This is how to make a real Tiramisu the proper Italian way! The cream layers are luxurious and rich, but not greasy and heavy like simplified versions made with whipping cream.
Itβs simple to make, fun to construct, and tastes even better the next day β and the next!Β This is a traditional Italian recipe by Vanessa Martin, a well regarded Australian Italian Chef.
Tiramisu β proper Italian recipe!
There are many, many Tiramisu recipes out there in this big wide world. Some are complicated. Some are very shortcut, made using cream in a can.
This is a proper Italian Tiramisu recipe. The way itβs made in Italy and the GOOD Italian restaurants.π
There is no whipping cream.
And itβs made usingΒ raw eggs.Β
I know that concerns some people. And in fact, somewhere along the lines of history, someone (non Italian!) got scared about eating raw eggs so they decided to start making Tiramisu using tempered eggs (eggs whisked over a water bath).
While food safety may have been a valid concern in the past, these days in Western countries (certainly in Australia), the quality of eggs sold in reputable stores is good enough such that you wonβt need to worry about consuming raw eggs.
And if the thought of raw eggs is icky β well, chances are youβve eaten raw egg without realising it in the form of:
chocolate mousseΒ (in a traditional or nice French restaurant)
PavlovaΒ (what do you think that marshmallow centre you know and love is?Β Raw egg whites!)
Homemade mayonnaise, hollandaise and bernaise (raw yolks!)
All those cake batter and cookie dough bowls youβve licked clean!!
And of course, that Tiramisu you swooned over at that rustic little Italian restaurant??Β Raw eggs!
Safety note: for extra precaution, it is recommended that young children, pregnant women or people with fragile health issues avoid foods made with raw eggs. And yep,Β that includes all the foods Iβve listed above!
The unique thing about the Tiramisu cream is that itβs rich yet light, it sets so itβs cuttable to show the layers, yet itβs soft and creamy.
What goes in Tiramisu
So, other than the eggs, thereβs a few more ingredients in Tiramisu worth chatting to you about!
Lady fingers aka Pavesini or Savoiardi biscuits β pretty widely available nowadays, at least here in Australia. Sold at grocery stores in the biscuit aisle, delis and fruit βn veg shops. They are crisp, sweet sponge fingers that taste like vanilla;
Mascarpone β itβs a very thick, rich Italian cream that has a consistency like cream cheese (see video for consistency).Β Australians βΒ do NOT use Woolworths or any generic home brand as they are too thin and wonβt set, so your cream layer will be too thin. Use good brands such as:
La Casa Formaggio Mascarpone (Woolworths)
Montefiore Mascarpone Cheese (Coles)
Formaggio Zanetti (Harris Farms)
Latteria Sociale Mantova (Harris Farms, pictured below)
Any from an Italian deli
Coffee β Tiramisu ainβt Tiramisu without coffee for dunking the biscuits! Youβll see me using an espresso machine in the video, but in my pre coffee machine days, I always used coffee granules; and
Frangelico or other liquor β I am actually not really much of a fan of liquor in my sweets, but Tiramisu is the exception! I like Frangelico because itβs a hazelnut flavoured liquor, and also very partial to Kahlua which is coffee flavoured. Other options:Β Rum, brandy, Baileyβs Β β go wild, use what you love, or even keep it virgin (almond essence, vanilla extract!)
This is an easy Tiramisu recipe β itβs made the traditional way so the eggs are not tempered.
How to make Tiramisu
The key to a rich-yet-light Tiramisu is to beat the egg whites until fluffy, then fold it through the rich cream mixture of sugar, yolks and mascarpone.
This technique creates a Tiramisu cream which has a consistency like whipped cream (ie soft and spreadable) but it sets in a way that cream never can so you can cut through the Tiramisu to reveal the layers.
I say it βsetsβ, but itβs still very soft and creamy β itβs a unique texture that sets proper Tiramisu recipes apart from quick version made with whipping cream!
Layering up!
My favourite part! And it goes down like this:
Dunk biscuits in coffee-Frangelico
Cover base of dish
Top with half the Tiramisu cream
Repeat!
TIP: Dunk quickly! 2 seconds total for each biscuit. Any longer and the biscuit will literally disintegrate in your hands!
The one other thing worth noting about Tiramisu made the proper way βΒ it is far less sweet than most desserts. Thereβs only 1/2 cup of sugar in this whole recipe and the only other sweetness is the biscuits, but they arenβt that sweet!
In fact, I sometimes fret that itβs not sweet enough β but everybody (and I really do meanΒ everybody) I have ever made this for says itβs the perfect as is.
