Tiramisu

Name: Tiramisu
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 360 min
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Cuisine: Italian Menu
Ingredients: Brewed Espresso — 350ml; Coffee Liqueur — 3 tbsp; Egg Yolks — 5; Sugar — 125g; Mascarpone Cheese — 425g; Vanilla Extract — 1 tsp; Heavy Cream — 400ml; Ladyfingers — 24; Cocoa Powder — To garnish

This beautifully authentic Italian dessert delicately layers plump, espresso-soaked ladyfingers with a rich and velvety mascarpone cheese cream, creating a truly irresistible balance of robust and sweet dessert flavours. Every luscious, melt-in-the-mouth forkful delivers a heavenly, airy texture enhanced by a generous dusting of earthy cocoa powder, making this classic 'pick-me-up' the perfect, decadent centrepiece to complete your next dinner party.

Cuisines

Cooking Instructions

Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 6 hours

Servings: 8 to 10

Notes:

Marsala wine or brandy can be used as an alternative to coffee liqueur for a traditional flavour profile.

The egg mixture can be prepared using a double boiler method (bain-marie) for safety, ensuring it reaches 68°C to 70°C before cooling.

For a traditional alternative, egg whites can be whipped to stiff peaks and folded into the mascarpone cream instead of using extra heavy cream.

Prepare the Espresso Dip
Brew the espresso, stir in the coffee liqueur, Marsala, or brandy, and set aside to cool completely.

Cook the Custard Base
In a bowl over a pot of simmering water, whisk the egg yolks and sugar constantly until the sugar has fully dissolved and the mixture thickens into a pale, creamy custard (about 68°C to 70°C). Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Create the Mascarpone Cream
Beat the mascarpone cheese with the vanilla extract until smooth, then gently fold in the cooled egg yolk mixture. In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to stiff peaks, then gently fold one-third into the mascarpone mixture, followed by the remaining whipped cream until well combined.

Assemble the Tiramisu
Dip each ladyfinger into the cooled coffee mixture for 1 to 2 seconds and arrange in a single layer in a 22x33cm baking dish. Spread half of the mascarpone cream evenly over the ladyfingers, then repeat with a second layer of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and the remaining cream.

Chill and Serve
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, then dust generously with cocoa powder before slicing and serving.