Homemade Tiramisu Recipe
This Homemade Tiramisu Recipe is such a deliciously comforting classic Italian dessert. It’s one of my absolute favourites combining sweet, creamy mascarpone cream and slightly bitter, coffee dipped ladyfingers and a generous dusting of cocoa powder on top. This recipe has been adapted from the Tiramisu Recipe by NYTimes. I tweaked just a few small things in the ingredients and the method. The original recipe uses raw egg yolks where I have opted to cook them. In my opinion, it helps firm up the mascarpone cream a little and helps anyone with an aversion to eating uncooked egg yolks. This recipe uses sponge ladyfingers, which can be bought or made at home. If you opt for making them yourself you can check out my Homemade Sponge Ladyfingers Recipe.
So how do I make this Homemade Tiramisu from scratch?
As this recipe does include cooking the egg yolks, it does have a couple extra steps than usual but it is still pretty easy and so worth it!
- Mascarpone Cream
- Tiramisu Assembly
Mascarpone Cream
To begin, in a large heat safe mixing bowl, add the yolks and caster sugar and whisk together immediately. Fill a medium saucepan up about 1/5 full of hot water. Place the heat safe bowl over the saucepan, making sure that the water doesn’t touch the bowl. Place the bain marie on a low heat. Continuously whisk the yolks until they are pale and fluffy and the sugar has dissolved completely. If the water starts to boil, remove the whole thing from the heat for a few minutes. To check if the yolks are cooked, rub a small amount of the mix between your fingers. if you cannot feel any granules of sugar, it’s ready.
Remove the yolks from the heat and allow to cool a little. Add the mascarpone and vanilla to the cooked yolks and whisk briskly until completely combined and smooth. Add the cream and continue whisking for 3-4 minutes until the mix has thickened. It will be about the texture of a soft whipped cream.
Tiramisu Assembly
Place the cooled black coffee and rum or coffee liqueur into a bowl. Dip some of the ladyfingers into the coffee one by one, making sure to soak each side for 1-2 seconds. Transfer the soaked ladyfingers into the base of the dish, making one even layer. Place about 1/3 of the mascarpone cream on top of the soaked ladyfingers and spread around evenly. Repeat the above processes with alternating layers of soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cream until all the cream has been used or the dish is full.
Ensure the top layer is finished with just mascarpone cream. Dust the top of the last layer with cocoa powder.
For best results, cover and place into the fridge overnight for the flavours to all infuse with each other but it can also be eaten immediately. Leftovers may be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely, just remove the alcohol in the coffee dip completely for an alcohol free tiramisu.
If you can’t get your hands on mascarpone cheese, you can always use a 50/50 mix creme fraiche and cream cheese instead. Make sure to taste the cream before you assemble it as you may need to add a little more sugar to balance the sour creme fraiche.
While I do advise allowing the tiramisu to sit in the fridge overnight to really make sure the flavours all marinte together, you can also serve it immediately.
The coffee has to be cold or at least room temperature for this recipe. Hot coffee will make the cream start to melt and split which can result in an unpleasant texture.
For more No Bake Recipes, you can check out my No Bake Category, here.
Maybe you’re interested in more Dessert Recipes? You can take a peek at my Dessert Category, here.
Homemade Tiramisu
Equipment
- 1 deep rectangle baking dish 22cm x 18cm
- 1 heat safe large mixing bowl
- 1 medium saucepan
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Small palette knife or spoon
- 1 Small sieve
Ingredients
- 1 batch or packet sponge ladyfingers
- 4 whole egg yolks about 75-80grams
- 100 grams caster sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla paste
- 250 grams mascarpone cheese
- 180 grams cream
- 300 grams black coffee cold
- 20 grams coffee liqueur or dark rum optional
- 20 grams cocoa powder
Instructions
- In a large heat safe mixing bowl, add the yolks and caster sugar and whisk together immediately.
- Fill a medium saucepan up about 1/5 full of hot water. Place the heat safe bowl over the saucepan, making sure that the water doesn't touch the bowl.
- Place the bain marie on a low heat. Continously whisk the yolks until they are pale and fluffy and the sugar has dissolved completely. If the water starts to boil, remove the whole thing from the heat for a few minutes. To check if the yolks are cooked, rub a small amount of the mix between your fingers. if you cannot feel any granules of sugar, it's ready.
- Remove the yolks from the heat and allow to cool a little.
- Add the mascarpone and vanilla to the cooked yolks and whisk briskly until completely combined and smooth.
- Add the cream and continue whisking for 3-4 minutes until the mix has thickened. It will be about the texture of a soft whipped cream.
- Place the cooled black coffee and alcohol (if using) into a bowl. Dip some of the ladyfingers into the coffee one by one, making sure to soak each side for 1-2 seconds. Transfer the soaked ladyfingers into the base of the dish, making one even layer.
- Place about 1/3 of the mascarpone cream on top of the soaked ladyfingers and spread around evenly.
- Repeat the above processes with alternating layers of soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cream untill all the cream has been used or the dish is full.
- Ensure the top layer is finished with just mascarpone cream.
- Dust the top of the last layer with cocoa powder.
- For best results, cover and place into the fridge overnight for the flavours to all infuse with each other but it can also be eaten immediately.
- Leftovers may be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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