Classic Italian Espresso Tiramisu
This is tiramisu the way it's made in Italy — savoiardi biscuits soaked in bold espresso, a cloud-light mascarpone cream made with fresh eggs, and a generous dusting of bitter cocoa. It's the kind of dessert that fully lives up to its legendary reputation.
🛒 Ingredients
15 servings
- 400g savoiardi biscuits (Italian ladyfingers)
- 500g mascarpone
- 4 whole fresh eggs (at room temperature)
- 100g caster sugar
- 400ml very strong Italian espresso (cooled)
- 2 tablespoons instant coffee (optional, to intensify the flavor)
- 30g good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder (Van Houten or equivalent)
- 1 pinch of fine salt
Watch the original video
Watch on TikTokDirections
- 1
Brew a very strong espresso (or strong coffee) and let it cool completely to room temperature. You can stir in the instant coffee to boost the aroma. Pour into a shallow dish wide enough to dip the biscuits.
- 2
Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Beat the yolks with the sugar for 4 to 5 minutes using an electric mixer until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and falls back in a thick ribbon.
- 3
Fold the mascarpone into the sweetened yolks using a spatula, mixing gently with circular bottom-to-top motions until you have a smooth, uniform cream.
- 4
Whip the egg whites with the pinch of salt to stiff peaks. Gently fold them into the mascarpone cream in 3 additions, lifting the mixture carefully to keep the whites from deflating.
- 5
Quickly dip each savoiardo biscuit in the cooled espresso (1 to 2 seconds per side — they should be soaked through but not falling apart) and arrange them in a single even layer in a rectangular dish.
- 6
Spread half the mascarpone cream over the first layer of biscuits, smoothing it out evenly with a spatula.
- 7
Add a second layer of espresso-soaked biscuits on top of the cream, then finish with the remaining mascarpone cream, spreading it perfectly smooth across the surface.
- 8
Cover the dish with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the cream and refrigerate for at least 6 hours — ideally overnight — so the flavors meld and the cream sets properly.
- 9
Just before serving, dust the entire surface generously with sifted unsweetened cocoa powder using a fine-mesh sieve. Cut into clean portions and serve immediately.
💡 Chef's Tip
The secret to a perfect tiramisu is in the dipping: one second too long and the biscuits fall apart, one second too short and they stay dry. Test the texture by breaking a dipped biscuit — it should be moist all the way through but still hold its shape. For an even richer version, skip the egg whites entirely and use only yolks (6 yolks for 500g mascarpone) — the cream will be denser and more indulgent.