So in the many years Iβve been making this, I havenβt change the recipe at all! β Nagi x
If youβre thinking about an Italian Dinner Partyβ¦
Typical Italian Dinner Party at mine involving proven favourites that are largely prep ahead would have a menu like this:
Starters
Bruschetta DIY spread made with tomato (when in season) or grilled/roasted Marinated VeggiesΒ (which is basically homemade antipasto) with soft ricotta (Australia β avoid Perfect Italiano, itβs powdery and borders on inedible)
Tuna or kingfish carpaccio (want the recipe? Drop me a message below!)
Main and sides
Shredded Beef RaguΒ pasta (a proven, low maintenance winner I make a LOT! Also great to take camping)
Garlic Bread β yep, I do carb blow outs for company! (Sometimes I go all out with CHEESY Garlic BreadΒ or even Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread)
Rocket/Arugula Parmesan Salad β toss rocket/arugula with salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil. Pile into bowls, drizzle with balsamic reduction (store bought fine!), shave over parmesan (using veg peeler). I make this a LOT for everyday purposes β super fast, no dressing to make separately!
Dessert β This Tiramisu!
Watch how to make it
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Easy Tiramisu (Chef Recipe)
Ingredients
- 3 eggs , yolks and whites separated
- 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 oz / 250g mascarpone , good brand (Important β read Note 1)
- 1 1/4 cups black coffee , hot and strong! (Note 2)
- 2 tbsp (or more!) Frangelico or Kahlua , or other liquor of choice (skip for alcohol free)
- 6.5 oz / 200g (24 β 30) lady fingers, pavesini or savoiardi biscuits (Note 3)
- Cocoa , for dusting
Instructions
- Beat yolks and sugar in stand mixer or electric beater on speed 6 to 7 for 10 minutes or until it changes from yellow to pale yellow (almost white), and is thick (see video for consistency).
- Add vanilla and mascarpone, beat until just combined and smooth. Transfer mixture to a bowl, set aside.
- Clean bowl and whisk. Add egg whites and beat until it's stiff (3 minutes on speed 7, should be all white foam, see video!)
- Add 1/2 the cream mixture into the egg whites. Gently fold through. When most incorporated, add the remaining cream mixture and fold through until just combined β don't bash out all the air in the egg whites! (Note 4)
- Mix coffee and liquor together. Quickly dip biscuits in and line the bottom of a 8β/20cm square dish. (See video or step photos above to see how I arrange them).
- Spread over half the cream, then top with another layer of coffee dipped biscuits.
- Spread with remaining cream.
- Cover, refrigerate for at least 4 β 5 hours, preferably overnight
- Dust with cocoa powder just before serving β either before you cut or after placing onto serving plates.
Recipe Notes:
-
- La Casa Formaggio Mascarpone (Woolworths)
- Montefiore Mascarpone Cheese (Coles)
- Formaggio Zanetti (Harris Farms)
- Latteria Sociale Mantova (Harris Farms)
- Any from an Italian deli, anything made in Australia
Nutrition Information:
Tiramisu recipe originally published March 2016. Updated August 2019 with new photos, new step photos, brand new video and most importantly, Life of Dozer section added!
Life of Dozer
Off to Vietnam today to film theΒ first official RecipeTin Food Travels video! Very excited to venture into this new direction which will bring together FOOD along with TRAVEL tips from the RecipeTin Family.
The travel videos will be accompanied with posts that will list exactly where we stayed, where we ate and what we ordered. And the most exciting part (at least for me!) is that Iβll shareΒ recipes for the foods I film on the streets of Vietnam!
As for Dozer β unfortunately I am yet to find an airline that will let me take him in the cabin with me, and yet to get the Australian government to relax the rigid 6 week quarantine laws upon return of dogs to Australia.
So until such time, Dozer stays behind for international tripsβ¦. and this is what IΒ have to deal with when Iβm packing to go away without himβ¦.
Oh the guilt! Itβs almost too much to bear!! Might be smiling on the outside but Iβm crying on the inside π©
Iβve always wanted to make tiramisu and have always expected it to be hard. This was so easy and so delicious! I used a hand mixer which I find to work much quicker than my stand mixer when it comes to whipping up egg whites. This was excellent β used brandy w/ the coffee which what we had. Delicious, and will definitely make again. Thank you!
So I just want you to know I went to the store to gather ingredients to make tiramisu but my local store didnβt have any heavy cream. So all distraught I quickly googled can I made tiramisu without heavy cream and your recipe was the first to pop up. I didnβt realize traditional tiramisu doesnβt call for it. So I went home and followed you very very very easy recipe and it came out divine. Iβm sure other recipes with the cream are good too, but I canβt imagine making it any other way when this was SO easy and SO delicious. Next time I will double the recipe but probably keep the same amount of sugar. Anyway, thank you for the recipe!
