Tiramisu is one of Italy’s most beloved desserts. Its name means “pick me up” or “cheer me up”, referring to the energizing combination of espresso and cocoa. This elegant no-bake dessert layers coffee-soaked ladyfingers with a rich mascarpone cream and a dusting of cocoa powder. Tiramisu is also similar flavor and texture wise to tres leches cake, milk cake, opera cake and banofee pie.

Tiramisu originated in the Veneto region of northern Italy, and is often associated with the town of Treviso. Traditionally, it contains espresso, mascarpone cheese, egg yolks, sugar, cocoa powder, and sometimes a splash of liqueur like Marsala or rum(I strongly do not recommend as it is alcohol and its totally optional and unnecessary to our recipe).

It is creamy flavor, lightly sweet, delicately bitter from coffee it has a kind of balanced sweetness with strong coffee aroma, mild cocoa bitterness, and luxuriously smooth texture.

Ingredients

For the Cream:

• 4 large egg yolks
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream (cold)
• 250 g mascarpone cheese (room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Layers:

• 1½ cups strong espresso (cooled)
• 200–250 g ladyfinger biscuits (Savoiardi)
• Unsweetened cocoa powder (for dusting)

Procedure

To make this mouthwatering and irresistible tiramisu recipe, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Prepare the Coffee

1. Brew strong espresso and allow it to cool completely.
2. Pour into a shallow bowl for dipping(the coffee must be cool as hot coffee will make the biscuits too soggy).

Step 2: Make the Mascarpone Cream

1. In a heatproof bowl or ceramic bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar together.
2. Place over a saucepan of gently simmering water using a double boiler method.
3. Whisk continuously for 5–7 minutes until the Mixture becomes pale, thick, creamy, slightly warm and glossy
4. Remove from heat and let it cool down slightly.
5. In a separate bowl or mixing bowl, whip heavy with a hand mixer cream until soft peaks start to form.
6. Add the mascarpone cheese to the egg mixture and mix gently until smooth. You can substitute mascarpone cheese with ricotta Cheese , but use strained, high-quality whole milk ricotta for a lighter and slightly grainy texture.
7. Fold whipped cream into the mascarpone or ricotta mixture carefully using a spatula.

Note- The final cream should be thick, airy, and smooth. You can achieve that by ensuring that all ingredients are at room temperature before mixing to prevent a lumpy texture. Make sure you fold in whipped heavy cream not the opposite to achieve the light, airy texture required for the filling. If you are using cream cheese as substitute, add a little extra sugar as they are tangier than mascarpone.

Step 3: Assemble the Layers

1. Quickly dip each ladyfinger into coffee (1–2 seconds per side). Do not soak them, only a quick dip is enough. You can substitute ladyfingers(savoiardi) with Sponge/Pound Cake; just cut them into 1cm thick slices and dry them out slightly in the oven or overnight to prevent them from becoming too soggy. You can also use Biscoff Cookies as they give a great flavor but are sweeter, so you may need to reduce the sugar in your mascarpone cream.
2. Arrange dipped biscuits in a single layer in a dish (8×8 or similar).
3. Spread half of the mascarpone cream evenly over the layer. Repeat the process;add another layer of dipped ladyfingers and the remaining mascarpone cream.
4. Smoothen the top.

Step 4: Chill

1. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hour or preferably overnight for best flavor blend and release and it also helps give a firmer structure(do not freeze them).

Step 5: Finish & Serve

1. Just before serving, dust the top generously with cocoa powder using a sieve.
2. Slice with a clean, warm knife for neat slices or portions. You can enjoy this with a cup of milo lava float, hot chocolate or coffee.

Enjoy!