This is an authentic tiramisu recipe, with an egg-yolk mascarpone cream made partially on the stove, served as individual desserts in cups. The flavor improves as it chills, and it tastes even better the next day when the flavors meld and the ladyfingers soften.
It's creamy and richer than this tiramisu without eggs, and perfect for parties, holiday tables and Easter gatherings.
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No-bake Italian dessert
Tiramisu was my dessert for years when I went to a restaurant. It was the '90s, and this creamy Italian dessert was peaking. I think I ate so much that I suddenly stopped and didn't make or eat it for a long time after that.
Thankfully, it didn't last forever, and I have been on a tiramisu obsession (again!) for the past years. So I decided to post a series here. So far, we have the decadent and fudgy tiramisu brownies, and a simpler and easy tiramisu without eggs.
This version is made the old-fashioned way, with egg yolks (zabaglione-style filling) and the slightly sour and rich mascarpone cheese, a trademark ingredient that is not to be substituted. The original Italian way is timeless, no matter how you serve this coffee dessert. In contrast, the no-egg or whipped cream versions came later for convenience and food safety.
The assembly is quick; it's just a matter of layering.
You can find it as part of our no-bake desserts category, and it goes from a sophisticated dinner party to a Christmas dessert table or a casual weekend barbecue, as long as you have a refrigerator nearby to keep it until serving.
For large crowds where there are several desserts, serve mini tiramisu in small, disposable cups, catering-style. They're a 3-4 bite dessert and easy to eat standing up.
Testing Notes
Use mascarpone cheese. It's unique and does make a difference. It's part of tiramisu's trademark and what makes it unique. Like using cream cheese for a cheesecake, it's worth looking for it. Link to buy it online is in the recipe card.
Dip ladyfingers quickly in the cooled coffee soak. These biscuits are hard on the outside but extremely light and porous, so they soak up liquids fast. You want them to retain their shape, not disintegrate and turn into mush. Make sure the coffee is cold, or the biscuits will lose shape almost immediately.
Use unsweetened cocoa powder. Yes, an Italian tiramisu dessert is strongly flavored, and the final dusting is part of the deal. Sweetened won't cut it.
Whipped cream: Start with cold heavy cream and beat until you have medium-firm peaks, where the tip falls slightly when you invert the beaters. Over-whipped cream (stiff peaks) can turn grainy, and under-whipped cream won't give the filling enough structure.
It's a no-bake dessert that needs chilling time after assembling it, for flavor and texture. And there's no way around it. In my opinion, you don't serve homemade tiramisu from scratch directly, right after it's assembled.
Serve it cold and dust with cocoa at the last moment. Assemble it, cover the dish and refrigerate it until ready to serve. Just like my darling chocotorta cake, this dessert benefits immensely from chilling in the fridge overnight.
Coffee-flavor: Use your favorite coffee. I like it strong and regular, but you can use decaf. And with a touch of coffee liquor, Marsala or another liqueur such as brandy: though optional, it's a small amount, and it nicely cuts through the richness and sweetness that this coffee dessert with ladyfingers provides. For me, it's a must, unless serving it to kids, but they don't usually care for coffee desserts.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Ladyfingers or savoiardi biscuits: these Italian cookies are non-negotiable. You can't make an authentic-style tiramisu without them. You can buy ladyfingers online, in specialty stores, and some supermarkets also carry them.
- Mascarpone: I would debate that it's also non-negotiable and that you can easily buy soft mascarpone cheese online. And though true, I understand sometimes it's not available. Use creme fraiche or sour cream (you need an acidic cheese) mixed with cream cheese. Always regular, full-fat.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
I like to refrigerate this espresso dessert for a day before eating. The components meld together, and the flavor is way better than if eaten with only a few hours of refrigeration. You should be able to easily spoon it out of the cups.
Process steps
Custard base
This tiramisu filling starts with a custard made on the stovetop, the old-fashioned way.
If you don't have a double boiler, place a bowl over a pot of boiling water, ensuring it's larger than the pot and not touching the water.
Whisk patiently
Your egg yolk mixture is ready when it turns pale, thick, and no longer runny.
Mascarpone cream
After adding the creamy mascarpone, the custard will be thicker and unctuous.
Whipped cream
It's beaten to soft peaks and folded into the mascarpone preparation until you have a light colored, even preparation with a creamy texture.
Your tiramisu cream is ready to be used. If making it in advance, cover and refrigerate.
Assembly
Ladyfinger biscuits
They're crunchy (some hard) on the outside but very airy. It's imperative to moisten them with coffee, but not too much, or they will turn mushy. We don't want that!
Even if they look too dry, that's what chilling the assembled dessert does: it moistens the ingredients together.
Layering
I find that two layers of each component is the perfect amount. This is a creamy dessert eaten with a spoon, so don't make it too tall or it'll be messy.
Refrigeration
You need to refrigerate it to allow the flavors to meld, and before dusting it with cocoa.
After you spread the last part of the mascarpone mixture, cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until ready to serve, between 2 and 24 hours.
Cocoa dusting
This is a simple icebox dessert finished with a layer of cocoa powder.
Don't refrigerate it after sprinkling it, unless it's leftovers, of course.
Make a large tiramisu
This is a classic recipe for this Italian dessert, and this post is all about individual servings. So we use cups, goblets, glasses or jars.
That said, you can make it the traditional way, in a rectangular or square baking dish, icebox-cake style.
It'll be more family-style, and you can serve it straight from the baking dish, like you would dump cake recipes or crumbles.
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Creamy Easy Tiramisu Cups (egg yolk custard)
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks
- ¼ cup sugar
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream, cold
- 10 ladyfingers or savoiardi biscuits
- 1 cup cooled prepared coffee, or dissolve 1 or 2 tablespoons espresso powder in 1 cup water
- 1 or 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua or Tia Maria, optional
- cocoa powder, for dusting
Instructions
Prepare the mascarpone mixture:
- In a heatproof bowl, whisk 3 egg yolks and ¼ cup sugar until well combined. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water over medium-low heat. Make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water so the yolks don't curdle.
- Whisk the egg yolk mixture until it becomes light, foamy, and thickened. This will take about 8-10 minutes, so be patient.
- Remove from heat and immediately whisk in 8 ounces mascarpone cheese until fully incorporated and soft peaks form. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whip 1 cup heavy cream until soft peaks form.
- Pour whipped heavy cream into the mascarpone mixture. Gently fold them with a spatula until smooth and evenly combined.
Assemble the tiramisu:
- Place 1 cup cooled prepared coffee in a shallow dish or bowl. If using, add 1 or 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur. Have read the serving cups on a flat surface and make sure you have enough space in the fridge for chilling the desserts.
- Quickly dip each of 10 ladyfingers or savoiardi biscuits for 2-3 seconds per side, one at a time. Cut into pieces and layer a few pieces of the dipped biscuits at the bottom of each serving glass, cup or container.
- Pipe or spoon a layer of mascarpone mixture over the biscuits.
- Repeat layering with another dipped ladyfinger and more mascarpone. End with a layer of cheese mixture.
- Cover each container with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Overnight is better.
Garnish and serve:
- Before serving, remove the wrap and dust the top with a thin layer of cocoa powder for a classic tiramisu finish. Use a sifter or a fine mesh sieve.
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