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©
This is one of my absolute favorite desserts. On another note, safe travels and have fun on your trip. Iβm so excited to see your travel videos. Canβt wait for them!!
Thanks so much Dahn, canβt wait to share my travels with everyone!
This looks so good. I absolutely love tiramisu. I will need to make this! Safe travels!
I hope you do Ayra, itβs dangerously addictive β€οΈ
Congrats on the new film adventure. Safe travels and good eats!
Thanks so much Debbie!!
Good for you, Nagi! Enjoy your trip, eat hearty and look forward to some pictures!
Theresa
Thanks so much Theresa!
Wonderful, Iβm so looking forward to seeing your Vietnam video.
After this post, Iβm hoping Italy is on the schedule.
Now the important stuff, the carpaccio recipes if you please.
Canβt wait to show you all the pictures! Ohh Carpaccio β my favourite!!
I am beyond thrilled with your new project. Iβm traveling to Viet Nam with my family over Christmas. Looking forward to your videos. Good Luck!
Youβll love it there Lyn, Iβll be sharing my pointers soon! β N x
Looking forward to your travel videos! Iβve tried several of your recipes and have loved every one of them. You are a cook after my own heart! This tiramisu recipe is very similar to the one Iβve been making for years. I got the recipe from a package of Italian ladyfingers and had to have someone translate it from Italian to English (Iβm Italian but canβt speak or read the language!) And yes, the raw eggs make me nervous and I always warn people about their presence in the dish, but nobody seems to be put off by it. Other recipes without raw egg are just not very good, or authentic! This is the dish that Iβm always asked to bring to parties and other events, but I wonβt make it for a baby shower! Enjoy your travels!
The egg just makes this one so much lighter (and itβs the real deal tiramisu). β N x
Hello Nagi,
Having worked in Italy, and talked to chefs there, I can tell you that the recipe is spot on!
Having said that, none of the people I spoke to ever put alcohol in their TiramisΓΉ. So if you donβt like it, donβt worry, it is far from compulsory!
Wahoo thanks so much for that Lincoln! (Any excuse to add a little alcohol to my dessert π )
Nagi β¦.how exciting and what a great place to start this new chapter. My partner and I visited Hanoi and surrounds about 10 years ago and he still raves about the food there. At that time, I wasnβt so brave eating street food etc. but I have grown to love Vietnamese. I think my hesitation was our first night there, after a 20 hour flight from Florida the first restaurant we stumbled on had dog on the menu. π.
Anyway Vietnamese people and their food is just amazing and Iβm so excited to see these videos.
Iβve had off this summer and Iβm literally only eating from your recipes. Made your chicken noodle soup last night.
If youβre going to be doing more travel we really need to get Dozer to join this production team. ππΆ
Dog?!?! NO WAY!! The street food is amazing there, the best food Iβve eaten there was all on the street π
Iβm so glad youβre loving all the recipes Steven!!
Love tiramisu! Back to the grocery store it is (for my husband).π
Really excited for your travel videos!!! Really, really!!!π€
And what a lucky guy he is Sandra!
I love that youβre going to be doing travel videos. Iβm going to Japan soon and YouTube videos have been so helpful in figuring out where and how to do things.
I canβt wait to share the videos!! Japan is next on the list! β N x
Hi Nagi,
This is a clear winner! Have made this twice already. But this time, the egg yolk and mascarapone just curdled on me after adding vanilla. Any reason why??
No difference in taste!
Hi Barnali, sorry you had issues this time, this can happen if the mixers are different temperatures, so if you use room temp eggs and cold marscapone β N x
One more big fan of you here! I tried most of your recipes and loved them but your tiramisu is cream of cream!! I saw bunch of other tiramisy recipes, yours is more simple and so yummmm!!! My Italian husband had a huge piece before he went to work haha
Thatβs great to hear Subia, thanks so much for letting me know!
Iβm excited to do this recipe! Do I need to set the mascaporne to room temperature first? Thanks.
No need RJ, I hope you love it!
It turned out too soft for my liking. Might try a different brand of mascaporne. But still, whole family enjoyed it! Thank you!
Everything is perfect with this recipe! Thank you! May I know what brand of mascarpone you used? Yours is much denser than most so the cream holds better.
Hi Rachel, I made this a few years ago now, the brand I used is no longer available but Iβve successfully made this with a few different brands just bought at the local supermarket β N x
Hi nagi
Your recipe rocks ! Cheers bj
Thanks so much Bj!
I just put mine into the fridge. It was easy to put together and looks fabulous! Canβt wait to try it at an Italian dinner party tonight!
I hope you love it Mary!
You can buy Schar brand (bright yellow pack) gluten free saviordi biscuits β I use two packs of 150g and you need more coffee as they are much harder than normal biscuits. Works out really well!! Have tried other gf biscuits but they are generally too heavy or rich. Try the schar ones you can buy them online.
Thatβs great to know Nikki!!
Hey thanks for the wonderful recipie, but do you have any recamandetions on how t macke a gluten free version
Hi there,
Very excited to try this recipe. Unfortunately, I need to use gluten free lady fingers and I canβt find any π If I use a hard GF cookie instead and just soak a bit longer in the coffeeβ¦ would that work? Thanks!
Hi Elaine, I havenβt tried sorry so canβt guarantee it will work β N x