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This classic tiramisu is made in the traditional no-cook Italian method with ladyfingers dipped in a mixture of coffee and rum, paired with a silky mascarpone cream. This is a restaurant-grade dessert that tastes like the real deal from Italy!
What is Tiramisu?
Tiramisu is an Italian dessert that originated in the late 1960s or early 1970s in the Veneto region of Italy.
Traditional tiramisu is made by layering espresso-soaked ladyfingers (savoiardi) with a sweetened mascarpone cream. The top of the dessert is dusted with cocoa powder before being served chilled.
There are many variations on the classic recipe. I've shared my strawberry tiramisu and blueberry tiramisu recipes, but thought it was time to share my version of the classic.
Why My Recipe Works
This classic Italian tiramisu is everything a dessert should be. It's elegant, silky-soft yet sliceable, and has that unmistakable coffee-and-rum flavor.
I based this recipe on the traditional Italian method - no cooked yolks, no shortcuts. The mascarpone cream is ultra smooth, lightened with just the right amount of whipped cream, and lifted with whipped egg whites. The result? A restaurant-grade tiramisu that tastes like the real deal from Italy! It's a perfect make-ahead, no-bake dessert for entertaining!
Recipe Testing Notes
- Pure flavor and rich texture: Traditional Italian tiramisu uses raw yolks whisked directly with sugar, and they are not cooked. This keeps the flavor pure and the texture indulgently rich. I do strongly recommend using pasteurized eggs, which whisk beautifully and are safe to consume raw.
- Stable for serving: I only whip 2 of the egg whites instead of all 4. This gives the tiramisu lift and lightness while keeping the filling silky and stable when sliced, which is ideal for serving.
- Cloud-soft filling: Even though traditional tiramisu recipes skip cream, I find that using mascarpone alone can make the dessert feel dense. Adding just 1½ cups of softly whipped cream enhances the texture without making it too airy or mousse-like. You get a billowy-soft filling that still tastes true to its Italian roots.
- Depth of flavor: I tested several versions of this tiramisu with less rum, but they all lacked depth. Using ¼ cup of rum in the coffee soak and adding 1 tablespoon in the cream ensures the flavor comes forward clearly in every bite without overpowering the espresso or the cream.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Brewed espresso or very strong coffee: Let this cool before using it.
- Dark rum: I use this in the coffee soak and in the mascarpone cream. Buy a good quality rum for the best flavor. While I prefer tiramisu made with dark rum, you could also use amaretto, brandy, port, Irish cream, Kahlúa, or Marsala wine.
- Ladyfinger cookies: These are a key component to any tiramisu recipe! Use gluten-free ladyfingers for a gluten-free tiramisu.
- Pasteurized eggs: Since this is a no-cook recipe made with raw eggs, I strongly recommend using pasteurized eggs, which are safe to consume raw. We will separate the eggs and use all of the yolks and half of the whites.
- Granulated sugar
- Mascarpone cheese: Make sure this is cold.
- Heavy whipping cream: This should also be cold.
- Vanilla extract
- Fine sea salt: For balancing the sweetness in the cream.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: For dusting on top of the tiramisu.
- Dark chocolate curls: For garnish. Just like when making chocolate delight, run a vegetable peeler along the edge of a chocolate bar to make the curls.
More About Ladyfingers
Ladyfingers, also known as savoiardi, are light, dry, sponge-cake cookies (biscuits) that are piped into long, thin, finger-like shapes.
Ladyfingers are lightly sweet on their own, making them perfect for enjoying with a cup of coffee. They are also a key ingredient in classic desserts such as tiramisu, charlottes, and trifles.
You can find packages of ladyfinger cookies in most mainstream supermarkets, but you can also make homemade ladyfingers to use in your favorite recipes.
How to Make This Classic Tiramisu (Step-by-Step Photos)
This is a recipe overview. Scroll down to find the complete instructions + ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
- Prepare the coffee soak: Stir the coffee and rum together in a shallow dish. Set this aside until you are ready to soak the ladyfingers.
- Beat the egg yolks: Add the egg yolks to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until they are thick, pale, and creamy.
- Add the mascarpone: Whisk the mascarpone, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of the rum into the yolks until smooth. Set aside.
- Whip the cream: In a medium bowl, beat the cream until soft-medium peaks form.
- Fold in the cream: Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.
- Beat the egg whites: Add the egg whites to a very clean bowl along with the salt. Beat until foamy. Add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Once all of the sugar is added, continue beating until glossy, stiff peaks form.
- Mix egg whites with the mascarpone: Fold about ⅓ of the whipped egg whites into the mascarpone mixture. This will lighten the mascarpone and make it easier to fold the rest of the egg whites in. Fold the remaining egg whites in, one half a time, until the mascarpone cream is light, airy, and smooth.
- Dip the ladyfingers: Dip each ladyfinger cookie into the coffee mixture, soaking for just 2-3 seconds per side. You want the cookies to be moistened but not soggy. Arranged half of the soaked cookies in the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan.
- Layer the tiramisu: Spread half of the mascarpone cream over the soaked ladyfingers. Dip the rest of the ladyfingers and arrange them on top of the mascarpone layer.
- Finish the tiramisu: Top the tiramisu with the rest of the mascarpone cream. Spread it evenly with an offset spatula.
- Chill: Cover the dish tightly and chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours or preferably overnight.
- Serve: Before serving, dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder and garnish with chocolate curls. Slice and serve chilled.
Tips for Success
- Keep the mascarpone and cream cold. This will make for the best texture in the finished mascarpone cream.
- Chill the bowl before whipping the cream. Place the bowl in the freezer for 15-20 minutes - a cold bowl helps the cream whip better.
