I LOVE Tiramisu! So much so that my fluffy-haired calico cat is named Tiramisu. Moreover, I consider myself a Tiramisu connoisseur. I am always looking for the best Tiramisu recipe.
So after 10+ years of ordering Tiramusi in bakeries and restaurants and two months living in Italy, I have finally cracked down and developed the BEST Tiramisu recipe you will ever find.
This Tiramisu recipe uses only eggs (no cream) combined with a modern touch of incorporating a classic sabayon. There are no raw yolks by making a sabayon, which means this Tiramisu recipe is safe to eat while pregnant (just don’t add the alcohol)!
Of course, Tiramisu is a perfect finish to a lovely lunch or dinner with a cup of coffee. With that said, my recipe for the classic Italian dessert is so delicious that I will not blame you if you have a slice of Tiramisu for breakfast. After all, there is coffee in it!
Enjoying Tiramisu Around the Boot
All my life, I have gone out of my way to find the best Tiramisu. So when I spent two months in Italy, you would think I would eat Tiramisu every day.
Ironically, when I was in Italy, I wanted to discover more delicious Italian desserts. Therefore, I only enjoyed Tiramisu a handful of times. To this day, that is probably one of my biggest regrets.
Nevertheless, when I did have Tiramisu in Italy, WOW, it was delicious! It was like a luxurious party in my mouth. The bold flavors and luscious textures in every bite were perfecto.
I had the best Tiramisu in Milan at Pasticceria Martesana – home of Vincenzo Santoro, an award-winning pastry chef and Master of Italian Pastry.
In Italy, it is common to see whole cakes, single-served desserts, and delectable bite-sized desserts all decorated in a similar uniform in a pastry case. So although I saw a perfect slice of Tiramisu, I opted to purchase the bite-sized Tiramisu (along with others to enjoy a variety of desserts). This one-bite Tiramisu blew me away! It was indeed the perfect bite of Tiramisu I had ever had.
Sadly, I ate my one-bite Tiramisu on a train to Switzerland and couldn’t go back to order more. I guess I will just need to make another trip to Milan to order more.
I am pleased to say that I am very proud of my Tiramisu recipe. Does it taste as good as that one bite in Milan? I like to think it is as good, but who am I to compare against a Master of Italian Pastry? So I look forward to hearing what you think!
What is Tiramisu?
Tiramisu is one of Italy’s most classic desserts. It originated in Treviso, a city near Venice in the region of Veneto. The meaning of Tiramisu translates to “pick me up” or “cheer me up” because the dessert is so delicious, after one bite, you will be in complete bliss.
The iconic dessert consists of Ladyfinger cookies (or a sponge cake) soaked in espresso with a splash of alcohol, layered with a light and creamy mascarpone mixture. The top of the dessert is finished with a dusting of cocoa powder. Furthermore, the dessert does not need to be baked. It is chilled for at least 6 hours.
Today, there are several different variations of Tiramisu, such as Strawberry Tiramisu or Chocolate Tiramisu, but I prefer the classic Tiramisu. Additionally, you can prepare Tiramisu in a baking dish or a chocolate cup, individual mugs, and more. The options of preparing and enjoying Tiramisu are endless!
List of Ingredients in the Best Tiramisu Recipe
To make Tiramisu, you only need a handful of ingredients. If you can brew fresh espresso for the best bold flavor. Otherwise, instant espresso powder works well too.
Additionally, if you are pregnant (or not) and want to be extra cautious with your eggs, I recommend using pasteurized eggs. If you do, you will need cream of tartar to whip your egg whites into a meringue. Read my tips and tidbits section for more information, including how much cream of tartar to use.
This is a brief overview. Please refer to the ingredient measurements at the end of this post.
- Ladyfingers
- Eggs, separated (if you use pasteurized eggs, you also need cream of tartar)
- Sugar
- Mascarpone cheese
- Freshly brewed espresso, room temperature
- Kahlúa (optional), or your alcohol of choice: Marsala, Amaretto, Rum.
- Cocoa powder (for decoration)
How to Make the Best Tiramisu Recipe
My step-by-step recipe is easy to follow. All you need is love, patience, and time and you will be able to make the best Tiramisu ever!