OMG this was the best. If youβre thinking about making this β just do it, tastes fantastic. I used (strong) instant coffee and 3 tablespoons of Frangelico and everybody loved it! My 20cm x 20cm dish needed 10 saviorade biscuits on the bottom layer and 12 on the next and 250 ml of the coffee mixture was perfect β i dunked the biscuits for 2 seconds on EACH side and it used up all the liquid (will make it up to 300 ml next time).
I will be making this again and again!!
Thanks Helen! I think I needed to leave mine in liquid longer. Iβll give 2 sec again. Recipe states to quickly dip I probably did 1 second a side will try again
Iβll never beat my Nonnaβs recipie but this came pretty dang close! Gorgeous, light and fluffy. I swapped out the cocoa for my grated Lindt chocolate for extra opulence. Definitely worth a try!!!!
I have made this twice now. So simple and so delicious. I love the easy to follow instructions and the videos. But most of all it works .
Would love to receive your recipe for king fish or tuna carpaccio.
Hi Nagi, canβt wait to try making this! Question, how does it freeze, to make ahead of time?
Hi
I freeze mine no problem
The only suggestion is : Don soak the lady fingers biscuits too long in the coffee just dip each side ery quick as it will be too watery when is thawed out.
Dip as little as possible.
Enjoy!
Pretty sure you canβt freeze it. The marscapone/egg mixture wouldnβt cope with freezing at all. Can (and should β to get the best flavour) be made 2-3 days in advance though.
Hi! I absolutely love your tiramisu.
Can I put it for a short time in the freezer to accelerate the cooling process?
Made this twice now for family occasions. It is AMAZING! Came out perfect both times. Looking for an excuse to make again. Found this website during lockdown while looking for flatbread recipes and now itβs my go to. Iβve also bought the book. Whenever we have a new, good meal my 8 year old son now asks βIs this a Mrs Tin?β
Love Nagiβs recipes! Keen to improve my tiramisu, was runny. Made for 12, with 500g mascarpone, 300g savoiardi, 6 hrs refrig. Small serve in fridge now good and firm, but serving last night soggy. Tasted good, just runny,soggy. Help!
You need enough to maintain a good depth for dipping all the way to the end. If youβre using a container thatβs too large β like the plastic sandwich container I used the first time β then youβll waste more.
See if you can find a narrow oblong container just big enough to fit the biscuits in while dipping, and a couple of cm deep. Thereβs a 200ml Sistema (or the Decor equivalent) that should work well. The smaller it is the less waste youβll end up with.
Great tip β thanks!
easy and tasty recipe, however Iβve made it twice now using the good marcopone and each time it was still runny, am strictly following the recipe so donβt understand why it keeps happening
I had a similar thing happen. Except I layered it so one side had the biscuits standing up, and one side had them on their bottoms, so the cream dropped down more into one side which seemed to make it runnier. Maybe you did a similar thing, or try refrigerate it for overnight if not already?
Love Nagiβs recipes! Keen to improve my tiramisu, was runny. Made for 12, with 500g mascarpone, 300g savoiardi, 6 hrs refrig. Small serve in fridge now good and firm, but serving last night soggy. Tasted good, just runny,soggy. Help!
Iβve made this a few times now and itβs always so good! I find itβs best when made 24-48 hours in advance. Itβs even better than Iβve had at restaurants. I donβt even like coffee, but I really enjoy this. Thanks for a great recipe!
Worked perfectly, absolutely delicious!
I havenβt eaten it yet, just put it in the fridge, but did everyone else have a tonne of coffee left over? Iβm a bit annoyed about how much of my beans I ground and brewed to then only use a fraction of the coffee. π
Hey Natalie, I found I had to tilt my container to dip the last biscuit, so the perfect amount!
Hi Nagi, Iβve made a few of your recepes and they are fantastic! just wodering with the tiramisu how far in advance can I make it? given the eggs and he mascarpone, could I make it 2 days ahead?looking forward to try this on Sunday lunch!
I think letting it sit overnight is key! I had a couple of servings that I had in the fridge for 3 days also. If your fridge is 33-35β°F it should be fine. Warmer than that and I wouldnβt keep it over 2 days. The 3rd day it just was not as flavorful as overnight or day 2.
Iβve kept it for 3 days in the fridge & it was fine.
Thank you for this info. I wanted to make ahead of time for Christmas Day
Great recipe, just the right balance of flavours.
Not sure if this was just me but I found the mixing times quite off. I may have taken the whites too far, but they came good once mixed in. It was my first time using a stand mixer so it was a bit scary but it all came together π
great instructions, easy, and delicious! Pleased everyone.
Hi Nagi
love your recipes. Would you please send me your tuna or kingfish carpaccio?
Sincere thanks
Kaye
The most delicious tiramisu ever! Thank you for sharing.
It was delish!