My classic Italian tiramisu recipe is made with traditional ingredients, including both egg yolks and egg whites, espresso rather than coffee, and zero heavy cream. A spoonful of espresso and amaretto soaked ladyfingers nestled in a creamy mascarpone filling and dusted with rich cocoa tastes of pure tiramisu bliss straight from the heart of Italy.
Tiramisu is one of those desserts that sounds super fancy, but in reality it's astonishingly easy to make! Though this tiramisu is made with traditional ingredients, it's made with a unique method of heating the egg yolks and egg whites to specific temperatures not only to ensure that they're safe to eat, but also to create a thicker, more stable filling. The result is a mascarpone filling that has a creamy, just-sweet-enough, pipeable consistency to create those beautiful dollops on top!
For more specialty dessert recipes, try Chocolate Soufflé for One, Truffle Crème Brûlée, and Chocolate Tiramisu Cake.
Jump to Recipe
Why you'll love this classic Italian tiramisu
- Traditional Ingredients: This recipe sticks to the basics and uses traditional ingredients that you'd find in a classic tiramisu recipe served in Italy!
- Decadent, Creamy Filling: The filling in this tiramisu recipe is decadent, yet light all at the same time and has a super creamy texture, with rich flavors of cocoa, espresso, and amaretto shining through the whole dish.
- No Bake Dessert: It only takes 30 minutes to prepare and assemble this tiramisu before the required chill time, making it a super easy no-bake dessert.
- Perfect Make Ahead Recipe: This tiramisu needs at least 3 hours to chill, but you can chill it overnight as well, so it's a great make ahead recipe!
Ingredient Notes
- Mascarpone: Any high quality mascarpone cheese will create a delicious flavor, but I've found that Bel Gioioso creates the thickest filling. If you're hoping to be able to pipe dollops on top, I recommend going with that brand.
- Ladyfingers: You can use any brand of ladyfingers or savoiardi cookies for the base of your tiramisu!
- Eggs: Use high quality grade AA eggs for best flavor, but don't worry about eating them raw! Each part of the eggs will be brought to high temperature, making them safe to eat.
- Cocoa Powder: Use a high quality dutch process cocoa powder for a rich & intense chocolate flavor.
- Espresso: Use freshly brewed espresso for the best flavor.
- Amaretto: Use your favorite brand of amaretto, or leave it out entirely if you want an alcohol-free tiramisu. You can also swap it out for dark rum, brandy, or a coffee liqueur.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this authentic Italian tiramisu recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.
STEP 1: Make the mascarpone filling. In a large bowl, vigorously whisk the egg yolks until foamy. Set aside. In a small saucepan, combine half (100g or ½ cup) of the sugar and water. Place over medium heat and stir frequently until it reaches 240 degrees F. Slowly drizzle the hot sugar syrup into the egg yolks, while whisking simultaneously. Continue whisking vigorously for 1-2 minutes until the mixture has cooled. Once cool, whisk in the cold mascarpone cream until fully combined. Place the bowl in the fridge while you make the meringue.
STEP 2: Make the meringue. In a medium heat proof bowl, whisk together the egg whites, salt, and remaining (100g or ½ cup) of sugar. Place the bowl over the pot of simmering water, and whisk frequently until it reaches 120 degrees F. Remove the bowl from the heat of the double boiler and use an electric mixer to beat until stiff peaks form.
STEP 3: Fold together. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the meringue into the egg yolk, mascarpone mixture until fully combined.
STEP 4: Soak the ladyfingers. In a wide, shallow bowl, combine the espresso, amaretto (optional), and vanilla. Dip one ladyfinger at a time in the espresso mixture and layer in the baking dish to cover the bottom. You may need to cut some lady fingers to make them fit.
STEP 5: Assemble the tiramisu. Top the first layer of soaked ladyfingers with enough tiramisu filling to cover them well. Add another layer of ladyfingers and add just enough filling on top to cover them.
STEP 6: Pipe and chill. Transfer the remaining filling to a piping bag with a medium round tip. Pipe dollops on top, then place in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.
STEP 7: Dust with cocoa. Just before serving, generously dust with cocoa powder.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use any dish you have on hand! Since this is a cold-set dessert, it doesn't matter what dish you use. As long as it's about 2" in depth to create two layers of ladyfingers, then you can use any size/shape/material pan you'd like!
