Easy Tiramisu Recipe

For a long time I thought that tiramisu was a dessert which could only be found in restaurants. It seemed rather complicated, with its egg yolks, the need to use double boilers, and the layers that had to be put together in a particular way, so I was happy to have someone else prepare it for me. One day, however, a friend asked me to bring dessert to a dinner and I had only one free evening, so I decided I had nothing to lose. I left out the eggs, used the mascarpone and the cream, and ended up with a dish so good that two people asked for the recipe before they had finished eating their portions. I’ve been making it exactly as I did then ever since.

Making this Easy Tiramisu Recipe for about twenty-five minutes of hands-on work, doesn’t require an oven, and contains no raw eggs. You should whip the cream, fold in the mascarpone, dip some ladyfingers in coffee, and then let the refrigerator take care of the rest. The result is creamy, only slightly sweet, and just about as coffee-flavoured as the real thing.

Why This One Works

Traditional tiramisu calls for a custard made from raw or lightly cooked egg yolks. Although that’s a good thing, it does take up some time and introduces a little concern. In this version, mascarpone and whipped cream take on the role themselves, the result being smooth and rich without being heavy. A small amount of powdered sugar is used to sweeten it and a little vanilla is added to prevent it from tasting flat. The one real requirement is patience, since the dessert has to remain in the fridge for several hours to set and for the ladyfingers to soften until they attain that cake-like texture.

Easy Tiramisu Recipe: Creamy, Coffee-Soaked & No-Bake

You can make easy tiramisu at home using coffee-soaked ladyfingers,silky mascarpone cream and a light dusting of cocoa; this no-bake, egg-free recipe willalways give you a light and creamy café-style dessert

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Chill time 6 minutes mins

Total Time 6 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Servings: 3

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

What You’ll Need

• Will serve about nine people and should be served in a dish that is 8 or 9 inches square.
• One cup strong brewed coffee or espresso cooled
• Two tablespoons coffee liqueur or Marsala optional
• Eight ounces mascarpone cold
• One and a half cups heavy cream cold
• Half a cup powdered sugar
• One teaspoon vanilla extract
• About twenty-four crisp ladyfingers savoiardi
• Two to three tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
• Dark chocolate shavings optional

Method

 

How to Make It

STEP 1

1. Once the coffee has cooled, pour it into a shallow dish, add the liqueur if you are using it, and place the dish beside your baking dish. Remember to ensure that the coffee is not hot, otherwise the ladyfingers will fall apart as soon as they come into contact with it.

STEP 2

1. Stir the mascarpone into the powdered sugar and vanilla in a big bowl until it becomes smooth, being careful not to overdo it. If the mascarpone is beaten too vigorously it can become grainy, so all you need is a spatula or a few slow strokes from a mixer.

STEP 3

1. Take the cream and whip it in another bowl until it reaches a stiff peak. Add it to the mascarpone mixture in two batches, mixing only until the streaks are no longer visible. The cream should then appear thick, fluffy, and spreadable.

STEP 4

1. Now for the interesting part—put each ladyfinger into the coffee for a period of about one to two seconds on each side, long enough to make it damp but not soggy—and place it in the dish. Arrange approximately twelve so that they form one tight layer. Evenly spread half of the cream mixture over the top.

STEP 5

1. Dip the ladyfingers again in a second layer and then spread the left-over cream on them, using the back of a spoon to smooth the surface.

STEP 6

1. Put the cover on and refrigerate it for at least six hours, preferably over night. Just before serving, pass the surface lightly over a fine sieve to dust it with cocoa powder and add the chocolate shavings if you wish. Cut it into slices, use a spatula to lift it out and then serve it cold.

A Few Things I’ve Learned Making This

1. The main error is to soak the ladyfingers too much; a brief dip is sufficient since they continue to absorb moisture from the cream as the dessert chills. You should use the crisp and dry Italian type, not the soft sponge variety, as those become mushy very quickly. The mascarpone and cream should be kept cold until you are ready to use them, because warm dairy cannot be whipped properly. Also, don’t sprinkle the cocoa until right before serving, or it will soak in and the top will end up patchy and damp.
2. If You Want to Switch It Up
3. Rum, amaretto, or Marsala can all be used as a substitute for coffee liqueur, or you can omit the alcohol altogether and use a little bit more coffee. If you are serving it in the evening and prefer to avoid the caffeine, decaf espresso works very well. To make a chocolate version, mix a tablespoon of cocoa into the coffee or incorporate some grated dark chocolate into the cream layer. It is also possible to prepare it in individual glasses or small jars, since this makes serving easier and looks impressive when serving to guests.

Storing Leftovers

1. As long as tiramisu is tightly covered it will remain good in the refrigerator for up to three days, though in all honesty it usually tastes best on the second day. You can freeze it for as long as one month, provided it is well wrapped and without the cocoa on top, after which you should let it thaw overnight in the fridge; the texture will then be a bit softer but the flavour will be retained.

Questions People Ask Me

Has this tiramisu got any raw eggs?

1. No, this recipe omits the eggs altogether and therefore contains nothing raw.

Why does my tiramisu turn out to be runny?

1. It’s usually because the ladyfingers have been soaked for too long, the mascarpone has been overmixed, or it hasn’t been chilled for long enough. Dip them quickly, fold them gently, and chill it for a full six hours.

Can I substitute cream cheese for mascarpone?

1. Well, you could if you had to, but the result would be more tangy and less refined. Mascarpone is really worth looking out for.

Notes

It is often thought that tiramisu is hard to make, but I believe that idea is mostly just a myth. As long as you are able to whip up some cream and dip a cookie in coffee, then you can prepare this dish. Just put everything together the night before, leave it to chill, and you’ll end up with a dessert that appears as though you’ve put in a great deal of effort, even though in fact the fridge did most of the work.