Tiramisu
Layers of espresso-soaked ladyfingers and airy mascarpone cream with cocoa.
- Preparation
- 35 min
- Cook/bake time
- –
- Total
- 6 hr 35 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 610 kcal
- Servings
- 8
- Prep
- 35 min
- Resting
- 6 hr
Only 35 min of that is hands-on – the rest takes care of itself.
Layers of espresso-soaked ladyfingers and airy mascarpone cream with cocoa. The egg yolks are whipped over a water bath to make a zabaglione, which stabilizes the cream and avoids raw egg. A dessert that you have to make the day before and is exactly why it is so practical for guests.
Why this works
Whipped over a water bath, the egg yolk mixture reaches 70 to 75 °C. At this temperature, salmonella is reliably killed, and at the same time the proteins partially unfold and stabilize the whipped-in air. The cream becomes stable as a result without needing gelatin. With the ladyfingers, it is about saturation. They are a porous dry mass and have absorbed as much espresso as they can hold after about one second. Anything more than that collects as liquid at the bottom of the dish.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Whip the zabaglione
Mix the egg yolks, sugar and Marsala in a metal bowl and place it over a water bath where the water is only simmering. Whip the mixture for six to eight minutes with a hand mixer until it is light, thick and significantly more voluminous and traces of the mixer briefly remain. The heat pasteurizes the egg yolks in the process.
- 2
Cool down and mascarpone
Remove the bowl from the water bath and whip the mixture cold for another three minutes so that it does not continue to cook. Then stir in the room-temperature mascarpone in portions. Cold mascarpone straight from the fridge curdles and makes the cream grainy, which is why it must reach room temperature beforehand.
- 3
Fold in the cream
Whip the cold heavy cream with the pinch of salt until stiff and carefully fold it into the mascarpone mixture in two portions using a spatula. Work from the bottom up and do not stir, because the whipped-in air is exactly what makes the cream light instead of heavy.
- 4
Layering
Briefly pull the ladyfingers individually through the cold espresso, really only one second per side. They absorb very quickly and become mushy if dipped for longer. Place a layer in a dish of about 30 x 20 cm, spread half of the cream on top and repeat both.
- 5
Let it rest
Smooth the top layer of cream and place the tiramisu covered in the fridge for at least six hours, better overnight. Only then are the ladyfingers fully soaked and the cream firm enough to portion. Dust the cocoa over it only immediately before serving, otherwise it draws moisture.
Our best tips
- Dip ladyfingers for only one second per side. The most common mistake is dipping them for too long.
- Dust cocoa only shortly before serving, otherwise it becomes spotty and moist overnight.
- It is essential to use room-temperature mascarpone, otherwise the cream will curdle.
Tasty variations
Without alcohol
Replace Marsala with the same amount of espresso or orange juice, suitable for children.
Berry tiramisu
Replace espresso with berry juice and add fresh raspberries between the layers.
What is left over?
This recipe only uses the yolks. The whites keep for three days in the fridge and freeze well – nobody has to throw them out.
Nutrition facts
| Calories | 610 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 45 g |
| – of which sugar | 30 g |
| Fat | 43 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
Where the 610 kcal come from
per serving
Calculated from the ingredients – how we do it
We add up reference values for every ingredient and divide by the number of servings. These assumptions are baked in:
- Reference values per 100 g – for the raw ingredient, exactly as listed.
- Tinned goods count at drained weight, bone-in meat at purchase weight: you eat about 70 per cent of a chicken thigh and leave the rest.
- Water evaporates as you cook. The energy stays in the pot, the weight does not – so the figure is per serving, not per 100 g of finished dish.
- Anything listed without a quantity – “salt and pepper” – is not counted.
A guide value, not a lab measurement: no two onions weigh the same, and fat content varies from pack to pack.
Frequently asked questions
Is raw egg a problem in tiramisu?
Not in this recipe, because the egg yolks are heated over the water bath to about 70 °C and thus pasteurized. This is also good for the stability of the cream.
Why is my cream becoming liquid?
Usually the heavy cream was not whipped stiffly enough or the zabaglione was still warm when the mascarpone was added.
How long does tiramisu keep?
Three days in the fridge, well covered. Freezing works surprisingly well, then let it thaw in the fridge.
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