- Omit amaretto for alcohol free. While amaretto does add a delicious flavor, it isn't essential to making an outstanding tiramisu. Feel free to omit it, if you'd like.
- Wait to dust with cocoa powder until just before serving. It's essential for the tiramisu filling to chill before the cocoa powder is added, or it will appear wet. If you do add it immediately, it will still be just as delicious, just not as pretty!
Recipe FAQs
Rather than adding raw eggs to this tiramisu, the recipe uses a sugar syrup to "cook" the egg yolks and a double boiler to "cook" the egg whites. These methods bring each part of the egg to a specific temperature, making them safe to eat.
I recommend dusting with dutch process cocoa powder, but can also use natural unsweetened cocoa powder.
Common versions of traditional tiramisu recipes can use a range of alcohols like amaretto, marsala wine, and coffee liqueur. I recommend using one that you enjoy the taste of on its own. If you want to make this tiramisu alcohol-free, you can omit the amaretto completely as well!
Store this tiramisu in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Baking in Grams
All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale.
If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.
But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!
Happy baking! x
Other no bake desserts to try
If you tried this recipe, I'd love to know how it turned out for you! Leave a star rating & review below and post a picture (or video!) on Instagram and tag me so I can see your bakes! Not ready to make this recipe yet? Click the heart button on the right of your screen to save it for later 🙂
📖 Recipe
Classic Italian Tiramisu
Ingredients
- 4 eggs, separated
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar, divided
- 36 g (3 tablespoon) water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 567 g (2.5 8 oz tubs) mascarpone, cold
- 150 g (⅔ cup) freshly brewed espresso, cooled
- 50 g (¼ cup) amaretto, optional
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 dozen ladyfingers
- cocoa powder, for dusting
Instructions
For the tiramisu filling:
- In a large bowl, vigorously whisk the egg yolks until foamy. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine half (100g or ½ cup) of the sugar and water. Place over medium heat and stir frequently until it reaches 240 degrees F.
- Slowly drizzle the hot sugar syrup into the egg yolks, while whisking simultaneously. Continue whisking vigorously for 1-2 minutes until the mixture has cooled.
- Once cool, whisk in the cold mascarpone until fully combined. Place the bowl in the fridge while you make the meringue.
- In a medium heat proof bowl, whisk together the egg whites, salt, and remaining (100g or ½ cup) of sugar. Place the bowl over the pot of simmering water, and whisk frequently until it reaches 120 degrees F.
- Remove the bowl from heat and use an electric mixer to beat until stiff peaks form.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the meringue into the egg yolk, mascarpone mixture until fully combined.
To assemble the tiramisu:
- In a wide, shallow bowl, combine the espresso, amaretto (optional), and vanilla.
- Dip one ladyfinger at a time in the espresso mixture and layer in the dish to cover the bottom. You may need to cut some ladyfingers to make them fit.
- Top the first layer of soaked ladyfingers with enough tiramisu filling to cover them well. Add another layer of ladyfingers and add just enough filling on top to cover them.
- Transfer the remaining filling to a piping bag with a medium round tip. Pipe dollops on top, then place in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Just before serving, generously dust with cocoa powder.
Notes
- Use any dish you have on hand! Since this is a cold-set dessert, it doesn't matter what dish you use. As long as it's about 2" in depth to create two layers of ladyfingers, then you can use any size/shape/material pan you'd like!
- Omit amaretto for alcohol free. While amaretto does add a delicious flavor, it isn't essential to making an outstanding tiramisu. Feel free to omit it, if you'd like.
- Wait to dust with cocoa powder until just before serving. It's essential for the tiramisu filling to chill before the cocoa powder is added, or it will appear wet. If you do add it immediately, it will still be just as delicious, just not as pretty!
Fatemeh says
Hello. thank for your wonderful recipe. I have a question. when I want to pipe the whipping cream on top, it is melting. why is my whipping cream be like this? how many minutes should I blend it to form ?
Sloane says
Hi! There is no whipping cream in this recipe. If you follow the recipe as written you should not have issues with the filling melting.