Classic Italian Tiramisu
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.
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!
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 72mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 0.001g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 556IU | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 0.2mg
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