Published August 31, 2023 · ⭐ 4.0 (10 reviews)

Prep	Cook	Total	Yield
30 min	No cook	5 hr	8 servings

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

Cream

6 large eggs, separated
120 g caster sugar
500 g mascarpone, room temperature
2 tbsp Marsala wine or rum (optional)

Soaking & Assembly

400 ml strong espresso or very strong coffee, cooled
50 ml coffee liqueur (Kahlúa or Tia Maria)
24–30 savoiardi (ladyfinger biscuits)
Cocoa powder for dusting

Steps Overview

Make zabaglione with egg yolks and sugar
Fold in mascarpone
Whip egg whites to stiff peaks and fold in
Dip ladyfingers quickly in coffee
Layer cream and ladyfingers twice; dust with cocoa
Refrigerate 4+ hours

Step-by-Step

1. Make the yolk base

In a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water (bain-marie), whisk egg yolks and sugar vigorously for 8–10 minutes until thick, pale, and the mixture holds a ribbon. Remove from heat. If using, whisk in the Marsala. Cool for 10 minutes.

2. Add mascarpone

Fold the mascarpone into the cooled yolk mixture in two additions until smooth. Do not beat — fold gently to keep volume.

3. Fold in whites

In a clean bowl, whisk egg whites to firm (not stiff) peaks. Fold one third into the mascarpone mixture to loosen, then fold in the remaining two thirds carefully with a large spatula.

4. Assemble

Mix coffee and coffee liqueur in a shallow bowl. Quickly dip each ladyfinger (1 second per side — no soaking) and arrange in a single layer in a 30 × 20 cm dish. Spread half the cream over the top. Repeat with a second layer of dipped ladyfingers and the remaining cream.

5. Rest and serve

Dust generously with sifted cocoa powder. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Dust with fresh cocoa again just before serving.

Notes

Speed is everything when dipping — over-soaked ladyfingers turn to mush. A quick dip is all it takes.
This recipe uses raw egg whites. Use pasteurised eggs if serving to the elderly, pregnant, or immunocompromised.
Tiramisu made the day before is noticeably better than same-day — the flavours meld beautifully overnight.
For a non-alcoholic version, simply omit the Marsala and liqueur.

Tiramisu