Tiramisu is a popular Italian dessert made with lady fingers (or spongecake), coffee, liqueur, and mascarpone cheese topped with chocolate powder. This delicious and unbelievably easy Tiramisu recipe is made with coffee soaked lady fingers, sweet and creamy mascarpone (no raw eggs!), and cocoa powder dusted on top. It requires no baking and can be made in advance!
ingredients ✳︎
Ladyfingers: I buy them, but you could make them from scratch.
Mascarpone: it wouldn’t be true tiramisu without mascarpone, but if you absolutely must, you could substitute cream cheese.
Coffee: I use espresso
Heavy Whipped cream
Granulated Sugar
Vanilla extract: or substitute imitation vanilla
Cocoa powder: for dusting on top
step-by-step ✳︎
Mix creamy filling. Beat the mascarpone, cream, sugar, and vanilla together until stiff peaks.
Dip lady fingers. Add the espresso and liqueur (if using) to a shallow bowl and dip the lady fingers on both sides (don’t let them soak–just a quick dip!)
Layer mascarpone. Smooth a layer of the mascarpone/whipped cream mixture on top of the lady fingers.
Repeat. Add another layer of lady fingers (dipped in coffee and liqueur) and another layer of cheese mixture. Dust with cocoa powder.
quick tips ✳︎
NOTE: Tiramisu can be made with or without alcohol. This recipe calls for coffee flavored liqueur because I like that it enhances the coffee flavor.
Alcohol free: leave it out completely.
Alcohol variations: use dark rum, brandy, marsala wine.
Espresso substitutions: coffee, decaf
