This classic tiramisu recipe layers espresso-soaked Savoiardi with light, mousse-like mascarpone cream and plenty of cocoa powder.

I make mine in a deep trifle dish with layer upon layer of coffee, cream, and chocolate until we have what I affectionately call The Grand Tiramisu – it’s one of my favorite classic Italian dishes.

I am a relative simpleton when it comes to dessert. I don’t care for overly fussy puddings, and especially if I’m the one making it, I want the process to be easy and involve as few steps as possible. Tiramisu ticks all of those boxes. Yes, there are a couple of steps involved in making the mascarpone cream, but once it’s assembled, you can set it and forget it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

And the combination of mascarpone cream, coffee, and chocolate? You’ve got to be kidding if you tell me you don’t love it.

My giant tiramisu uses an authentic tiramisu recipe, and is particularly good for entertaining because I assemble it in a clear trifle dish. Not only does this give you enough tiramisu to feed a crowd, but all those layers look pretty spectacular, if I may say so. It’s the perfect ending to a meal of lasagne or beef short rib ragu.

What is tiramisu?

Tiramisu is a classic dessert you’ll find all over Italy. The name translates into three Italian words – tira – mi- su – which quite literally means “pick me up” – exactly what this dish does!

Why You’ll Love This Classic Tiramisu Recipe

Perfect for entertaining. This recipe makes approximately 10-12 servings and can easily be adapted depending on the size of your dish. Around Christmas, you can also switch things up with my panettone tiramisu, which is a great way to use leftover panettone.
Make it ahead. Tiramisu actually needs time in the fridge, which means dessert can be completely finished hours before anyone arrives.
Five glorious layers. My trifle dish fits approximately five layers of Savoiardi, mascarpone cream, and cocoa.
Light and creamy. Whipped egg whites are folded through the mascarpone mixture to give the cream a beautiful airy texture that’s reminiscent of mousse once chilled.
No baking required. Once the cream is prepared, it’s simply a matter of dipping, layering, and chilling.

Ingredients and Notes

You only need a handful of ingredients for this tiramisu recipe, so quality makes a difference.

Eggs – You’ll need six eggs, separated. The whites are whipped in a large mixing bowl until stiff, while the yolks form the base of the mascarpone cream. Because the eggs aren’t cooked in this recipe, I recommend using pasteurised eggs if available.
Caster sugar – The finer texture dissolves easily as it’s beaten with the egg yolks, helping create a pale, voluminous mixture.
Marsala wine – I add two tablespoons to the egg yolks for extra flavour, but it’s completely optional. Use any extra to make my creamy sausage, saffron, and porcini sauce, too! Another popular option would be to add Kahlua, which is coffee liqueur.
Mascarpone – The star of the cream! You’ll need 750g mascarpone for this giant tiramisu. If you have any mascarpone left over, put it to good use in my macerated strawberries with white chocolate mascarpone cream.
Savoiardi – Also known as ladyfinger biscuits We quickly dip ladyfingers in espresso before being layered into the dish. The emphasis here is on QUICKLY. We aren’t trying to drown them!
Espresso – You’ll need approximately one cup of brewed espresso or strong coffee. Allow it to cool before you begin assembling.
Cocoa powder – Dust this between the layers and generously over the top.

How to Make Classic Tiramisu

I use a deep, clear trifle dish for this recipe, which is how The Grand Tiramisu came to be. However, if you don’t own a trifle dish, don’t let that stop you! You can scale the recipe to suit a shallower dish or divide the mixture between two dishes instead.

Make the Mascarpone Cheese Cream

Whip the egg whites. Separate the eggs and place them into a large bowl of a stand mixer, then whisk the whites until they reach stiff peaks and set them aside.
Whip the egg yolks and sugar. Add the egg yolks and caster sugar to a separate bowl along with the Marsala, if using. Whisk for a few minutes until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and voluminous – resembling somewhat of a custard.
Add the mascarpone to the yolk mixture. Switch from the whisk attachment to a paddle and beat in the mascarpone until everything is nicely combined.
Fold in the egg whites. Gently fold the whipped egg whites through the mascarpone mixture in a couple of batches using a spatula or large spoon. Take your time here so you retain as much airiness as possible.
Chill. Transfer the mascarpone cream to a piping bag and refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble.

