Tiramisu Recipe & Video (Recipe & Video) - Sally's Baking Addiction (2024)

Tiramisu is a timeless no-bake Italian dessert combining espresso-dipped ladyfingers and a creamy lightly sweetened mascarpone cream. This recipe is from the late Maida Heatter and is easily the best homemade tiramisu recipe that I’ve ever tried.

I originally published this popular recipe in 2019. Lots of wonderfully helpful reviews below!

I was recently sent a cookbook called Happiness is Baking. This cookbook includes Maida Heatter’s favorite recipes with the foreword written by Dorie Greenspan. I, unsurprisingly, immediately fell in love with the newest addition to my cookbook shelves. This book is a collection of 100 foolproof and classic desserts including cookies, cakes, muffins, pies, tarts, and more that range from simple everyday cookies to outrageously indulgent chocolate soufflé cake.

For those not familiar, Maida Heatter is an icon, and especially in the baking world. Dubbed the Queen of Cake, her expansive culinary career included 9 cookbooks, recipes for the Times, a restaurant, and three James Beard Awards. Baker and author Dorie Greenspan once said “Whenever someone tells me they want to learn to bake, I tell them to start with Maida Heatter’s books. That’s what I did.” This latest cookbook is a testament to Maida’s legacy. She leaves behind an incalculable amount of inspiration to bakers and cooks all over the world.

Tiramisu is a classic no-bake Italian dessert combining espresso-dipped ladyfingers and a creamy lightly sweetened mascarpone cream. Nothing triumphant comes for free, so expect a good amount of prep work. This recipe requires several bowls and a couple mixing techniques, but it’s nothing you can’t handle.

Tiramisu Layers

There are 2 components and 4 layers in tiramisu. Each component is layered twice.

1. Espresso-Dipped Ladyfingers
2. Mascarpone Cream

It goes: espresso-dipped ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, remaining espresso-dipped ladyfingers, and remaining mascarpone cream. Dust the whole thing with a dense layer of unsweetened cocoa to finish. Maida’s recipe calls for homemade chocolate ladyfingers and if you own this cookbook, I highly recommend using her chocolate ladyfinger recipe included. Most Italian bakeries make fresh ladyfingers as well. However, if you’re desiring a simpler and more convenient approach, use a store-bought variety.

What are Ladyfingers?

Ladyfingers (savoiardi in Italian) are a sweet, pretty dry, and finger-shaped sponge cookie/cake. They’re a main ingredient in many desserts including trifles and tiramisu and when layered underneath cream, ladyfingers take on a lovely cake-like texture. You can find ladyfingers in most large grocery stores, Italian markets, or you can purchase them online. Homemade, as the book uses, is an option too.

Overview: How to Make Tiramisu

The full written and printable recipe is below.

1. Whisk espresso and Grand Marnier. Grand Marnier makes this a boozier tiramisu because there is alcohol in both the coffee mixture and the mascarpone cream. Grand Marnier’s flavor is great in this dessert, but you can skip it if desired. If you don’t have espresso, purchase espresso powder and follow the measurements in the recipe notes.
2. Dip half of the ladyfingers in the espresso mixture. Ladyfingers soak up a lot of liquid within 1 second, so make it a very quick dunk. You don’t want them overly saturated and soggy because as the tiramisu chills, they’ll soften up underneath all the cream.
3. Line dipped ladyfingers in bottom of pan. If needed, cut some ladyfingers to fill in any empty spaces.
4. Beat mascarpone and rum together. Use quality mascarpone. I like BelGioioso brand (not sponsored—truly what I always use).
5. Gently cook egg yolks and sugar. Egg yolks are a main ingredient in tiramisu. Use a double boiler or makeshift bowl/saucepan double boiler to cook egg yolks and sugar together. Maida’s recipe also uses the egg whites, which come soon after this step.
6. Beat egg yolks into mascarpone cream mixture.
7. Whip heavy cream and vanilla extract into medium peaks.
8. Fold whipped cream into mascarpone cream mixture.
9. Beat the egg whites and salt together until foamy, then slowly pour in sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
10. Fold egg white mixture into mascarpone cream mixture.
11. Layer half of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers. An offset spatula helps.
12. Dip and layer remaining ladyfingers.
13. Top with remaining cream mixture, then chill for for 2-3 hours.
14. Dust with cocoa. After chilling for a couple hours, dust the top layer with a dense layer of unsweetened cocoa powder. Use a sifter. This is a classic finishing touch to the entire tiramisu dessert.
15. Chill overnight. You can chill it for up to 1 day, so it’s a great make-ahead dessert recipe.

The mascarpone, rum, and egg yolk mixture as well as the whipped cream:

The mascarpone mixture and whipped cream combined:

The whipped egg white mixture and the final mascarpone cream mixture:

Let’s layer:

How to Slice and Serve Tiramisu

As with most layered desserts, you can’t be nervous to just dive right in and start serving! Serve square portions. Make even cuts with a sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between each cut. A small metal serving spatula to remove the slices is massively helpful.

Common Tiramisu Questions – Answered

This is one of the best homemade tiramisu recipes that I’ve had—and I definitely encourage you to try it! Here are 4 FAQs and answers that will help you get started:

1. What kind of rum do I use in tiramisu?Dark rum is best, but you can use brandy or your favorite coffee liqueur.
2. Egg whites or whipped cream? Most tiramisu recipes use whipped egg whites OR whipped cream in the mascarpone cream layers. Egg whites contribute a more airy texture, while whipped cream makes the filling a bit more rich. This recipe actually uses both, so you’re getting both delightful textures.
3. Are the eggs cooked? Tiramisu is a no-bake dessert. The egg yolks are gently cooked on the stovetop, but the egg whites are raw. Purchase pasteurized eggs because they are safe to consume raw.
4. What size pan to use?This particular tiramisu recipe yields a large volume and the pan will be very full. Make sure your pan is large enough. I recommend a 9×13-inch dish with at least a 12-14 cup capacity. This 4-quart dish is wonderful too.

More Specialty Desserts

• Tiramisu Crepe Cake
• Crème Brûlée
• Amaretto Cheesecake
• Chocolate Soufflé
• Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding
• Homemade Eclairs

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