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.
- Espresso-Dipped Ladyfingers
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Line dipped ladyfingers in bottom of pan. If needed, cut some ladyfingers to fill in any empty spaces.
- Beat mascarpone and rum together. Use quality mascarpone. I like BelGioioso brand (not sponsored—truly what I always use).
- 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.
- Beat egg yolks into mascarpone cream mixture.
- Whip heavy cream and vanilla extract into medium peaks.
- Fold whipped cream into mascarpone cream mixture.
- Beat the egg whites and salt together until foamy, then slowly pour in sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Fold egg white mixture into mascarpone cream mixture.
- Layer half of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers. An offset spatula helps.
- Dip and layer remaining ladyfingers.
- Top with remaining cream mixture, then chill for for 2-3 hours.
- 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.
- 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:
- What kind of rum do I use in tiramisu? Dark rum is best, but you can use brandy or your favorite coffee liqueur.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
Tiramisu
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 12 hours
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Review the recipe notes and video tutorial before starting. Tiramisu tastes best when chilled overnight, so this is a wonderful make-ahead dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/4 cups (300ml) very strongly prepared espresso, warm or room temperature
- 6 Tablespoons (90ml) Grand Marnier*
- 40–45 ladyfingers*
- 16 ounces (about 2 cups; 450g) mascarpone, cold
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) dark rum
- 4 large pasteurized eggs, separated*
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar, divided*
- 2 cups (480ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
Instructions
- You need a large 9×13-inch baking pan/dish with at least a 12-14 cup capacity. Set aside and have ready to go!
- Dip half of the ladyfingers: You will form 2 layers each of dipped ladyfingers and mascarpone cream. Let’s begin with the 1st layer of ladyfingers. Whisk the espresso and Grand Marnier together in a shallow bowl. One at a time, quickly dip each side of the ladyfinger into the espresso mixture. You don’t want to over-saturate the ladyfinger with liquid because then the ladyfingers will taste soggy. Just a quick dip on each side. Arrange the dipped ladyfingers in the baking pan to make one solid layer. If needed, cut some ladyfingers to fill in any empty spaces. Reserve remaining espresso mixture and ladyfingers for another layer.
- Begin the mascarpone cream: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the mascarpone and rum together on medium speed in a large bowl for a few seconds, just to combine. Do not overmix. Set aside.
- Prepare a double boiler for the egg yolks: If you have a double boiler, use it in this step. If you don’t, place a heatproof bowl over a small pot of simmering water over medium-low heat. Don’t let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Using a whisk or eggbeater (I simply use a whisk), whisk the egg yolks and 1/4 cup (50g) of granulated sugar together until light and foamy, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately pour into the mascarpone mixture. Beat on medium speed until combined.
- Whip the heavy cream: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream and vanilla extract together on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3 minutes. Medium peaks are between soft/loose peaks and stiff peaks and are the perfect consistency for the tiramisu cream. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.
- Beat the egg whites: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a *clean* whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt together on medium-high speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase to high speed and slowly pour in the remaining 1/4 cup (50g) of sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes. (Do not over-beat as the egg whites will become dry.) Fold into the mascarpone cream.
- Spread half of the mascarpone cream evenly over bottom layer of ladyfingers. An offset spatula helps spread it neatly and evenly.
- Dip remaining ladyfingers: Dip remaining ladyfingers into remaining espresso mixture and arrange one-by-one on top of the mascarpone layer. Gently press each down so they are nice and compact. Using an offset spatula, spread remaining mascarpone mixture evenly on top. If you’re using a large enough pan, it should all fit (but it will definitely tower high!). Refrigerate uncovered for 2-3 hours.
- Add cocoa layer, then chill: After a couple hours in the refrigerator, sift or strain a dense layer of cocoa powder all over the top. Wipe the rim of the baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then refrigerate for at least 8-9 more hours and up to 1 day.
- Using a sharp knife, slice chilled tiramisu into servings. Wipe knife clean between cuts. A small metal serving spatula is helpful for removing the slices.
- Cover leftover tiramisu and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Prepare tiramisu through step 8. Tightly cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer, evenly dust the top with cocoa, then thaw in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. (Can thaw covered or uncovered.)
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Baking Pan | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Double Boiler | Offset Spatula | Fine Mesh Sieve | Small Metal Serving Spatula
- Smaller Recipe: Halve this recipe for a 9-inch or 10-inch square baking pan.
- Espresso: For the espresso, combine 5 Tablespoons instant espresso powder in 1 and 1/4 cups hot water. This is stronger than brewed espresso and perfect for tiramisu. In a pinch, use super super super strong black coffee.
- Grand Marnier: This addition makes this a boozier version of tiramisu because you have alcohol in both the coffee soak mixture and the mascarpone cream. Grand Marnier’s flavor is lovely in this dessert, but you can skip it and stick with just the dark rum.
