Easy Tiramisu Recipe

There are few desserts as beloved and sophisticated as a classic Tiramisu. This Italian masterpiece balances the rich, creamy texture of sweetened mascarpone with the bold, bitter notes of espresso and dark rum. While modern versions appeared in the late 20th century, its rapid rise to “classic” status is a testament to just how delicious it is.

This recipe features a traditional zabaglione base—egg yolks gently cooked with sugar—which provides a lovely custardy foundation that holds the dessert together. Combined with fluffy whipped cream and coffee-soaked ladyfingers, the result is a dessert that melts on the tongue, is not overly sweet, and serves as the perfect end to a meal.

Ingredients

The Coffee Soak

• 1 ½ cups espresso or very strong coffee, brewed and cooled to room temperature
• ½ cup dark rum

The Creamy Filling

• 16 oz mascarpone cheese
• ¼ cup dark rum
• 6 large egg yolks
• ⅔ cup (133g) granulated sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream, cold
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Assembly

• ~40 ladyfingers (approx. 2 packages)
• ⅓ cup dark or Dutch-processed cocoa powder, for dusting

Instructions

1. Prepare the Dipping Liquid In a medium bowl, combine the room-temperature espresso (or strong coffee) with ½ cup of dark rum. Give it a quick stir and set aside for the assembly stage.
2. Soften the Mascarpone In a large bowl, place the mascarpone cheese and add ¼ cup of dark rum. Using a whisk or hand mixer, mix until the mascarpone is nice, creamy, and consistent. Set this mixture aside.
3. Make the Zabaglione (Custard Base) Prepare a double boiler by placing a medium heat-proof bowl over a pot filled with about 2 inches of simmering water (ensure the bowl does not touch the water). Add the egg yolks and granulated sugar to the bowl. Whisk the mixture constantly over the gentle heat for 5 to 8 minutes. The goal is to cook the egg yolks to 160°F for food safety, dissolve the sugar, and create a slightly thickened mixture with a pale yellow color. Once thickened, remove from heat.
4. Combine and Chill Pour the warm custard mixture into the bowl with the rum-mascarpone mixture. Use a hand mixer to incorporate them until fully combined. Because the custard is warm, the mixture may be quite slack; cover and refrigerate it for approximately 15 minutes to let it set up slightly.
5. Whip the Cream While the base chills, pour the cold heavy cream and vanilla extract into a large bowl or stand mixer. Whip the cream, starting on low and working up to high speed, until you achieve beautiful soft peaks. Be careful not to over-whip; the cream should be stiff enough to hold its shape but not overworked.
6. Fold the Mousse Remove the mascarpone base from the fridge. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. Use a spatula to cut through the middle and turn the bowl, mixing until no streaks remain and the color is uniform. This ensures the filling retains volume and lightness.
7. Assemble the Layers Grab a 9×13-inch baking dish. Take a ladyfinger and dip it into the coffee-rum mixture for just one or two seconds per side—do not over-soak them or the dessert will become soggy. Arrange the soaked cookies in a single layer at the bottom of the dish. Spread half of the creamy mascarpone mixture evenly over the ladyfingers using an offset spatula.
8. Repeat and Finish Create a second layer by dipping the remaining ladyfingers and placing them over the cream. Top with the remaining mascarpone mixture and smooth it out into a nice even layer. Finally, sprinkle the cocoa powder generously all over the top for a chocolatey finish.
9. Chill and Serve Clean the edges of the dish with a damp paper towel and refrigerate the Tiramisu overnight. This chilling time is essential for the dessert to set up and achieve the structure required for slicing. Once set, cut into squares and enjoy.

Optional Tips

• Substitutions: While dark rum offers a classic punch of flavor, you can personalize this dessert by using Grand Marnier, Amaretto, coffee liqueur, or brandy. For a kid-friendly version, you can omit the alcohol entirely.
• Make Ahead: This is an excellent make-ahead dessert. It requires one night in the fridge but can be made up to two days in advance.
• Dipping Technique: Ladyfingers are very porous sponges. A quick 1-2 second dip is all they need; if you over-saturate them, the dessert may leak liquid later. If you run out of dipping liquid, simply brew a little more coffee and add a splash of rum.
• Time-Saver: If you do not have time to chill the dessert overnight, you can assemble the layers in individual serving cups. They won’t have the structure to be sliced, but they will still taste delicious after just a few hours in the fridge.