- Quickly dip the ladyfingers. You shouldn't need to dip each cookie for more than 2-3 seconds per side. They should feel just moistened, never soggy. If the ladyfingers bend or wilt before you add them to the pan, they've absorbed too much liquid.
- Let the tiramisu chill for a full 8 hours, but ideally overnight. Not only will this allow the cream to firm up and the texture to become perfect, but the flavors will develop into classic tiramisu perfection.
Can You Make Tiramisu Without Raw Eggs?
Yes, you can skip the raw eggs completely. Omit the eggs, and instead increase the heavy cream to 2 cups total. Beat the cold mascarpone with ⅔ cup granulated sugar, vanilla, rum, and salt until smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the 2 cups of cold heavy cream to medium-stiff peaks, then gently fold all of it into the sweetened mascarpone until light and airy. Skip the egg-white step entirely. Assemble and chill exactly as written, but refrigerate at least 8-12 hours so it fully sets. The texture will be slightly denser but still creamy and stable.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- Refrigerator: Tiramisu tastes better after chilling for at least 8 hours, and even better the next day, making it perfect for prepping ahead of time. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days. Just keep tiramisu tightly covered so it doesn't pick up fridge smells.
- Freezer: Do not freeze mascarpone and whipped cream, as they will split upon thawing.
FAQs
If you need to make your tiramisu without the alcohol, you can replace the rum with more espresso or strong coffee. Keep in mind that the dessert will not have the same depth of flavor as the version made with rum.
This usually comes from one of three things: the mascarpone got too warm, the cream was under-whipped (or over-whipped into butter-ish territory), or the mixture was overmixed after adding the whipped components. I recommend keeping everything cold, whipping to the right peaks, and folding gently until just combined.
Almost always, it's because the ladyfingers were dipped too long or the coffee soak was too warm. I make sure the espresso/coffee is fully cooled, then I dip each ladyfinger very quickly: 2-3 seconds per side and let excess drip off before layering. Also, use a shallow dish for the soak so you can move fast and keep dips consistent. If you've already made it and it's a bit soft, the best "fix" is simply serving it very cold (cleaner slices) and using a spatula to lift portions - still delicious, just more spoonable than sliceable. For serving, you can even portion it into individual glasses instead of layering in a large dish.
More Dessert Recipes
Looking for more restaurant-quality desserts to impress your family and friends? Check out:
- Classic Pavolva
- Key Lime Pie with Meringue Topping
- Chocolate Orange Tart
- Carrot Cake Cheesecake
- Blueberry Tiramisu
- Strawberry Tiramisu
- No-Bake Ricotta Cheesecake
Classic Italian Tiramisu
Equipment
- Shallow dish for dipping the ladyfingers
- Electric hand mixer
- 9x13-inch baking dish
Ingredients
For the coffee soak:
- 1 cup very strong espresso or strong brewed coffee cooled
- ¼ cup dark rum
For the tiramisu:
- 42 ladyfinger cookies about (2) 7-ounce packages
- 4 large pasteurized egg yolks
- 2 large pasteurized egg whites
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar divided
- 16 ounces marscapone cheese cold
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream cold
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
- dark chocolate curls to decorate
Instructions
- Prepare the coffee soak: In a shallow dish, stir together the cooled espresso and ¼ cup rum. Set aside for dipping the ladyfingers.
- Add the egg yolks and half of the granulated sugar (about ⅓ cup) to a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until pale, thick, and creamy. Add the mascarpone, vanilla and 1 tablespoon rum, mixing again until smooth, then set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat the cold heavy cream until soft-medium peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until incorporated.
- Place the egg whites a very clean glass or metal bowl. Add the salt and beat with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating very well between each addition. Continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Add one third of the whipped egg whites to the mascarpone mixture and fold in gently to loosen. Fold in the remaining whites in two additions until the mixture is light, airy, and smooth.
- Dip the ladyfingers: Working one a time, quickly dip each ladyfinger into the coffee-rum soak for just 2-3 seconds per side. They should be moistened but not soggy. Arrange half of them in a snug, even layer in the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish.
- Spread half of the mascarpone mixture evenly over the ladyfingers. Repeat with another layer of dipped ladyfingers followed by the remaining mascarpone mixture. You can smooth the top with an offset spatula or use it to make swirls on top of the Tiramisu.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- When you're ready to serve, dust the surface generously with cocoa powder. Garnish with dark chocolate curls.
- Slice and serve chilled. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use pasteurized eggs only! Since this tiramisu is made in the traditional Italian method without cooking, I strongly recommend using pasteurized eggs, which whisk beautifully and are safe to consume raw.
- You will have 2 egg whites leftover after separating the eggs. These can be saved in the refrigerator or freezer for another use.
- To make tiramisu without eggs, omit the eggs and increase the heavy cream to 2 cups. Beat cold mascarpone with ⅔ cup sugar, vanilla, rum, and salt until smooth, then whip 2 cups cold heavy cream to medium-stiff peaks and fold it into the mascarpone. Assemble as usual and chill 8-12 hours until fully set.
Assembly
- Keep everything cold: Place the bowl for whipping the cream in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before making the whipped cream. This will help keep the cream cold and make it easier to whip.
- Ladyfingers should be dipped briefly, for no more than 2-3 seconds per side. They should feel just moistened, never soggy. If they bend or wilt instantly, you've gone too far.
- Tiramisu must chill for a full 8 hours, but ideally overnight. This is when the coffee infuses through the layers, the cream firms up, and the flavors marry into that signature velvety perfection.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store in a covered container for up to 3 days. It actually tastes even better on day 2.
- Freezer: Do not freeze, as mascarpone and whipped cream will split upon thawing.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
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