Classic Tiramisu Is Better Than Any Birthday Cake (2024)

When richcoffee flavor, homemade mascarpone cream, and rum combine, an absolute dream layered dessert is born. Filled with so many flavors, tiramisu still somehow tastes light, with soaked ladyfingers that practically melt in your mouth upon the first bite. The best part of this decadent treat? Make this no-bake dessert the day before and let the flavors mix and meld together for a flavor-packed dessert guaranteed to make nonna proud.

The best, most-decadent tiramisu highlights quality ingredients, so you want to make sure you're prioritizing good, strong coffee and quality ladyfingers. Keep reading on for all of our tips on how to make this classic Italian dessert the best it can be:

What People Are Saying:
"This is the TRUEST, most PURE FORM of tiramisu I've ever had. Truly perfect in every way---the kind you get in one of those classic Italian restaurant." - jsa1599

How To Make Classic Tiramisu

INGREDIENTS

• Egg Yolks & Granulated Sugar: You want to use just the yolks here, in order to achieve that soft, silky texture we all associate with tiramisu. When whipped together over hot water, the result is an aerated, velvety sauce.
• Mascarpone Cheese: Mascarpone is a soft, spreadable Italian cheese, somewhat similar to cream cheese. It has a light, almost nutty flavor and when sweetened with the egg yolk and sugar mixture creates a creamy, sweet base for the custard.
• Heavy Whipping Cream: We are using heavy whipping cream here for the extra fat and flavor. This gives a little bit of extra hold to the tiramisu filling as well. When beaten, the result is a light whipped cream.
• Vanilla Extract: This adds a touch of floral sweetness to the tiramisu that adds depth to the whole flavor palate.
• Coffee: Because coffee is the central flavor here, it’s important to prioritize using a quality, strong-brewed blend. Strong coffee = a richer, more flavorful dessert. Visit your local coffee shop for recommendations, or check out our list of the top coffee beans you can buy.
• Dark Rum: Traditionally, tiramisu calls for marsala wine as its boozy component, but we use dark rum in this recipe (like many tiramisu recipes). Not a rum fan? Brandy is another popular choice. If you're looking to leave out the alcohol, you can—just make sure your coffee is extra strong to not miss out on any flavor.
• Ladyfingers: Ladyfingers are the perfect vehicle for soaking up all of that deep coffee flavor without breaking into a wet, soggy mess. They are Italian shortbread biscuits that serve as the soft base of the cake.
• Cocoa Powder: Traditionally, cocoa powder is dusted on top of tiramisu to give it that rich, chocolatey kick on top. This pairs perfectly with the coffee and sweet whipped cream flavors layered throughout the dessert.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

To start off our tiramisu we need to bring a saucepan filled halfway up with water to a simmer, then place a heatproof bowl over the top of it. Add to this bowl the egg yolks and sugar and whisk briskly, cooking until the mixture has doubled in volume and has become fluffy and velvety. This whole process should take less than 5 minutes. Then remove from the heat and whisk in the mascarpone until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps.

Then, in a large bowl, use a mixer to beat heavy cream, vanilla, salt, and sugar for 3 to 4 minutes until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture, to avoid deflating both, until just combined.

In a large mixing glass or measuring cup, combine coffee and rum, or other alcohol, and, once mixed, dip ladyfingers into the mixture one at a time. Be careful not to break the ladyfingers in this process, though you may lose a few pieces to the coffee depths.

Once soaked, arrange 20 of the ladyfingers in an even row in the baking dish, then pour over half of the custard.

Take care to smooth the top of this layer and then repeat with 20 more ladyfingers and the rest of the custard.

Again smooth the top, and then cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Once set, remove the dish from the fridge and dust the top with cocoa powder to serve.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

What is tiramisu?

Tiramisu is a rich, coffee-flavored dessert with layers of coffee and rum-soaked ladyfingers and homemade mascarpone cream, with a dusting of cocoa powder on top. A classic Italian treat, this no-bake dessert is best served with a steaming cup on the side for double the coffee flavor.

Storage

Tiramisu is an ideal dessert to make ahead, because the flavors will continue to meld together the longer it sits. Simply prepare your tiramisu, wrap it and store in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.

Similarly, if you want to freeze your tiramisu, simply finish your tiramisu without the cocoa powder topping, then wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil before placing in the freezer, where it will stay for up to 3 months. Once you're ready to serve, thaw in the fridge overnight before dusting with cocoa powder before serving.