This is a brief overview. Please refer to the full recipe description at the end of this post.
Prep pan – lightly grease a 9 x 9-inch cake pan. Carefully place plastic wrap on the pan to cover the bottom and edges of the pan. This helps remove the Tiramisu from the pan (if needed). You can skip the grease and plastic wrap if you are serving the Tiramisu still in the pan.
Make meringue – slowly beat the egg whites until it gets foamy. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar. Continue to whip egg whites until it becomes a shiny meringue with soft peaks.
Make sabayon – in another bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the rest of the sugar over a pot of simmering water (double boiler method). The sugar will dissolve, and the mixture will double in size. Furthermore, if you are pregnant, the sabayon temperature should reach 160º F to be considered safe to eat. Mix in 1 tablespoon Kahlúa (optional).
Add mascarpone cheese – slowly whisk in mascarpone cheese. The mascarpone cheese should not be too warm or cold, or you could curdle the mixture. For the best results, allow the mascarpone cheese to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Do not over mix! Once the mixture is smooth, set aside.
Fold in meringue – gently fold the meringue into the mixture. Fold a small portion as a “sacrifice.” Once incorporated, fold in half of the meringue. Then fold the remaining meringue into the mixture until the tiramisu cream is smooth, light, and fluffy. Set aside.
Prepare espresso – add room temp brewed espresso and 2 tablespoons Kahlúa (optional) into a shallow bowl – it should be wide enough to fit a ladyfinger cookie.
Assemble Tiramisu (ladyfinger) – carefully dip a ladyfinger cookie into the espresso to barely soak it. Do not oversoak, or the ladyfinger will become too soggy. I recommend dipping the ladyfinger for one second per side. Place the dipped ladyfinger into the prepared pan. Repeat the process until you have an even layer. If you want to be perfect and fill any gaps, cut the ladyfinger to the appropriate sizes.
Assemble Tiramisu (cream) – pour half of the cream mixture over the layer of ladyfingers and spread evenly. If you would like to be precise, weigh the total amount of cream before this process.
Assemble Tiramisu (repeat layers) – repeat another layer of soaked ladyfingers. Then pour the remaining amount of cream as the top layer. Dust cocoa powder over the top.
Refrigerate – lightly cover the Tiramisu with plastic wrap and chill overnight or for at least 6 hours.
Serve – remove the Tiramisu from the refrigerator. Using two hands, carefully lift the plastic wrap from either side of the pan and remove the Tiramisu. If it feels too soft, the ladyfingers were soaked too much, and you will have to cut the Tiramisu while in the pan. Remove plastic wrap by lifting one side of Tiramisu and quickly peeling the plastic wrap off. Repeat on the other side. Slice the Tiramisu as needed and serve.
Tips & Tidbits
Here are a few tips and tidbits on my Tiramisu recipe.
Why Egg Whites and Not Cream?
Today, you can find Tiramisu recipes that use either egg whites for a meringue or heavy cream to make whipped cream. Either method will result in a delicious Tiramisu.
However, an authentic Tiramisu recipe always uses egg whites. The egg whites used to make a meringue offer a more stable and lighter mixture than whipped cream.
Why This Tiramisu is Safe to Eat When Pregnant
There are a few reasons why my Tiramisu recipe is safe to eat when pregnant.
One, if you use pasteurized eggs for the meringue, it is considered safe to eat when pregnant. Please remember to read how to make meringue with pasteurized egg whites below.
Two, there are no raw yolks. By making a sabayon, you cook the egg yolks with the sugar to 160º F. At this temperature, the egg yolks are no longer raw and are considered safe to eat when pregnant.
Three, omit the alcohol, and it will be safe to eat when pregnant.
Four, make sure you do not consume your recommended caffeine limit before you have a slice of Tiramisu.
How to Make a Meringue with Pasteurized Egg Whites
Pasteurized eggs go through a process that uses heat to kill bacteria without cooking the egg. If you are consuming raw eggs while pregnant, i.e., poached egg, custard, mousse, and meringue – it is highly recommended to use pasteurized eggs.
