An Easy Tiramisu Recipe everyone will love. This is truly the best Tiramisu recipe! It's rich, creamy and SO delicious!
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Tiramisu is the one of the most iconic and heavenly Italian desserts! It is perfect for any occasion, whether a fancy dinner party or a cozy night in!
Making tiramisu from scratch may seem intimidating, but I promise it is easier than you think.
Espresso soaked ladyfingers, rich mascarpone cream, and dark chocolate shavings get layered for a dessert that's so decadent, with just the right balance of sweetness and bitterness!
You'll Love this Easy Recipe for Tiramisu Dessert
- Delicious, Rich, and Creamy: The mascarpone and whipped cream mixture in this recipe is absolutely divine!
- Perfect for Coffee Lovers: The whole dessert has a rich coffee flavor due to the espresso soaked ladyfingers!
- Classic Italian Dessert: When you need something comforting, this is the ultimate recipe!
What is Tiramisu?
Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert that has layers of espresso soaked ladyfingers, a creamy mascarpone cheese/whipped cream filling, and topped with dark chocolate shavings or cocoa powder.
Is tiramisu Italian?
Yes, it is a classic Italian dessert.
Is tiramisu a cake?
No, it is not baked like a cake and has a texture closer to a trifle due to the layers.
What does tiramisu taste like?
Tiramisu is rich and creamy, with flavors of coffee and hints of dark chocolate.
Tiramisu Ingredients
To make this tiramisu you'll need:
- mascarpone cheese
- clear chocolate liquor or dark rum
- granulated sugar
- heavy whipping cream
- lady fingers
- espresso
- dark chocolate
How to make Tiramisu
- Beat mascarpone, liquor, and sugar until smooth. Set aside.
- Whip whipping cream until peaks form. Then gently fold the mascarpone mixture into whipped cream.
- In an 8x8 dish layer half of the lady fingers on the bottom.
- Drizzle half of the espresso over the ladyfingers.
- Spread ½ the mascarpone/whipped cream mixture on top of the soaked lady fingers.
- Sprinkle with half the dark chocolate shavings.
- Layer remaining lady fingers, drizzle with espresso, cover with mascarpone and top with remaining chocolate shavings.
- Refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours before slicing.
How to store this Classic Tiramisu Recipe
Storing - How long does tiramisu last? : You can store this tiramisu in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Freezing: I have never tried freezing tiramisu. I don't think it would freeze well because of the whipped cream mixture/alcohol and the texture of the lady fingers.
Substitutions for this Recipe:
Tiramisu is only made with a few ingredients, and we don't recommend substituting them.
Alcohol: You can use dark rum (not spiced), frangelico, or chocolate liquor. We love Godiva chocolate liquor in this recipe but it's hard to find! We don't recommend using cream chocolate liquor like baileys - use clear chocolate liquor. You can also skip the alcohol altogether in this recipe. It impacts the flavor slightly, but it is still delicious!
Espresso: You can make this with regular or decaf espresso. I haven't tried making this with coffee, but I think it would work. I'd make extra strong coffee, doubling the normal amount of grinds you add to the pot.
Mascarpone/Heavy Cream: Do not substitute whipped cream with cool whip. It will not taste good. There's no substitute for mascarpone, it's essential for the recipe
Do not substitute lady fingers!
Best Tiramisu Recipe Tips
- Do not let the mascarpone cheese come to room temperature - This cheese will separate and can curdle easily!
- Make sure your heavy cream is very cold - this will ensure that it whips up nicely!
- Use good quality chocolate - Do not use milk chocolate. Dark chocolate is the best option here!
- Make this dish 24 hours before you plan to serve it - Tiramisu is best made in advance of serving it so the lady fingers can soak up the espresso and the flavors can meld together!
Easy Tiramisu Recipe FAQs
Yes, tiramisu is made with alcohol. You can easily make it alcohol free though just omit the liquor!
Tiramisu is made with many different types of alcohol including amaretto, rum, chocolate liquor, or hazelnut liquor. You can skip the alcohol in tiramisu if you don't like it.
Yes, tiramisu is made with espresso. You can make it with decaf espresso if you would prefer for it to be caffeine free!
Tiramisu does not have nuts in it, but many recipes call for Hazelnut liquor. You can skip the alcohol, or make it with chocolate liquor.
Tiramisu is not gluten free but can easily be made gluten free if you use gluten free lady fingers.
Other easy dessert recipes:
- 7 Layer Magic Bars
- Best White Cake
- Easy Dark Chocolate Brownies
- Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake
- Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake
Tiramisu Recipe (Easy)
Ingredients
- 1 lb mascarpone cheese
- 3 tablespoons clear chocolate liquor or dark rum not spiced
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 28 lady fingers
- 1 ½ cup espresso cooled to room temperature
- ⅔ cup dark chocolate shaved
Instructions
- Important note: do not over-soften the mascarpone cheese. The fat can easily separate and make the cheese curdle. It’s fine to take it out 5 minutes before you’re ready to make the tiramisu.
- In a mixing bowl using a paddle attachment or beaters, combine mascarpone, liquor and sugar until smooth.
- Remove from the bowl and set aside in a separate bowl.
- In the mixing bowl (you don’t have to wash it!) using a whisk attachment or beater, whip whipping cream until peaks form.
- Gently fold mascarpone mixture into whipped cream.
- In an 8x8 dish layer half of the lady fingers on the bottom. You might have to cut the ends off the cookies to fit in your dish Drizzle half of the espresso over the ladyfingers, making sure to saturate them evenly.
- Spread ½ the mascarpone/whipped cream mixture on top of the soaked lady fingers. Sprinkle with half the chocolate shavings.
- Layer remaining lady fingers, drizzle with espresso, cover with mascarpone and top with remaining chocolate shavings.
- Refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours.
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