Italy · Dessert · Medium
Tiramisu
Espresso-soaked savoiardi layered with an airy mascarpone and egg cream
Savoiardi biscuits dipped in cold espresso and layered with a cream of mascarpone, egg yolks beaten with sugar and whipped egg whites, finished with bitter cocoa. Beating the yolks until pale and folding in the whites gently gives a cream that is light but firm enough to slice after a night in the fridge.
- Energy
- 507 kcalper serving
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Rest
- 6 h
- Protein
- 10 g
How was it?
Equipment
- Rectangular dish, about 30 × 20 cm and 6 cm deep
- Two large mixing bowls, one spotlessly clean and grease-free for the whites
- Electric hand mixer
- Large flexible spatula
- Shallow bowl for dipping
- Fine sieve for the cocoa
Before you start
- Brew the espresso at least 1 hour ahead and let it cool completely. Warm coffee turns the biscuits to mush.
- Take the mascarpone and eggs out of the fridge 30 minutes before you start.
- Separate the eggs carefully: put the yolks in one bowl and the whites in the clean bowl. A trace of yolk stops the whites from whipping.
- Count out the savoiardi and check the dish: you need two snug layers.
Method
-
Prepare the coffee
400 ml espressoPour the cold espresso into the shallow bowl. Keep it next to the dish so you can dip and lay the biscuits in one movement.
Done when The coffee is cold to the touch, with no warmth at all against your fingertip.
-
Beat the yolks with the sugar
4 eggs100 g caster sugarBeat the yolks with the sugar on high speed for 4–5 minutes.
Done when The mixture is pale yellow, thick and has roughly doubled; when you lift the beaters it falls in a ribbon that sits on the surface for 2–3 seconds.
Tip Do not cut this short. Well-beaten yolks dissolve the sugar and give the cream its body; under-beaten yolks make a grainy, runny cream.
-
Add the mascarpone
500 g mascarponeAdd the mascarpone to the yolks in two additions and beat on low speed for 30–60 seconds, only until smooth.
Done when The cream is thick, smooth and uniformly ivory, with no lumps of mascarpone.
Tip Stop as soon as it is smooth. Over-beaten mascarpone splits and turns buttery and grainy.
-
Whip the egg whites
4 eggs1 pinch fine saltWith clean beaters, whip the whites with the pinch of salt on medium speed for 1 minute, then on high speed for 2–3 minutes.
Done when The whites are glossy and white; a peak on the lifted beater stands straight up with only the tip curling, and the bowl can be tilted without the whites sliding.
-
Fold in the whites
Stir a third of the whites into the mascarpone cream to loosen it. Fold in the rest in two additions with the spatula, cutting down through the middle and turning the bowl, until just combined.
Done when The cream is light, airy and evenly coloured, with no white streaks, and it holds soft mounds on the spatula.
Tip Fold, do not stir. Stirring knocks out the air and the cream will weep in the fridge.
-
Dip and lay the first layer
300 g savoiardi (ladyfingers)400 ml espressoDip each savoiardo in the coffee for 1 second per side, sugared side last, and lay it in the dish. Fill the base in tight rows, breaking biscuits to fill any gaps.
Done when The biscuits are dark on the outside but still feel firm in the centre when pressed lightly; no coffee pools in the dish.
Tip One second per side is enough. The biscuits keep absorbing moisture from the cream as the tiramisu sets.
-
Spread half of the cream
Spread half of the mascarpone cream over the biscuits and level it with the spatula, pushing it into the corners.
Done when The biscuits are completely hidden under an even layer of cream about 1.5 cm thick.
-
Second layer and top
300 g savoiardi (ladyfingers)400 ml espressoDip and lay a second layer of biscuits in the same way, with the rows running in the same direction. Cover with the rest of the cream and smooth the top.
Done when The surface is flat and smooth, and the cream reaches just below the rim of the dish.
-
Chill
Cover the dish with cling film without touching the cream and refrigerate at 4 °C for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
Done when The cream is set and firm: a knife leaves a clean cut that holds its shape.
Tip Overnight is better than 6 hours. The coffee spreads evenly through the biscuits and the tiramisu cuts into neat squares.
-
Dust with cocoa
15 g unsweetened cocoa powderJust before serving, sift the cocoa over the surface in an even layer.
Done when The top is covered in a dry, velvety, dark brown layer with no cream showing through.
Tip Dust at the last moment. Cocoa added hours ahead absorbs moisture and turns into a damp, patchy film.
Common mistakes
The cream is runny and does not hold when sliced.
Fix The yolks were not beaten long enough or the whites were stirred in rather than folded. Beat the yolks with the sugar for the full 4–5 minutes until they ribbon, and fold the whites in gently.
The bottom layer is soggy and coffee pools in the dish.
Fix The biscuits were soaked too long or the coffee was warm. Use cold coffee and dip for only 1 second per side.
The cream is grainy or split.
Fix The mascarpone was beaten too hard or was fridge-cold. Use it at cool room temperature and beat on low speed only until smooth.
The whites will not whip.
Fix The bowl or beaters were greasy, or a drop of yolk got in. Use a clean, dry bowl, wipe it with a little lemon juice if unsure, and separate each egg over a small cup first.
Serving
Cut into squares with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry, and lift out with a cake server. Serve cold, straight from the fridge, with an espresso.
Storage and reheating
Keep covered in the fridge and eat within 2 days, because it contains raw egg. Do not leave it out of the fridge for more than 1 hour. Freezing is possible for up to 1 month, without the cocoa; thaw overnight in the fridge and dust before serving.
Make ahead
Make it the day before: it is better after a night in the fridge. Brew the coffee up to 1 day ahead and keep it in the fridge.
Variations
With Marsala
Stir 3 tablespoons of dry Marsala into the cold coffee. This is a common addition outside Treviso; leave it out when serving children.
Pasteurised egg version
Whisk the yolks and sugar in a bowl over barely simmering water on low heat, beating constantly until the mixture reaches 70 °C and is thick, then beat until cool before adding the mascarpone. Use pasteurised liquid egg white for the whites, or replace them with 200 ml of whipped cream.
Single portions
Break the soaked biscuits into glasses or small jars and layer with the cream in the same order. They set in about 4 hours.
