Tiramisu
Coffee-soaked layered mascarpone dessert
Ingredients
- 300 g Savoiardi (ladyfingers)
- 500 g Mascarpone
- 4 Egg yolk
- 100 g Sugar
- 300 ml Espresso
- 20 g Cocoa powder
Method
- Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and thick.
- Fold the mascarpone into the yolks until smooth and spreadable.
- Dip each ladyfinger briefly in the cooled espresso and line a dish with a layer.
- Spread half the mascarpone cream over the soaked ladyfingers.
- Repeat with a second layer of soaked ladyfingers and the rest of the cream.
- Chill until set, at least 4 hours.
- Dust thickly with cocoa just before serving.
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About Tiramisu
Tiramisu is the coffee-soaked layered dessert from the Veneto region of Italy, and its name, loosely 'pick me up,' nods to the caffeine and sugar at its heart. The construction is simple but exact: savoiardi, the crisp Italian ladyfingers, are dipped briefly in cooled espresso and layered with a cream of mascarpone whipped into sweetened, pale egg yolks. The result is a study in soft textures, the biscuits turning cake-like as they absorb the coffee, the mascarpone cream rich and barely sweet, the bitter espresso and a heavy dusting of cocoa keeping the whole thing from tipping into cloying.
The trick, and the most common failure point, is the dip: the ladyfingers should touch the espresso only briefly, long enough to soften but not so long they collapse into mush. After that it's a waiting game, since tiramisu needs several hours chilling for the layers to set and the flavours to marry, which makes it an ideal dessert to build the day before a dinner. Dust the cocoa on thickly at the very last moment before serving, as it draws moisture and dulls if applied too early.
Tiramisu: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Tiramisu?
A serving has about 441 calories — 9.6g protein, 40.2g carbs, 27.1g fat, 0.9g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Tiramisu gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Savoiardi (ladyfingers). You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Is Tiramisu dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Mascarpone. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How long does Tiramisu take to make?
About 30 minutes start to finish, but only around 24 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
How many servings does Tiramisu make?
This recipe makes 8 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.