The first time I ever tastes tiramisu, I fell in love. Imagine a coffee flavored dessert, that is easy to make AND delicious? I mean, sign me up! If you love coffee and chocolate just like I do, this dessert is for you. Let me show you how to make it.

What is Tiramisu?

Tiramisu is a classic, no-bake, Italian coffee-based dessert made with a creamy mascarpone filling, espresso soaked ladyfingers, and powdered cocoa. The word tiramisu means “pick me up” which is appropriate considering it is made with espresso.

slice of tiramisu on a white plate dusted with cocoa

Ingredients You’ll Need

Make sure all the ingredients are straight-from-the-fridge cold. This will make it way easier to combine together.

Egg yolks. Cold!
Granulated sugar.
Heavy whipping cream. Cold!
Mascarpone. Italian cream cheese. I recommend using BelGioioso brand as the others are not as rich and creamy.
Brewed strong espresso. You can even use Cuban espresso here!
Dark spiced rum. You can also use Bailey’s if you prefer or not add any at all. Up to you!
Ladyfingers. This is sponge cake piped and baked into biscuits.
Dutch-process cocoa powder. The more, the better. Even if you end up coughing after each bite!

ingredients for tiramisu - espresso, ladyfingers, and mascarpone filling

layers of mascarpone filling and espresso-soaked ladyfingers in a baking dish

ladyfingers soaked in coffee in a baking dish with mascarpone filling

cocoa dusted over the tiramisu before serving

How To Make Tiramisu

Make the tiramisu filling. In a stand mixer or large bowl, add the egg yolks, sugar, whipping cream, and mascarpone. Mix until the ingredients are creamy and well combined, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
Soak the ladyfingers. In another large bowl, add the espresso and rum. Dip each ladyfinger, one at a time, into the espresso rum mixture, quickly, so they don’t get too soggy.
Assemble the tiramisu. Add the ladyfingers in an even layer on the bottom of the baking dish, breaking pieces of the ladyfingers apart to fill in any spaces. Next, add a dollop of the creamy mascarpone mixture and spread it on top of the soaked ladyfingers into another even layer. Add another even layer of espresso-rum-soaked ladyfingers and then another even layer of the mascarpone mixture on top.
Chill in the fridge. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 3-4 hours (or overnight) to chill.
Dust with cocoa. When you’re ready to serve, before slicing, dust the top of the entire tiramisu with cocoa powder. Slice into squares and enjoy!

tiramisu with a slice removed to see the filling and layers of mascarpone and espresso soaked ladyfingers

How do you keep tiramisu from getting soggy?

Make sure to dip the ladyfingers quickly in the espresso-rum mixture. If you leave them there too long, they will get soggy and you’ll end up with a wet texture which is what you do not want.

What can I use instead of mascarpone cheese in tiramisu?

Mascarpone is a key ingredient for this dessert so there is no substitution that will achieve the same creamy result.

What can I use instead of rum in tiramisu?

You can use Bailey’s or brandy, or you can omit it altogether.