- Ladyfingers: Ladyfingers (savoiardi in Italian) are a sweet, pretty dry, and finger-shaped sponge cookie/cake. They’re found in most large grocery stores, Italian markets, or you can purchase them online. You can also make them from scratch—there are many recipes online! I use 2 standard packages of ladyfingers for this recipe.
- Eggs: Maida Heatter’s recipe calls for 5 large eggs, but in hopes to slightly reduce the volume of mascarpone cream, I reduced down to 4 large eggs. Both the egg whites and egg yolks are used in the mascarpone cream. An egg separator is helpful. The egg yolks are gently cooked, but if you’re concerned with eating raw eggs, purchase pasteurized eggs because they are safe to consume raw.
- Sugar: I increased the sugar by 2 Tablespoons for a VERY slightly sweeter cream. This is still not an overly sweet dessert.
- Non-Alcoholic Version: Skip the Grand Marnier and replace rum with milk.
Recipe reprinted in partnership with Little, Brown and Company. Recipe from Happiness is Baking by Maida Heatter, foreword by Dorie Greenspan.
Just made this for my family for Christmas Eve. Going to let it sit for 48 hours and then top with coco powder right before I serve it! Followed the recipe to a tee- not one change and it looked amazing! I left the Marscapone cheese out to get room temperature before I began along with all the ingredients not one issue! Hope this helps we are all excited to eat this one! Thanks for great directions!
I halved the recipe. My mascarpone was at room temp. but curdled when I mixed it with the kahlua (which I used instead of gran marnier). Do you know why that happened? I’m also unsure if my eggs/sugar ever got to be “light and foamy”; my glass bowl definitely never touched the simmered water and I used a hand whisk for about 7 min. I think it would have been helpful to me if I had seen a photo of this step.
Everything tasted great and it’s in the refrigerator for tomorrow’s dessert I am just not sure if it will look as fantastic as your’s does.
Mix your khalua with the esspresso is what I do for what it’s worth. Try it next time!
Thom
Hey Sally, I can’t find mascarpone anywhere! Can I replace it with something?
Make it using cream and lemon juice. 2.5 cups cream and 2.5 Tbls lemon juice.
Heat cream to a simmer then add in lemon juice. Whisk until slightly thickened about 10-15mins. Pour in bowl to cool. Refrigerate overnight.
Hi Sally! I’m 12 years old and love to cook! I always enjoy watching the videos to your recipes. They are always so simple and easy to follow. If I want a creamier texture to my cream, should I just use 2 egg whites instead of 4?
Hi Kaitlyn! You can try using 2, or you can just skip the egg whites if you wish. If you skip the egg whites you will add that sugar and salt with the heavy cream and vanilla extract when you make the whipped cream. Let us know how it turns out!
This recipe is amazing!!! I’ve cooked my tiramisu following this recipe twice already (considering that I’ve NEVER made Tiramisu before), and as I’ve practiced making it, the second time I made it, it was just as good as the tiramisu at our favourite Italian restaurant!!! LOVE IT!!! Huge thanks to the author of the recipe for sharing it with us all and for letting me imagine that I am a great chef, even for a day!!! ❤️
Love this recipe! Is it possible to make this in a round springform pan instead of a square one?
Hi Erika, Yes, any pan holding about 3 quarts works for this recipe.
The mix of whipped cream and egg whites makes it all. It’s so airy and light (in the good way). And the sugar is so well balanced! I mixed cocoa powder with the coffee to make it easier on the kids. They loved it and asked me to make another one right away! Thanks.
How would I modify this for a 9 inch, spring board pan?
Hi Alexandria, You can cut this recipe in halve for a 9×9 inch square baking pan.
Hi Sally,
Hoping to try this today but was wondering if it was ok to simply eliminate the egg whites and/or use more heavy cream in lieu? Making this for a big crowd and can’t add egg whites…
Thanks!
Hi Anita, You can leave out the egg whites. Add that sugar and salt with the heavy cream and vanilla extract when you make the whipped cream.
Made a non-alcoholic version of this for a party with kids. Was a huge hit! Fantastic recipe! Will 100% make this again
Hi Sally!
I want to make this recipe for a special someone on his birthday! Your recipe calls grand marnier and dark rum which i have! however, do you think Kahlua is better? I am so nervous because he is an experienced chef/baker!
I cant wait to make this!
Hi Gina, Though we haven’t tested it, you can definitely try using Kahlua instead of the espresso or rum. One reader commented above that he used it instead of rum and loved the results.
