Tiramisù is possibly the most famous Italian dessert ever and there are milions of Tiramisù recipes variations for every taste.
The origin of Tiramisù is most likely connected with Treviso town (Veneto region), but nowadays it is prepared everywhere in Italy and the rest of the world, as it is a delicious spoon dessert.
When it comes to Italian cuisine, like many Italians, I tend to be very strict and could really get very frustrated when I see traditional Italian dishes getting totally “distroyed” by wrong cooking information.
For this reason, I cannot help to include on my blog my family easy and traditional homemade recipe of Tiramisu, the way my mum has always made and from whom I learnd.
This recipe does not want to be considered as the unique official Tiramisù recipe as I am not a chef, so feel free to adapt it according to your own recipes and taste, keeping in mind that the following recipe is how Tiramisù is made in many Italian (or at least Sicilian) houses.
As often happens with authentic Italian recipes: the simplest the better! Get ready for some shocking tips for a real Italian Tiramisù!
Ingredients:
- 4 medium size eggs
- 200 gr granulated sugar
- 500 gr mascarpone cheese
- coffee (Moka or machine espresso diluted with water)
- roughly 50 ladyfinger cookies (400gr)
- Cocoa powder for dusting
How to make Tiramisù:
- Brew the Perfect Coffee: Brew a few cups of Espresso. Let it cool to room temperature. My mum’s favourite coffee would be Moka Espresso, however I adore machine espresso, and I usually prepare roughly 3-4 cups, pour them into a bigger bowl and then I add a glass of hot water to make it longer and less strong. I do not add any sugar or liqueur (such as rum).
- Prepare the Mascarpone cream: Take 2 large bowls. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. In the first bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until they achieve a thick, pale consistency. Introduce the mascarpone cheese, blending until smooth and velvety.
- Whip It Good: In a separate bowl, whip the eggs white (wash the whisks from the previous use otherwise it won’t whip up!) until stiff peaks form. Mum’s tip: put the bowl upside-down; if the eggs do not move, it means they are ready. The traditional Tiramisù does not include any whip cream or cream cheese!!!
- Mix the cream: Fold the whipped egg whites into the mascarpone mixture, gently stiring the mix from bottom to top (don’t use whisks otherwise the cream will deflate!).
- Dip and Layer: Briefly dip each ladyfinger into the coffee, and arrange them in a single layer in your serving dish.
- Dust with Cocoa: Dust the biscuits top with cocoa powder using a fine sieve (N.B. I know many recipes suggest the cocoa powder only at the end of preparation, however I’ve always covered each biscuit layer with cocoa which you then find at each spoon taste!)
- Spread the mascarpone cream: Spread the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers, ensuring a generous even layer.
- Repeat the Layers: Repeat the layers at point 5, 6 and 7 as much as the ingredients quantity allows you.
- Dust with Cocoa: Dust the top with cocoa powder using a fine sieve. N.B. I know many people prefer to cover the Tiramisù top with cocoa powder only before serving, however I prefer to dust it in this phase as I don’t like the fresh powder on my mouth when I eat the Tiramisu, I prefer the powder when it is slighly wet and absorbed by the cream.
- Chill and Set: Cover the Tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate for ideally overnight. This allows the flavors to meld for that traditional taste.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve chilled and savor the authenticity of this classic tiramisù, made from scratch with love.
FAQs:
- Can I make Tiramisu the night before? Yes! Tiramisu actually benefits from overnight refrigeration, allowing the flavors to fully develop.
- Why does Tiramisu need to be refrigerated? Refrigeration ensures the Tiramisù sets properly, enhancing its texture and flavor.
- Can you make Tiramisù without raw eggs? The classic Tiramisu recipe is with raw eggs and honestly I’ve been eating this since I was a child and nothing ever happened to my health (as long as you use fresh eggs, you always keep the Tiramisu in the fridge and consum the dessert in a few days maximum). If you are intolerant to raw eggs, there are variations with cooked eggs or without eggs, but I would not call it Tiramisù anymore.
- Tiramisu Recipe Variations: There are several variations of the classic recipe, such as the kids friendly Tiramisù where instead of coffee you can use milk and chocolate, or the pistachio Tiramisù or Tiramisù with ricotta cheese etc. Experiment with different ladyfinger substitutes like Pavesini for a unique twist.
- When to eat Tiramisu? This dessert is very common in the whole Italian peninsula and of course, in my region. In Sicily, we usually prepare it as a Sunday dessert, or when we are invited for a special lunch or dinner or during Christmas or Easter celebrations.
If you liked this easy homemade version of Tiramisù, have a look at my homemade arancini recipe!
