Classic Italian Tiramisu Recipe (2024)

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posted by Sharon Chenon Sep 28, 2016 (updated Aug 22, 2020) 23 comments »

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★★★★★1 reviews

When the original can’t really be improved, it’s a classic. This Classic Italian Tiramisu recipe is one of these classics. Watch our video and have fun mixing and layering. Don’t forget to use some good strong coffee with a couple tablespoons coffee liqueur to enhance the flavor!

It’s fun to put a twist on recipes and make them your own or to try interesting fusions between one type of cuisine and another. But then there are those times when you want to keep a recipe completely classic because the original can’t really be improved. This classic Italian tiramisu recipe is one of those occasions. Why would you want to change something that’s already been perfected?

I sure don’t, so I’m simply helping you achieve this tried-and-true dessert with this recipe. It’s a great dessert choice to finish an Italian meal like a hearty pasta e fa*gioli or for a perfect date night by following a savory broiled steak and vegetable meal with the tiramisu. You can make it in order to have a gorgeous dessert when you’re having guests over — it’s perfect for people who love the taste of coffee. This dessert also makes a nice indulgence for when you want something easy to make to satisfy yourself or your family on a regular night.

This is a quick, easy recipe that you don’t even have to bake! You simply mix and layer a few simple ingredients, and then you stick the tiramisu in the fridge for a couple of hours.

When the simple ingredients come together in this recipe, you get a lot of flavor and richness. This is one of those desserts where a little goes a long way, so you can be satisfied with just a few bites if you’re watching your weight.

The key to mastering the flavor of tiramisu is the strong coffee flavor. You get this by creating a mixture of a flavorful coffee and a coffee liquor that you dip the ladyfingers into. I like when coffee companies make it easy to find a really strong flavor for this recipe by laying out the intensity levels of their different coffees and espressos. You kick the coffee flavor up a notch when you add a coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua. With all the coffee flavor, this recipe is perfect for coffee lovers!

I think the ingredients also really shine when you plate a piece of this tiramisu. You get to see the soft ladyfingers colored by coffee and Kahlua, layered with the mascarpone and cream mixture and finished with a gorgeous sprinkling of natural cocoa powder.

I hope you enjoy the decadent flavor of this classic dessert! And if you get a chance to make it, leave a comment and let me know how you like it. Happy cooking!

Classic Italian Tiramisu

★★★★★5 from 1 review

Author: Sharon Chen
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12 servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian

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Description

When the original can’t really be improved, it’s a classic. This Classic Italian Tiramisu is one of these classics. Watch our video to learn how to make it.

Ingredients

Scale

2–3 cups of strong coffee, let cool
2 eggs, yolks and white separated
1/4 cup Granulated sugar
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons Kahlua (or other coffee liqueur with enhanced coffee flavor)
8 ounces ladyfingers
Natural cocoa powder for dusting

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Instructions

Brew coffee and transfer to a medium bowl. Let cool completely. You can place the coffee in your fridge to cool.
Prepare one large mixing bowl and one medium metal bowl. Make sure two bowls are perfectly clean and dry.
Separate egg yolks into the large mixing bowl and the whites go into the metal bowl. Set the whites aside.
Add sugar in the large mixing bowl and beat with a hand-held mixer on medium speed until the mixture goes pale and thick.
Add mascarpone cheese into the yolk mixture. Beat until well combined. Clean and dry your mixer.
In another bowl, whip heavy cream using the cleaned mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks hold, about 7-8 minutes. And gently fold the whipped cream into the yolk and cheese mixture. Do not beat.
Rinse the mixer again and make sure it’s dried completely. Now, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold the whites into the cream mixture.
By now, your coffee should be completely cooled. Add Kahlua into the coffee and stir.
Prepare a 9″x13″ baking dish. Quickly dip ladyfingers into the coffee mixture, one at a time, for just a second. (If you let the ladyfingers soak for too long, they will soften quickly and lose their shape.) Layer the bottom of the baking dish with prepared ladyfingers.
Place half of the cream mixture on top and spread out with a spatula.
Repeat with the remaining ladyfingers and spread out the other half of the cream mixture on top of the second layer of the ladyfingers. Smooth the surface. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Before serving, dust the tiramisu with natural cocoa powder and enjoy!

Notes

You can make individual servings by using glasses. Break the ladyfingers up into pieces that will fit your glasses and do the same soaking and layering as the recipe states.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1
Calories: 176
Sugar: 5.7g
Sodium: 59mg
Fat: 8.6g
Saturated Fat: 4.8g
Carbohydrates: 17.8g
Fiber: 0.2g
Protein: 5.3g
Cholesterol: 92mg

Keywords: italian tiramisu

About the Author

Sharon Chen

Sharon Chen is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, an author and a sous vide fanatic who believes food not only brings healing but also connection. As the creator of StreetSmart Kitchen, she's on a mission to help you find balance, ease, joy, and simplicity in the kitchen as you improve your well-being.

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