Assemble the Tiramisu

Dip the Savoiardi. Quickly dip each biscuit into the cooled coffee mixture. Don’t leave it sitting in the coffee, or it will become soggy and crumble! A quick dip is all you need.
Create the first layer. Arrange the dipped Savoiardi across the base of your dish until completely covered with a layer of lady fingers.
Add the mascarpone cream. Spread or pipe an even layer of cream over the biscuits.
Dust with cocoa. Add an even dusting of cocoa powder over the cream.
Repeat. Continue layering espresso-dipped Savoiardi, mascarpone cream and cocoa until you reach the top of your dish. I ended up with approximately five layers of biscuits in mine.
Finish. Add a final layer of mascarpone cream followed by a generous dusting of cocoa powder.
Chill. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours before serving so the mascarpone cream has time to set and develop a mousse-like texture.

My Top Tips

Use cooled espresso. Let your freshly brewed coffee cool before dipping the Savoiardi.
Whip the yolks properly. Give the egg yolks and sugar a few minutes to become pale, fluffy, and voluminous. I like to do this in a mixer to make it easier!
Fold gently. You’ve just gone to the trouble of whipping those egg whites, so don’t knock all the air back out of them.
To avoid soggy ladyfingers, don’t soak the biscuits. A very quick dip in the espresso is plenty as they will continue to absorb liquid as the tiramisu rests in the fridge.
Keep your layers relatively even. This is particularly important in a clear trifle dish where everyone can see your handiwork!
Dust with cocoa powder a little before serving. One thing I absolutely hate when I order this dish in Italian restaurants is that the cocoa powder is often dusted right before serving – and the dry cocoa powder always tickles the back of my throat! I think tiramisu is best served when the cocoa powder has had a few minutes to settle and absorb some of the liquid from the cream topping first.
Use mascarpone cheese for an authentic Italian tiramisu – whipped cream (often called heavy cream) is often found in some interpretations of this recipe, but for a truly authentic version, we want to create a cream mixture with eggs, sugar and mascarpone. I promise, you’ll never want to make a version with heavy whipping cream again after you try my version!

Substitutions

If you want to keep this tiramisu alcohol-free, you can simply omit the Marsala wine. I often do this if I don’t have any Marsala on hand anyway!
Or if you’re looking for a substitute for Marsala wine, you can use Kahlua which is a coffee liqueur, brandy or even dark rum!
If you’re avoiding caffeine you can use a decaf coffee mixture instead – you’ll get all the flavor of tiramisu without the added caffeine – perfect for enjoying this late at night if you’re caffeine sensitive.

How to Store Tiramisu

If you want to plan ahead or have leftovers, you can store your tiramisu covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. You can also place individual portions into an air-tight container.

Because the mascarpone cream contains raw eggs, tiramisu should not be left sitting at room temperature for extended periods.

You can also freeze tiramisu for up to 3 months with a couple of tweaks. Firstly, skip the final dusting of cocoa powder as the texture can go a bit funny when frozen, instead add the final dusting to a fully thawed tiramisu before serving.

Secondly, make sure you cover tightly in a few layers to ensure it’s airtight.

Equipment

You will need a deep dish, like a trifle dish that I’ve used for this recipe. If you don’t have one, you can simply scale the recipe as needed, or split between two more shallow dishes.

Ingredients

6 eggs separated
150 g caster sugar
2 tbsp Marsala wine optional
750 g mascarpone cheese
300 g Savoiardi Ladyfinger biscuits
1 cup brewed espresso
Cocoa powder to dust the layers!

Instructions

Whisk the egg whites until stiff and set aside.
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar (with the Marsala if using) for a few minutes until pale, voluminous and fluffy – this is what we can zabaglione!
Switch from a whisk attachment to a paddle mixer, and beat in the mascarpone until nicely combined.
Finally, fold in the egg whites in a couple of batches.
Place into a piping bag ready to assemble and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Quickly dip a Savoiardi biscuit in the brewed espresso (you don’t need to do this for very long as you don’t want the biscuits to become overly soaked – results in a gross and watery texture later on!) and place at the base of your dish. Repeat with biscuits until you have a complete layer.
Spread over an even layer about 2cm thick of the mascarpone cream then dust with cocoa powder.
Repeat until you reach the top of your dish (I ended up with 5 layers of biscuits) – finishing with a layer of cream and a generous dusting of cocoa powder.
You do really need to refrigerate for at least a 3-4 hours before serving to ensure the cream has a chance to set and you get that beautiful, mousse-like finished texture.

Follow on social

Classic Tiramisu Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Classic Tiramisu Recipe

Ingredients and Notes