Traditional Italian Tiramisu

This Traditional Italian Tiramisu is a luxurious classic dessert option. It has a creamy mascarpone filling, coffee-soaked savoiardi biscuits, and a cocoa powder topping. Serve during special occasions or as a sweet treat.

This authentic Italian Tiramisu is a decadent, delightful dessert that’s always a hit with a crowd. The only challenging part of preparing traditional tiramisu is making the creamy filling using raw eggs rather than whipped cream. Egg yolks are mixed with sugar and mascarpone, then whipped egg whites are gently folded in. Once the filling is ready, all that is left to do is layer it with coffee-soaked ladyfingers. Simple yet delicious!

You may also enjoy this tiramisu sponge cake, tiramisu cookies and TikTok tiramisu brownies.

Why This Recipe Works

• This traditional Italian tiramisu is a decadent and delightful dessert great for serving a crowd.
• This tiramisu is restaurant-quality and sure to impress guests.
• Tiramisu can be made and served after chilling for at least 6 hours.
• It is easy to double or triple the traditional Italian tiramisu if you are feeding more people.

Traditional Italian Tiramisu Ingredients

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

• Eggs: The traditional Italian tiramisu recipe calls for separating the egg yolks and whites.
• Sugar: Use granulated sugar for this recipe.
• Mascarpone cheese: This mild-flavored cheese gives the filling a delicious creamy texture.
• Ladyfingers (depending on the size of the dish): For the best flavor, select good-quality ladyfingers. You may even opt to make them from scratch. If you do, make sure you let them cool completely before assembling.
• Brewed espresso or instant coffee: Make sure the coffee is strong to get the best flavor.

Tips and Substitutions 

• Egg yolks: When mixing egg yolks with sugar, whip them together until they reach a thick, frothy consistency for the perfect texture.
• Refrigerate: Let the traditional Italian tiramisu chill in the fridge for an extended period to enhance its taste, letting the coffee flavor deepen and become even richer and more delicious.
• Ladyfingers: Briefly dip the ladyfingers in coffee, keeping each one in the coffee for no more than 1-2 seconds. This ensures they absorb just the right amount of liquid without becoming overly soft or falling apart.
• Add-ins: To intensify the flavors, add 2-3 tablespoons of Marsala or amaretto to the brewed coffee before dipping the ladyfingers.
• Decorate: For this bakery-style tiramisu recipe, I went for a classic design and topped it with a thick layer of unsweetened cocoa powder. However, you can use a circular piping bag to create blobs instead.
• Storing: Keep tiramisu refrigerated at all times, as it is made with raw eggs. Leaving it out at room temperature could compromise its safety and quality.

How to Make Traditional Italian Tiramisu

1. Start by cracking an egg and separating the white into one bowl. Repeat this step with the remaining eggs.
2. Then, the yolks into another. Set the egg whites aside for now.
3. Add the sugar to the yolks.
4. Whisk on medium speed for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is light, thick, and frothy.

5. Add the mascarpone cheese to the egg yolk mixture.
6. Whisk it together for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Set that aside.
7. Now grab the egg whites and whisk them until stiff peaks form.
8. Gently fold about a quarter of the whisked egg whites into the yolk mixture.

9. Then slowly fold the rest. Once it’s all mixed, set it aside.
10. Pour your brewed coffee onto a plate and dip each ladyfinger into it for 1-2 seconds.
11. Lay the coffee-soaked ladyfingers in a dish.
12. Spread half of the creamy filling over them and smooth it out.

13. Add another layer of dipped ladyfingers.
14. Then, add the rest of the cream.
15. Smooth the cream and cover the whole thing with plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge overnight or for at least 6 hours.
16. When you’re ready to serve, dust the top with cocoa powder.

17. Serve this delicious traditional tiramisu for dessert. You may also enjoy this Coffee and Walnut Cake.

Recipe FAQs

Thanks for reading this recipe, comment below if you made this and let me know how it went! Follow @simshomekitchen on Instagram, take a photo, tag and hashtag it with @simshomekitchen. 

Stay connected and follow me for more recipes on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all of my latest recipes!