries, omit cocoa.
Gluten-free — use GF ladyfingers (Schar makes them) and proceed identically.
Refrigerate covered up to 3 days — tiramisu actually peaks on day 2 as the flavors marry. After day 3 the ladyfingers begin to dissolve into the cream. Do not freeze; the mascarpone breaks.
Tiramisu was created at Le Beccherie restaurant in Treviso, Veneto, in 1972 by pastry chef Roberto Linguanotto and owner Alba Campeol. The original recipe was officially registered with the Italian Academy of Cuisine in 2010, settling decades of disputed claims from other Italian regions.
The zabaglione method in step 2 cooks the yolks to about 70°C, eliminating salmonella risk. For the whites, use pasteurized-in-shell eggs to be safe. In Italy raw eggs are traditional but food safety standards differ outside the country.
Either the mascarpone was too cold and seized then released water, or you dipped the savoiardi too long. Always let mascarpone warm to cool room temperature, and dip biscuits exactly one second per side.
Yes — omit both the Marsala and the espresso liqueur. The flavor is slightly less rounded but still excellent. Add an extra tablespoon of strong coffee to the mascarpone mix for depth.
Use any crisp sponge-finger biscuit — Lady Boudoir biscuits in the UK or Bauducco ladyfingers in the US are close substitutes. Avoid soft sponge cake; it will fall apart.
Yes — fold 300 ml whipped (to soft peaks) heavy cream into the mascarpone mixture in place of the egg whites. This 'modern' version is what most American restaurants serve. The texture is creamier and less airy than the classic Italian.
Per serving (160g) · 8 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes