Classic Tiramisu Recipe
Italian for โpick me up,โ a Classic Tiramisu Recipe is an espresso and booze flavored dessert made with mascarpone, cream, and ladyfingers. A topping of grated chocolate is just one more sublime component.
Iโve made a lot of tiramisu and this version is one of the Best Tiramisu Recipes!
Why Youโll Love this Recipe for Tiramisu
- Itโs rich and creamy as youโd expect for a top tier tiramisu recipe.
- The eggs are gently cooked in a double boiler before used in the custard. This makes for a safer to eat tiramisu than one with raw eggs.
- If youโre having an Italian themed dinner, this easy tiramisu recipe is perfect!
My search for the perfect classic tiramisu recipe all started after a family holiday to Vancouver, British Columbia. My family relocated to this breathtakingly beautiful, cosmopolitan Canadian city when my dad took a yearโs sabbatical at UBC. I learned to say about as โaboot,โ been as โbean,โ as well as spent the winter weekends skiing on Grouse Mountain and summers at Kits beach or sailing on English Bay. Bill and I had traveled to Vancouver as newlyweds, but we brought the whole family a few years back.
The hubby and I dined at the famed, but now defunct, Lumiere, where Bill will always remember the chocolate cake with beets with disdain. But my most memorable dessert was the classic tiramisu at Romanoโs Macaroni Grill (I had no clue it was a chain as it was in a charming old home!) The tiramisu portion was huge, creamy, luscious, and richer than any Iโd ever eaten. Truth be told, it was my son Tomโs dessert, but he was kind enough to let me sample spoonful after spoonful. I rarely order dessert, just politely mooch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is traditional Tiramisu Made Of?
The main ingredients include sponge cake or ladyfingers, a coffee-marsala mixture, a mascarpone layer, plus grated chocolate.
Did the Original Tiramisu Contain Alcohol?
Yes, Marsala wine was used in the custard as well as the soaking liquid for the ladyfingers.
Why is My Tiramisu Runny?
The tiramisu may not have been chilled long enough to thicken the custard. It should be refrigerated at least 6 hours before serving.
If you used low-fat mascarpone instead of full fat, it wonโt thicken properly. Also, if you overbeat the mascarpone, it will curdle and separate adding extra moisture to the filling.
Why Isn't My Tiramisu Smooth?
If the mascarpone is over whipped, it can curdle, making a lumpy filling.
Copycat Tiramisu Recipe
I returned home, certain that Google would produce Romano Macaroni Grillโs tiramisu recipe in seconds. No such luck. All I found was the scary calorie count (you donโt want to know!) of said dessert. So since Tom and I are both fans of coffee desserts, I figured I could do a few test runs to find the perfect copycat recipe of my own.
The first, a supposed recipe from their sister restaurant, The Olive Garden, fell short. The flavor was nice, but the ratio of mascarpone filling to ladyfingers was off and it was slightly too soupy to cut nicely. Phooey.
Tom was happy to take all the leftovers home as I could feel my pancreas cranking out insulin after all my taste testing. So I took that recipe, decreased the mascarpone and cream plus added some extra vanilla as well as rum to both the dipping liquid and the filling. Much better. Plus this classic tiramisu does not contain raw eggs, so less risk except to the waistline!
How to Make Tiramisu:
- Make the custard using a double boiler.
- Whip the cream and fold into the custard.
- Make the espresso dipping liquid for the ladyfingers.
- Dip half the ladyfingers (front and back) and a layer on the bottom of the dish.
- Top with half the mascarpone custard.
- Dip the rest of the ladyfingers.
- Repeat the layering.
- Refrigerate 6 hours or longer.
- Dust with finely grated chocolate before serving.
Tips for Making an Easy Tiramisu Recipe:
- Have all your ingredients at room temperature for easier mixing and incorporation.
- Use full-fat mascarpone.
- Do not overbeat the mascarpone cheese as it could curdle or separate.
- Do not soak the ladyfingers until they are soggy. You want some liquid absorption, but if theyโre too wet, theyโll fall apart. Dip one side, flip and dip the other side. If you have extra ladyfingers, do a test run to make sure your dipping doesnโt make them too wet or even not wet enough.
- This recipe uses the hard, biscuit-like ladyfingers called Savoiardi. If you use sponge-cake like ladyfingers, you may need some additional dipping liquid.
- Use different liqueurs. Kahlua is great to echo the coffee flavor from the espresso, but other ideas include Baileys Irish Cream, Amaretto, etc.
- Allow it to chill at least 6 hours before serving as this will help the custard thicken properly.
- This recipe is different than the typical tiramisu recipes as it heats the eggs to minimize the chance of a food-borne illness. This tiramisu is safer for the very young, elderly, and immune-suppressed. If you are going to serve this to anyone in the at risk population, use a thermometer to check that the custard temperature reaches 160ยฐ F, the temperature needed to kill salmonella.
Check out my Best Homemade Desserts Pinterest Board for More Irresistible Sweets! Tiramisu Cheesecake is a decadent tiramisu-inspired recipe.
You May Also Like:
- Mocha Ice Cream
- Kahlua Bundt Cake
- Slow Cooker Coffee Glazed Brisket
- Flourless Chocolate Kahlua Cake
- More of the Best Dessert Recipes
Classic Tiramisu
My copycat attempt of Romano's Macaroni Grill Classic Tiramisu.
Ingredients
Filling:
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoons dark rum
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 20-24 ladyfingers (I used a 7-ounce package of Savoiardi biscuit-type ladyfingers)
Soaking liquid:
- 1/2 cup cold espresso
- 1/4 cup Kahlua
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Garnish:
- Grated semisweet chocolate
Instructions
- In the top of a double boiler (or rig your own by placing a heat safe bowl over a pan of barely simmering water), whisk together egg yolks, rum and sugar.
- Cook over simmering water while beating with a hand mixer till mixture triples in size, about 5 minutes.
- Remove pan with egg mixture from heat, mix in mascarpone and vanilla and set aside to cool slightly.
- Whip cream to stiff peaks, then fold about a third into the egg mixture to lighten. Add the rest and gently fold till combined.
- Combine espresso, Kahlua, sugar, rum, and vanilla in a shallow dish (I used a Pyrex pie plate).
- Dip half of the ladyfingers very quickly into the coffee, and arrange on bottom of 8 x 8-inch pan (you may need to break a few to fit in the pan).
- Spoon half the mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers and smooth the top. Repeat with the rest of the ladyfingers and top with the remaining filling.
- Cover with a layer of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Dust top with grated semisweet chocolate, then cut into squares to serve.
Notes
If you use soft ladyfingers, you may need to increase the soaking liquid.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 513Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 217mgSodium: 271mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 1gSugar: 19gProtein: 7g
40 Comments on “Classic Tiramisu Recipe”
This has become a family favorite recipe. I’m asked to make it almost weekly.
this looks absolutely perfect for my brunch on Sunday. Cant wait to try this !
Lizzy,
I love Tiramisu. Your version looks delicious. I can’t wait to try it.
Annamaria
For some insane reason I’ve never taken Tiramisu seriously. That is about to change, this looks delicious!
I’ll have to make this for Madison the next time she is home. Tiramisu is has been her fave since she was very little! Sounds delish!
I haven’t had tiramisu in forever, but I agree a good version can be hard to come by but is such a good thing. This looks great!
Wow, I did not know that you spent time in Vancouver. Our eldest son went to a branch of UBC in Kelowna, B.C. My son and daughter-in-law just got back from their 5 1/2 week honeymoon in Canada….they started on the east coast and worked their way back to Banff, Vernon, Kelowna, Whistler and Vancouver. They had a lovely time!
Your dessert sounds very dreamy for sure!
For years I ordered tiramisu wherever I could. I love it! Such a great recipe with kahlua Liz! I really love love love coffee in a dessert!
Oh my heavens!! Pardon me while I wipe the drool off of my keyboard!
It looks entirely too pretty to eat! But I don’t think I’d have a problem devouring it! ๐
I LOV Tiramisu! All coffee desserts are at the top of my favorite list ๐
You crack me up: “I just politely mooch.” I do the SAME thing! LOL! This is one of my favorite desserts to order out, and yours looks amazing! Love the boozy sophisticated additions! As always — looks divine, Liz! xo
Copycat recipes are fun to do. Yours sounds way better than the original. I made tiramisu many years ago and must go search for this recipe from a hotel in Vail. I love tiramisu but it is a luxury calorie wise. If you get a few minutes give a holler on your way through. And if not have a great trip. I so miss going to Aspen!
Tiramisu is my first love and this looks like a winning recipe. I need a bigger spoon for this one.
Tiramisu is one of my top dessert choices when dining out. Your version looks gorgeous, Liz! I would like a piece so big that my pancreas would definitely be working overtime!
Tiramisu is on my cooking/baking bucket list — this one looks amazing.
I love this presentation for tiramisu, so pretty!
Liz, I love love love tiramisu!!! yours looks so elegant and delicious! Beautiful!
Tiramisu is really one of my all-time favourites, thank you for sharing this delectable recipe with us. I haven’t heard of that chain restaurant so it must be a BC thing. I absolutely love that slice, so perfect!
How nice that you were able to live in BC, I’ve only visited a few times, it’s such a lovely province. Hope you were also able to get up to Whistler, for world class skiing. Grouse Mountain is also great in the summer, they have some fabulous hikes.
Your pick-me-up would definitely lift the corners of my mouth! Isn’t wonderful that some foods hold such precious memories? Ps Thank you from the coffee dessert loving universe for persevering with your quest for the perfect tiramisu =)