Since the eggs go through a pasteurization process, when you make a meringue, you need to add cream of tartar, or the egg whites will never whip into peaks. The general rule of thumb is 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar per egg.
In this case, to make the meringue for my Tiramisu recipe, you will need to add 1 + 1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar with the 2 tablespoons of sugar.
More Italian Dessert Recipes
- Torta Tenerina – The Ultimate Italian Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Triple Chocolate Biscotti – a Sweet Twist on the Classic Italian Biscotti
- The Best Italian Hot Chocolate Recipe
- Cold Brew Coffee Granita – The Perfect Frozen Dessert
The Best Tiramisu
An authentic Tiramisu recipe that is safe to eat when pregnant - no raw yolks!
Ingredients
- 30 Savoiardi Ladyfingers (one package)
- 5 eggs, separated (if using pasteurized eggs, see notes)
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
- 16 oz. mascarpone cheese, (let sit out for only 10-15 minutes)
- 2 cups brewed espresso, room temp
- 3 tablespoons Kahlua (optional), or your alcohol of choice: Marsala, Amaretto, Rum
- Cocoa powder (for decoration)
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9 x 9-inch cake pan. Then carefully place plastic wrap on the pan to cover the bottom and edges of the pan. This helps remove the Tiramisu from the pan (if needed). You do not need to do this preparation step if you wish to serve from the pan.
- In a mixing bowl, make meringue. Slowly beat the egg whites until it gets foamy. Then add 2 tablespoons of sugar. Continue to whip egg whites until it becomes a shiny meringue with soft peaks. Set aside.
- In another bowl, make a sabayon by using the double boiler method. Whisk the egg yolks and the rest of the sugar (3/4 cup) in a bowl over a pot of simmering water. The sugar will dissolve, and the mixture will double in size. If you are pregnant, the sabayon temperature should reach 160º F to be considered safe to eat. Mix in 1 tablespoon of Kahlúa (optional).
- Remember, the mascarpone cheese should not be too warm or cold, or you could curdle the mixture. For the best results, allow the mascarpone cheese to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Carefully whisk the mascarpone cheese into the sabayon. Do not over mix! Once the mixture is smooth, set aside.
- Gently fold the meringue into the mixture a little at a time. First, fold a small portion as a "sacrifice." Once incorporated, fold in half of the meringue. Then fold the remaining meringue into the mixture until the tiramisu cream is smooth, light, and fluffy. Set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, mix together the room temp brewed espresso and 2 tablespoons Kahlúa (optional). The bowl should be wide enough to fit a ladyfinger cookie.
- Dip a ladyfinger cookie into the espresso to barely soak it. Do not oversoak, or the ladyfinger will become too soggy. Dipping the ladyfinger for one second per side should be perfect. Place the dipped ladyfinger into the prepared pan. Repeat the process until you have an even layer. If you want to be perfect and fill any gaps, cut the ladyfinger to the appropriate sizes.
- Pour half of the cream mixture over the layer of ladyfingers and spread evenly. If you would like to be precise, weigh the total amount of cream before this process.
- Repeat the assembly process with another layer of soaked ladyfingers. Then pour the remaining amount of cream as the top layer. Dust cocoa powder over the top.
- Lightly cover the Tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours.
- When ready, if you want to remove the Tiramisu from the pan - use two hands to carefully lift the plastic wrap from either side of the pan and remove the Tiramisu. If it feels too soft, the ladyfingers were soaked too much, and you will have to cut the Tiramisu while still in the pan. Remove the plastic wrap by lifting one side of Tiramisu and quickly peeling the plastic wrap off. Repeat on the other side. Slice the Tiramisu as needed and serve.
Notes
If you are using pasteurized eggs, to make the meringue, you will need to add 1 + 1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar with the 2 tablespoons of sugar.
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Rose
Wednesday 29th of November 2023
But pregnant women were not supposed to eat egg whites too, so what's up with this recipe? :(
oursweetadventures
Thursday 30th of November 2023
Hi there, in my recipe and post I discuss how pregnant women who want to eat Tiramisu and make my recipe use pasteurized eggs to make it safe :)