Hi Sally! I made this on Friday for our anniversary dessert on Saturday and it was a huge hit! At first I thought it would be intimidating but the instructions made it SO EASY! It may have been more dishes but the recipe was easy to to follow. Thanks for posting another winner! 🙂
Hi the mixture of my whipped cream is not that smooth unlike in your photos/video. The video shows that when whipping the whipping cream the end result should be foamy but after 4-5min the whipping cream is not foamy so we extended the time until the the whipping cream separated 🙁
What type of lady fingers are best to use, hard or sponge? Thank you
Hi Sandra, They are more of a sponge cookie. You can see the recipe notes for details and for a link to the brand that Sally used in this recipe. I hope this helps!
Hi I love this recipe but just want to clarify. When combining the whipped cream with the mascarpone-egg yolk mixture, the whipped cream has to be ice cold and the mascarpone mixture room temperature??
AMAZING PERIOD!!!!! THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!
I have a dark spiced rum (Sailor Jerry’s). Is this the same as dark rum, or should it not be spiced rum? Do you have a preferred brand?
Thanks! Really looking forward to making this!
Hi Joanne, you can definitely used spiced dark rum here.
Hi Sally!
Love this recipe. Made it four times and my tiramisu keeps getting better. I face a problem, though – my mascerpone and egg yolk mixture split when I added the whipped cream, and when I tried to fox it or became completely flat and the tiramisu ended up extremely runny. Please give me tips on how to avoid splitting! Thank you!
Hi Meghana, Thank you for trying this recipe and reporting back! It’s likely the mascarpone causing the issue. If it’s too cold, it won’t combine as nicely. It’s possible yours was still a bit too cold.
Awesome recipe! Written down in my recipe journal already.
I’m making this for my girlfriend…
Thank you so much!
I would like to omit the egg whites, and I read in previous comments that I can just add the sugar and salt into the heavy whipped cream/vanilla extract mixture, but would it be fine if I mixed them into the egg yolks instead (meaning not dividing the sugar)?
Hi Leanne, you could add the sugar and salt that you use for the egg whites to the egg yolks– but for best results, I recommend adding them to the heavy cream and vanilla extract (when you make the whipped cream).
Hi!
Any non-alcoholic subs I can use?
Moe
Overall the tiramisu came out great! However the recipe has one large flaw in not having you temper the eggs before adding them to the mascarpone. My mixture immediately curdled when I added the eggs. As an experienced baker I’m embarrassed I didn’t think ahead of time of the need to temper the eggs, however, it should definitely be included in the recipe.
Hi Kelly, glad you enjoyed this recipe! You cook the egg yolks in step 4. Sorry if I’m misreading your comment!
No I cooked the egg yolks in step 4 but then they partially scrambled/ curdled upon adding them to the mascarpone. I’m assuming that’s because they weren’t tempered first?
I tried this recipe. I thought the flavor was good but I was not a fan of the texture. I gave this recipe a poor rating because there was a lot that I had to sift through on the webpage in order to get a full understanding of the recipe. Also, I made the mistake of eating raw eggs whites bc I didn’t see the FAQ. I think a tip like that should be in the recipe…4 pasteurized eggs in the ingredient list would have been helpful.
Hey, I’m having a bit of trouble. I’ve tried your recipe out quite a few times and it’s always turned out amazing. However, lately my cream mixture has been curdling. I don’t know if it’s the temperature difference or something to do with the rum, but it’s happened twice now. Any advice?
Hi Aaron, It’s likely the mascarpone causing the issue. If it’s too cold, it won’t combine as nicely. If you try again try bringing the mascarpone to room temperature.
Excellent recipe. I substituted 1/2 cup whip cream and 14 ounces of cream cheese for the mascarpone. Was great if you’d like your tiramisu a tad less sweet.
I made this for my family , it was the best Tiramisu , my family raved about it. I did not have Grand Marnier so i substituted Crown Royal Whiskey . My family asks when am I going to make it again. I cant wait to make it so I can have a slice. Thank you .
This is simply HEAVENLY. Hands down the best tiramisu I’ve ever had. I’ve made this several times now and everyone who’s tried it raves about it! My husband requests this frequently and I will keep this recipe forever!
Hi, Sally
I was reading your recipe for the burnt sugar cake recipe before this one. I wondered if some burnt sugar syrup could be added to the tiramisu cream for an added depth of flavor. I haven’t worked with burnt sugar before so I don’t know how strong of a flavor it is. How much syrup would you recommend adding to the cream?
Hi Evonne, that sounds delicious! The burnt sugar syrup from my burnt sugar cake has a pretty strong flavor, but you’d need quite a lot for that flavor to really come through in this dessert. I would start with at least 1/4 cup in the cream mixture. (Make sure the syrup has cooled completely before using.) Taste, then stir or beat in a little more as needed. The recipe yields 1 cup of syrup, so you may want to halve it.
extraordinaryyy
Hi Sally! I read this recipe is delicious even without egg whites. You mentioned putting the remaining sugar and salt in the whipped cream. Would I be able to include the remaining sugar with the sugar used to mix with the egg yolks over the double broiler?