I finally nailed a Classic Italian Tiramisu with only six ingredients thanks to a surprising trick in the assembly.
I first tasted the Original Tiramisu Recipe at Le Beccherie in Treviso and I’ve been obsessed ever since. It’s a deceptively simple thing, built from strong espresso and a cloud of mascarpone cheese, but the flavor lingers in a way few desserts do.
To me this is Classic Italian Tiramisu, not a trend, and every spoonful feels like a small revelation. I still fumble the layers sometimes, and it collapses more often than I want, yet each imperfect bite keeps me coming back, curious to know why this mix of texture and gentle bitterness hooks you so hard.
Ingredients
- Eggs: Rich in protein and fat, give silkiness and structure, not very sweet, nutrient dense.
- Sugar: Pure sweetener, adds carbs and balance, no real nutrients, makes dessert addictive.
- Mascarpone: Creamy cheese, high fat and calories, gives richness and smooth mouthfeel, yum.
- Ladyfingers: Light, slightly sweet sponge biscuits, soak coffee well, mostly carbs, delicate crumb.
- Espresso: Bitter, aromatic coffee, gives caffeine and depth, balances sweetness, little nutrients.
- Cocoa powder: Unsweetened, adds chocolate bitterness and aroma, some antioxidants, low sugar.
Ingredient Quantities
- 6 large eggs
- 150 g granulated sugar about 3/4 cup
- 500 g mascarpone cheese about 17.5 oz
- 200 to 250 g savoiardi ladyfingers about 24 to 30 pieces
- 300 ml strong espresso about 1 1/4 cups
- Unsweetened cocoa powder about 2 tablespoons
How to Make this
1. Brew 300 ml strong espresso and let it cool to room temp, pour into a shallow bowl for dipping.
2. Separate 6 large eggs into yolks and whites, put whites in a clean, dry bowl and chill if you can.
3. Beat the yolks with 150 g sugar until pale, thick and ribbon-like, about 4 to 6 minutes with a mixer or a strong arm.
4. Add 500 g mascarpone to the yolk mixture and blend gently until smooth and lump free, dont over-beat or the mascarpone can split.
5. Whip the egg whites to medium-stiff peaks, they should hold shape but not be dry and crumbly.
6. Fold a spoonful of the whipped whites into the mascarpone to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest until homogeneous but still airy.
7. Quickly dip each savoiardi (200 to 250 g total, about 24 to 30) into the cooled espresso for 1 second per side, dont soak them or they will go soggy, and lay a single layer in your serving dish.
8. Spread half the mascarpone cream over the first layer, add a second layer of dipped ladyfingers, then spread the remaining cream evenly on top.
9. Cover and chill at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, so the flavors meld and the texture firms up.
10. Just before serving dust about 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder through a fine sieve over the top, for cleaner slices warm and wipe a knife between cuts and serve cold.
Equipment Needed
1. Espresso machine or Moka pot to brew the 300 ml strong coffee
2. Kitchen scale (or measuring cups) for grams like sugar, mascarpone and ladyfingers
3. Electric mixer or sturdy hand whisk for beating yolks and whipping whites
4. Three mixing bowls — one clean, dry bowl reserved for the egg whites, one for yolks and mascarpone, one spare
5. Shallow wide bowl or dish for quickly dipping the savoiardi
6. Rubber spatula and a large spoon for gentle folding, dont rush it
7. Fine mesh sieve for dusting the cocoa evenly
8. Serving dish (8×8 or 9×13 inch / similar) plus a long knife for clean slices
FAQ
Original And Authentic Tiramisu Recipe (from Le Beccherie In Treviso Substitutions and Variations
- Eggs: If raw eggs worry you, use pasteurized whole eggs 1:1. For an egg free version, whip 1 1/2 cups heavy cream to soft peaks and gently fold in 1 tsp powdered gelatin (bloomed in 2 tbsp water) to replace the texture of about 3 eggs.
- Mascarpone: Swap with 350 g full fat cream cheese plus 150 g heavy cream, beat till perfectly smooth. It won’t be identical but you get the same richness. For a lighter option, blend drained ricotta with a splash of cream.
