Classic Tiramisu

The real thing: espresso-dipped ladyfingers under a light mascarpone cream, no baking, better after a night in the fridge.

By Serena KimReviewed by Maya RodriguezPublished March 27, 20264 min read

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Square of layered tiramisu dusted with cocoa on a small plate

Tiramisu rewards restraint. Dip the ladyfingers for one second per side — not a soak — and fold the mascarpone gently, and you get defined layers that hold on the plate while still melting on the spoon. Everything happens a day ahead, which makes it the ideal dinner-party dessert.

About the eggs

This recipe gently cooks the yolks with sugar over simmering water (like a zabaglione), so there are no raw eggs in the finished dish.

Recipe

Classic Tiramisu

Authentic tiramisu with cooked-yolk mascarpone cream and espresso-dipped ladyfingers. Rest it overnight before serving.

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Prep: 40 min
Cook: 10 min
Chilling: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 50 min
Servings: 9
Yield: one 8×8-inch dish
Difficulty: Intermediate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar (divided)
16 oz mascarpone (cold)
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 1/2 cups espresso (cooled)
2 tbsp dark rum (optional)
24 savoiardi ladyfingers
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Equipment

8×8-inch dish
Heatproof bowl
Hand mixer
Fine-mesh sieve

Instructions

Whisk the yolks with 1/4 cup sugar in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water until pale, thickened and 160°F, about 5 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.
Whisk the mascarpone into the yolk mixture by hand until just smooth.
Whip the cream with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar to medium peaks and fold into the mascarpone mixture.
Stir the rum (if using) into the cooled espresso. Dip each ladyfinger one second per side and arrange a layer in the dish.
Spread half the cream over the cookies; repeat with the remaining cookies and cream.
Refrigerate at least 8 hours. Dust generously with cocoa just before serving.

Storage

Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days; dust fresh cocoa before serving.

Freezing

Freezes surprisingly well up to 1 month — thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheating

Served cold.

Substitutions

Mascarpone: In an emergency: 8 oz cream cheese beaten with 1/4 cup cream — different but pleasant.
Espresso: Very strong brewed coffee (double strength).

Common mistakes

Soaking the ladyfingers — One second per side. They keep absorbing in the fridge.
Overbeating the mascarpone — Fold it in by hand — machine-beating splits it into grainy butter.

Nutrition (per serving)

Estimated nutrition per serving
Fat (g)	30
Sugar (g)	20
Sodium (mg)	90
Protein (g)	7
Calories	420
Saturated fat (g)	17
Carbs (g)	30

Nutrition information is an estimate calculated from the listed ingredients.

From our test kitchen

Savoiardi (crisp Italian ladyfingers) held up far better than soft sponge fingers in testing.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I make tiramisu without alcohol?

Yes — simply leave out the rum or marsala. The espresso carries the flavor on its own.

Why is my tiramisu soupy?

Over-soaked ladyfingers or over-beaten mascarpone (which splits and loosens). One-second dips and gentle folding solve both.

Serena Kim

Serena started Serenity Sweets from her home kitchen, where she has baked and photographed every kind of dessert for over a decade. She develops most of the recipes on the site and tests each one at least twice before it's published.