Classic Tiramisu
Classic Tiramisu served in individual glasses, layered with silky mascarpone cream, coffee soaked savoiardi and cocoa dusting. Already portioned, soft, creamy and made for cozy dessert moments.
🍽️ Servings: 2
Mascarpone Cream
Ingredients
- 80 g mascarpone, at room temperature
- 40 g heavy cream
- 25 g egg yolk
- 22.5 g sugar
- 0.5g salt
- 2 g vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine the egg yolk, sugar, and salt in a heatproof bowl.
- Place the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Whisk continuously for about 4 minutes until the mixture reaches 72 °C / 162 °F. It should become pale, thick, and well aerated.
- Remove from the heat and continue whisking for about 3 minutes until slightly cooled.
- In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks.
- Add the mascarpone to the egg mixture and mix just until smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix briefly to combine.
- Gently fold in the whipped cream until the mixture is smooth and uniform.
Coffee Soak
Ingredients
- 75 g espresso
- 7.5 g sugar
- 5 g amaretto or marsala
- 0.5 g salt
Instructions
- Combine the hot espresso, sugar, and salt.
- Stir until the sugar has dissolved completely.
- Cool to room temperature.
- Add the amaretto or marsala and mix well.
Assembly
- 4 savoiardi biscuits
- 5 g cocoa powder
- Break the savoiardi into pieces that fit your serving glasses.
- Dip each piece very briefly in the coffee soak, about 1 second per side.
- Add a thin layer of cream.
- Add a layer of soaked savoiardi.
- Repeat with another thin layer of soaked savoiardi. Two thin layers work better than one thick layer and create a more even texture.
- Finish with the remaining cream and smooth the surface.
- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours. The texture is at its best after about 12 hours.
- Before serving, dust evenly with cocoa powder through a fine sieve.
- Let the tiramisu sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving. This helps the mascarpone and coffee flavors become more pronounced.
Tips & More Info
Why combine mascarpone with whipped cream?
Mascarpone alone is dense and rich, which can feel heavy on the palate. Adding lightly whipped cream softens the texture and creates a more airy, melt in the mouth mouthfeel. This balance is what makes the cream feel elegant instead of overly thick.
How does heating the egg yolks improve the cream?
Gently cooking the yolks to 72 °C stabilizes the mixture and creates a smoother, more professional structure. It also removes any raw egg sharpness, resulting in a cleaner taste and a more refined texture that holds better during chilling.
Why is short dipping of savoiardi so important?
Savoiardi continue to absorb liquid after they leave the coffee, so even a brief dip is enough. If they stay too long in the soak, they become overly soft once the moisture redistributes during resting. A quick dip ensures balance between structure and tenderness.
How does cocoa choice affect the final flavor?
Natural cocoa powder brings a more classic, slightly bitter profile that balances the sweetness of the cream. This bitterness is essential because it prevents the dessert from becoming flat or overly sweet.
Why should tiramisu stay moderately sweet?
The contrast between bitter coffee, cocoa, and creamy mascarpone is what defines the dessert. If the sweetness is too high, these contrasts disappear and the tiramisu loses its depth and character.
Why is resting time essential for texture development?
During chilling, moisture slowly migrates from the coffee soaked biscuits into the cream. This controlled absorption creates a unified texture where the layers soften into each other without becoming soggy, resulting in a clean slice and balanced spoonful.