Authentic Italian Tiramisu
In this classic and authentic Tiramisu, layers of delicate ladyfingers soaked in robust espresso meet a luscious mascarpone cream - out of this world!
Servings: 12
Calories: 300kcal
Equipment
- hand or standing mixer
Ingredients
- 4 medium eggs separated, at room temperature (see NOTE 1)
- 1 lb mascarpone cheese at room temperature
- ¼ cup sugar divided
- 1 cup espresso cooled (or any strong coffee) (see NOTE 2)
- 2 tablespoons amaretto or traditionally, sweet marsala wine (see NOTE 3)
- 24 Ladyfinger biscuits
- Cocoa powder for dusting bottom and top
Instructions
To Make the Velvety White Filling
- Bring eggs and mascarpone cheese to room temperature—separate eggs by yolks and egg whites and place in separate bowls.
- Whisk one tablespoon of sugar into egg yolks until fluffy using a standing or hand mixer.
- Add Mascarpone and blend in mascarpone until smooth. Set aside.
- Whip egg whites to soft peaks in a separate bowl, add two tablespoons of sugar gradually, and whisk until you get stiff peaks.
- Fold whipped whites in three portions to the mascarpone-yolk mix for a light cream.
To Make the Coffee Dipping Syrup
- Combine room temp or cold espresso, amaretto, and one tablespoon of sugar until sugar dissolves.
To Assemble
- Test-fit the ladyfingers in your dish before soaking, and trim or cut them gently (use a gentle sawing motion) if needed to determine how many you'll need and ensure they fit.
- You'll need two layers of lady fingers and two layers of cream.
- Lightly dust the bottom of the serving dish with cocoa powder.
- Soak the ladyfingers lightly in coffee syrup one at a time (if you oversoak them, they will dissolve), and then immediately begin to arrange them over the dusting of cocoa.
- Spread half of the mascarpone-egg cream over ladyfingers.
- Add another layer of soaked ladyfingers, followed by the remaining layer of cream.
- Finish by dusting the top with a cocoa powder. I like to use a fine mesh strainer for this step.
- Refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
Notes
NOTE 1: This recipe uses raw eggs; if you are uncomfortable doing this, you may substitute 1/2 cup of heavy cream for the egg yolks and 1/2 heavy cream for the egg whites and proceed with the recipe as written.
NOTE 2: Although strong coffee is classic, other flavor ideas are hot chocolate, orange juice, or sweetened nut milk for a child-friendly version or for those who do not care for coffee.
NOTE 3: Marsala wine is traditional, but you can use dark rum, brandy, and coffee-flavored liqueurs like Kahlúa or amaretto or omit it altogether.
The nutrition estimate is based on using an 8 x 8 dish and cutting it into a 3 x 4-inch serving size.
Adequately covered, Tiramisu can last in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tiramisu can be frozen. Wrap it well with plastic wrap and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator a day before serving
Tips for Best Results:
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room temperature eggs and mascarpone ensures a smoother mixture and better incorporation of air.
- Gentle Folding: Fold the egg whites into the mascarpone mixture gently and a bit at a time to maintain the lightness of the cream.
- Avoid Over-Soaking Ladyfingers: I count to 4 or 5 to ensure the ladyfingers don't fall apart.
- Sufficient Chilling: A proper chilling time is crucial for the Tiramisu to set and develop flavors. Making this a day or two ahead is ideal.
- Ensure egg whites are whipped to the correct consistency (stiff peaks).
- The egg/cheese mixture should be smooth with no lumps.
Nutrition
Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 151mg | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 738IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1mg