Classic Italian Tiramisu (The Authentic Method)

Indulge in Italy’s rich, bold and classic flavours with this authentic Tiramisu recipe, featuring layers of silky mascarpone cream and coffee-soaked ladyfinger biscuits that will leave you feeling like you’re in the streets of Florence.

Why Make Your Own Ladyfingers Biscuits?

When it comes to making tiramisu, using homemade ladyfingers is a great way to elevate the dish and take it to the next level. Homemade ladyfingers are fresher, have a better texture, and are more flavorful than store-bought ladyfingers. They are also more absorbent, which means they will hold the espresso and liqueur mixture better, leading to a more evenly flavoured tiramisu. Furthermore, making your own ladyfingers allows you to control the ingredients and make them as healthy or decadent as you want. You can make them with less sugar, or even use gluten-free flour, making them more suitable for certain dietary needs. Additionally, making your own ladyfingers is a fun and rewarding experience, and it adds a personal touch to your tiramisu recipe.

Tips & Tricks

• Make your own lady’s finger biscuits for the ultimate Tiramisu, but if you’re looking for a quick-to-assemble desert to impress there’s no shame in buying them from a store.
• Use high-quality freeze-dried coffee instead of strong espresso, for more depth in flavour, this is controversial but the flavour is just better!
• Don’t dip the lady’s fingers too long in the coffee & liquor mix otherwise, they completely lose their texture.
• This dessert is better consumed 6 – 36 hours after assembling.
• Place the freshly baked ladyfinger biscuits back into a warm oven to dry out a little or leave them to stale for one day, they absorb more of the coffee mixture this way and hold their shape better.

Yield: 6 Portions

Classic Italian Tiramisu

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Welcome to my classic Tiramisu recipe! This classic Italian dessert is a perfect blend of creamy mascarpone cheese, rich espresso, and delicious ladyfingers. It's a decadent treat that is sure to impress your guests. This recipe is easy to follow and its better when it's prepared in advance, making it perfect for special occasions or dinner parties. The key to a great tiramisu is the balance between the espresso and liqueur mixture and the mascarpone cream. With this recipe, you'll learn how to make a delicious tiramisu that is not too sweet and has a perfect texture, so let's get started and make this classic Italian dessert!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• Ladies Finger Biscuits (Savoiardi)
• 3 x eggs
• 110g / 3.9oz sugar (caster or granulated)
• Pinch of salt
• Vanilla extract (a dash/2ml)
• 150g / 5.3oz plain flour / all-purpose flour
• Icing sugar or powdered sugar
• Tiramisu Cream
• 6 x eggs (ideally organic free range)
• 450g / 15.9oz Mascarpone (at room temperature)
• 80g / 2.8oz sugar (caster or granulated)
• Pinch of salt
• 25ml shot of liquor (Tia Maria, Cognac, Rum, Brandy, etc etc)
• Coffee Mix to Soak the Biscuits In
• (This is a variable you may need more or less)
• 10 x teaspoons high-quality instant coffee
• 300ml boiling water
• 2 x 25ml shots of liquor (same as above)

Instructions

1. In a stand mixer or heatproof bowl, combine 3 eggs and 110 grams of sugar. Cook the mixture over a double boiler until it reaches 70 degrees Celsius or 160 Fahrenheit.
2. Whisk the mixture until it triples in volume and becomes pale in colour. Add a pinch of salt and a dash of vanilla extract.
3. Gently fold in 150 grams of plain flour.
4. Preheat the oven to 175 Celsius or 350 Fahrenheit.
5. Pipe the batter onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper, dust them with icing sugar and bake for 8 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
6. Repeat the process until you've used all the batter.
7. Place the baked biscuits in the still-warm oven to dry out for a few minutes.
8. To make the coffee part of the dessert, use high-quality freeze-dried coffee instead of strong espresso.
9. In a separate bowl, mix the coffee with a splash of liquor of your choice.
10. In a separate bowl, whip 500ml of heavy cream and 150 grams of mascarpone cheese until it becomes thick.
11. Assemble the tiramisu by dipping the dried-out ladyfingers in the coffee mixture and layering them in a dish with the whipped cream and mascarpone mixture. Repeat until all the ingredients are used up.
12. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight before serving.