Classic Tiramisu
Published 11/9/2021 • Updated 2/16/2023
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This homemade Tiramisu recipe has layers of flavorful mascarpone filling and espresso-drenched ladyfingers. It is the perfect no-bake dessert for any occasion.
Classic Tiramisu – the Best No Bake Dessert
Is there a better no bake dessert?! We think not! Our classic tiramisu recipe is everything you love — creamy mascarpone, ladyfingers and espresso — all together in one decadent dessert.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- No baking required
- Only 8 ingredients
- Serves a crowd
- Fancy schmancy, but oh so easy to make!
What is Tiramisu?
Tiramisu is a coffee flavored dessert that originated in Italy and is enjoyed around the world. It features ladyfingers soaked in coffee or espresso and a creamy whipped topping sprinkled with cocoa powder.
Ingredients You Need
- Heavy cream makes a soft and creamy tiramisu — you must use heavy cream in this recipe as lower fat milks won’t whip the same way. It’s also very important that your cream is cold so it forms airy peaks.
- Vanilla enhances the flavor of the espresso and cocoa.
- Cinnamon adds a hint of spice and warmth to the tiramisu.
- Powdered sugar sweetens the mascarpone layer.
- Mascarpone is a soft Italian cheese — if you don’t have any, you can substitute cream cheese. You can also make your own mascarpone if you’d like!
- Espresso we prefer using freshly brewed espresso in tiramisu but you can also use black coffee — or use ¾ cup espresso and ¼ cup coffee liqueur.
- Lady Fingers Most grocery stores have both crisp and soft lady fingers — we prefer crisp as they tend to hold their shape and structure better.
- Cocoa powder adds a bit of bitterness that pairs perfectly with the mascarpone. Make sure you’re using unsweetened baking cocoa.
How to Make Tiramisu
Make Whipped Cream
Add the heavy cream, vanilla, and cinnamon to the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed while you gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, continue whipping the cream on medium speed until it forms stiff peaks.
Fold in Mascarpone
Remove ⅓ of the whipped cream to a bowl and add the mascarpone cheese. Fold the mascarpone into the cream gently, making sure not to deflate the cream.
Then add the mascarpone mixture to the remaining whipped cream and fold them together.
Espresso –> Ladyfingers
Add the espresso to a shallow bowl and dip the ladyfingers (one at a time) into the espresso and then place them on the bottom of your serving dish.
Once the bottom of the dish is completely covered with ladyfingers, spread or pipe half of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers.
2nd Layer of Ladyfingers
Repeat step 5, dipping the ladyfingers in the espresso and placing them in the baking dish in a single layer.
Pipe on Mascarpone Mixture
Spread or pipe the remaining half of the mascarpone mixture over the second layer of lady fingers.
Chill Tiramisu
Transfer the tiramisu to the fridge and allow it to set (at least two hours!).
Sift Cocoa Powder Over Tiramisu
When ready to serve, add the cocoa powder to a small sieve and sift it over the tiramisu.
Enjoy!
Enjoy this classic tiramisu recipe with a cup of espresso 😀
Tips + Tricks
- Piping mascarpone: Don’t have a piping bag? Put your mascarpone mixture in a ziploc bag and cut the corner off with a scissors.
- Choosing lady fingers: Most grocery stores will have crisp and soft ladyfingers. We prefer using crisp ladyfingers because they tend to hold their shape in tiramisu a bit better, but either variety will work!
- Espresso or coffee: Classic tiramisu using fresh brewed espresso, but black coffee will also work. Or jazz things up a notch by using 3/4 espresso and 1/4 coffee liquor.
Storage
For a softer tiramisu, this dessert can absolutely be prepped the day before serving. Otherwise, just make sure it chills for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the ladyfingers to soak.
Got leftovers? Store any leftover tiramisu covered in the fridge for up to three days.
Classic Tiramisu
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 8 oz. mascarpone cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup espresso or strongly brewed coffee, see notes
- 7 oz. crisp ladyfingers
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
Instructions
- Add the heavy cream, vanilla, and cinnamon to the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed while you gradually add the powdered sugar.
- Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, continue whipping the cream on medium speed until it forms stiff peaks– about 3 minutes.
- Remove ⅓ of the whipped cream to a bowl and add the mascarpone cheese. Fold the mascarpone into the cream gently, making sure not to deflate the cream.
- Then add the mascarpone mixture to the remaining whipped cream and fold them together. Again, make sure not to deflate the whipped cream.
- Add the espresso to a shallow bowl and dip the lady fingers (one at a time) into the espresso and then place them on the bottom of your serving dish.
- Once the bottom of the dish is completely covered with lady fingers, spread or pipe half of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers.
- Repeat step 5, dipping the ladyfingers in the espresso and placing them in the baking dish in a single layer.
- Spread or pipe the remaining half of the mascarpone mixture over the second layer of lady fingers.
- Transfer the tiramisu to the fridge and allow it to set (at least two hours).
- When ready to serve, add the cocoa powder to a small sieve and sift it over the tiramisu.
- Store any leftover tiramisu covered in the fridge for up to three days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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