- Savoiardi (ladyfingers): Use pavesini or thin sponge cake slices cut into fingers, or even sponge sheet cut to size. For gluten free, use a GF sponge or biscuits and soak them the same way.
- 300 ml strong espresso: Replace with 300 ml very strong brewed coffee or a cold brew concentrate. You can also replace up to 50 ml of the coffee with Marsala, rum or coffee liqueur for the classic boozy note.
Pro Tips
– Let the mascarpone and yolks come up to room temp before you mix, dont rush it — cold mascarpone makes lumps and youll end up overworking the cream. Also keep the whites cold and the bowl spotless so they whip up light and strong.
– When you dip the ladyfingers, do it fast and with a flat shallow plate, one quick dunk per side, dont let them sog. If you like, splash a bit of rum or coffee liqueur into the espresso for more depth, but dont drench the cookies.
– Fold like you mean it but gently, use a rubber spatula and a soft figure eight motion, dont beat out the air. Fold in a spoonful of whites first to loosen the mascarpone, then finish with the rest until its even but still airy.
– Chill well, overnight if you can, for best texture, and for cleaner slices either pop the tiramisu in the freezer for 15 to 25 minutes or warm and wipe your knife between cuts. If anyone vulnerable will eat it, use pasteurized eggs or cook the yolks with the sugar until safe, just to be careful.
Original And Authentic Tiramisu Recipe (from Le Beccherie In Treviso
I finally nailed a Classic Italian Tiramisu with only six ingredients thanks to a surprising trick in the assembly.
8
servings
512
kcal
Equipment: 1. Espresso machine or Moka pot to brew the 300 ml strong coffee
2. Kitchen scale (or measuring cups) for grams like sugar, mascarpone and ladyfingers
3. Electric mixer or sturdy hand whisk for beating yolks and whipping whites
4. Three mixing bowls — one clean, dry bowl reserved for the egg whites, one for yolks and mascarpone, one spare
5. Shallow wide bowl or dish for quickly dipping the savoiardi
6. Rubber spatula and a large spoon for gentle folding, dont rush it
7. Fine mesh sieve for dusting the cocoa evenly
8. Serving dish (8×8 or 9×13 inch / similar) plus a long knife for clean slices
Ingredients
-
6 large eggs
-
150 g granulated sugar about 3/4 cup
-
500 g mascarpone cheese about 17.5 oz
-
200 to 250 g savoiardi ladyfingers about 24 to 30 pieces
-
300 ml strong espresso about 1 1/4 cups
-
Unsweetened cocoa powder about 2 tablespoons
Directions
- Brew 300 ml strong espresso and let it cool to room temp, pour into a shallow bowl for dipping.
- Separate 6 large eggs into yolks and whites, put whites in a clean, dry bowl and chill if you can.
- Beat the yolks with 150 g sugar until pale, thick and ribbon-like, about 4 to 6 minutes with a mixer or a strong arm.
- Add 500 g mascarpone to the yolk mixture and blend gently until smooth and lump free, dont over-beat or the mascarpone can split.
- Whip the egg whites to medium-stiff peaks, they should hold shape but not be dry and crumbly.
- Fold a spoonful of the whipped whites into the mascarpone to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest until homogeneous but still airy.
- Quickly dip each savoiardi (200 to 250 g total, about 24 to 30) into the cooled espresso for 1 second per side, dont soak them or they will go soggy, and lay a single layer in your serving dish.
- Spread half the mascarpone cream over the first layer, add a second layer of dipped ladyfingers, then spread the remaining cream evenly on top.
- Cover and chill at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, so the flavors meld and the texture firms up.
- Just before serving dust about 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder through a fine sieve over the top, for cleaner slices warm and wipe a knife between cuts and serve cold.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 185.6g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 512kcal
- Fat: 34.5g
- Saturated Fat: 18.7g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.5g
- Monounsaturated: 14.1g
- Cholesterol: 202mg
- Sodium: 192mg
- Potassium: 136mg
- Carbohydrates: 41.3g
- Fiber: 0.9g
- Sugar: 27.4g
- Protein: 10.1g
- Vitamin A: 328IU
- Vitamin C: 0.1mg
- Calcium: 84mg
- Iron: 0.8mg
