Authentic Italian Tiramisu with Mascarpone
Tiramisu turns runny for two reasons: dipping the biscuits too long in the coffee, and cold mascarpone beaten into a warm mixture so it splits. The dip is one second a side, and the mascarpone should come out of the fridge fifteen minutes ahead.
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Calories
- 390
Photo: Anna.Massini — CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Tiramisu is the most famous Italian chilled dessert, and its name means 'pick me up' — from the coffee and cocoa. It is one of the easiest desserts there is, provided you respect two timings.
Method
-
1
Prepare
Take the mascarpone out of the fridge fifteen minutes ahead, and brew the coffee and let it cool completely. Cold mascarpone splits when it meets a warm mixture.
⏱ 16 min -
2
Yolks over steam
Whisk the yolks and sugar over a bain-marie until the mixture pales, thickens and reaches 70°C — about 8 minutes. This pasteurises the eggs and makes them safe.
⏱ 10 min -
3
Cool the mixture
Take it off the steam and keep whisking for 5 minutes until it cools to room temperature. Mixing it while hot melts the mascarpone.
⏱ 6 min -
4
Add the mascarpone
Add the mascarpone and vanilla and beat on low speed for just 30 seconds. Over-beating separates the cheese's fat and turns it grainy.
⏱ 3 min -
5
Fold in the cream
Whip the cold cream to medium peaks and fold it into the mixture from underneath, upwards with a silicone spatula, not a whisk.
⏱ 6 min -
6
The split-second dip
Dip each biscuit in the coffee for one second a side and no more, and lay them in the dish. Over-dipping makes them collapse and weep liquid into the base.
⏱ 8 min -
7
Layer and rest
Spread half the cream, add a second layer of biscuits, then the rest of the cream. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours — overnight is better. Dust the cocoa on just before serving.
⏱ 10 min
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Tips that actually matter
- One second a side when dipping — the step that ruins more tiramisus than any other.
- Mascarpone at room temperature and the mixture cool. A temperature gap splits it.
- Six hours of resting is compulsory — the biscuits need time to absorb and set.
- Cocoa just before serving, because it absorbs moisture and turns to paste.
People also ask
Why is my tiramisu runny?
Either you dipped the biscuits too long and they wept liquid, or you did not let it rest 6 hours, or you over-beat the mascarpone and it split. All three give the same runny result.
Are the raw eggs safe?
In this recipe the yolks are whisked over a bain-marie to 70°C, which pasteurises them and makes them completely safe. This method is called zabaglione and it is the Italian original.
Can I make it without mascarpone?
You can, with 250 g of cream cheese plus 250 g of clotted cream, but the taste will be slightly tangier and the texture lighter. Mascarpone is higher in fat and lower in acidity — that is what gives the original flavour.
Cook mode
Authentic Italian Tiramisu with Mascarpone
-
1
Prepare
Take the mascarpone out of the fridge fifteen minutes ahead, and brew the coffee and let it cool completely. Cold mascarpone splits when it meets a warm mixture.
-
2
Yolks over steam
Whisk the yolks and sugar over a bain-marie until the mixture pales, thickens and reaches 70°C — about 8 minutes. This pasteurises the eggs and makes them safe.
-
3
Cool the mixture
Take it off the steam and keep whisking for 5 minutes until it cools to room temperature. Mixing it while hot melts the mascarpone.
-
4
Add the mascarpone
Add the mascarpone and vanilla and beat on low speed for just 30 seconds. Over-beating separates the cheese's fat and turns it grainy.
-
5
Fold in the cream
Whip the cold cream to medium peaks and fold it into the mixture from underneath, upwards with a silicone spatula, not a whisk.
-
6
The split-second dip
Dip each biscuit in the coffee for one second a side and no more, and lay them in the dish. Over-dipping makes them collapse and weep liquid into the base.
-
7
Layer and rest
Spread half the cream, add a second layer of biscuits, then the rest of the cream. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours — overnight is better. Dust the cocoa on just before serving.
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