Original Tiramisu Recipe (Authentic Italian Dessert)

Quick Summary: To make original tiramisu, whip egg whites with half the sugar to stiff peaks, whisk the yolks with the remaining sugar until pale, then fold both into mascarpone loosened with Marsala. Dip ladyfingers in cold espresso, layer them with the cream, and chill for at least 4 hours. Dust with cocoa before serving. This no-bake Italian dessert takes about 20 minutes to prepare and serves 6.

What is authentic Italian tiramisu?

Original tiramisu is a no-bake Italian dessert made with raw eggs, mascarpone cheese, strong espresso, sweet Marsala wine, and cocoa powder. Ladyfingers are dipped in coffee, layered with a light mascarpone cream, chilled, and dusted with bitter cocoa. This authentic version, sometimes called the true Italian grandma's tiramisu, keeps the classic recipe simple and rich.

Almost every household and pastry chef in Italy has its own version. Recipes vary widely: with egg yolks only, with whipped egg whites, with tempered eggs, with or without whipped cream, and with or without alcohol.

This recipe is the traditional Italian grandma's tiramisu, made with raw eggs, sweet Marsala wine, and Italian mascarpone.

Best of all, it is a no-bake dessert that comes together in about 20 minutes.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Authentic and classic: the true Italian recipe with Marsala, mascarpone, and raw eggs.
• No-bake and quick: just 20 minutes of prep, then the fridge does the work.
• Rich yet light: whipped eggs make the mascarpone cream airy, not heavy.
• Make-ahead: it tastes even better after chilling overnight.
• Crowd-pleaser: a timeless dessert loved around the world.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Espresso: Use freshly brewed espresso from an espresso machine or your local coffee shop. Strong, high-quality coffee also works, but avoid instant coffee. Use decaf if you prefer.

• Italian ladyfingers: Use crisp, dry savoiardi, not soft cake-style ladyfingers. I recommend brands such as Forno Bonomi, Balocco, or Matilde Vicenzi. You can find them at many grocery stores or online. For a gluten-free tiramisu, use gluten-free ladyfingers.

• Eggs: Use pasteurized eggs at room temperature, since the eggs are not cooked. Choose very fresh eggs with a long use-by date. If pasteurized eggs are not available, you can pasteurize them yourself.

• Sugar: granulated sugar, caster sugar, or baker's sugar.

• Mascarpone cheese: Use fresh mascarpone with a long expiration date; fresher mascarpone will give you a thicker cream. In the United States, Galbani, BelGioioso, and Vermont Creamery are good options. Cream cheese can be used in a pinch, but the flavor and texture will be different.

• Marsala: the key to the authentic tiramisu. If you don't want any alcohol, omit this ingredient. 

• Unsweetened cocoa powder

Equipment

To make original tiramisu at home, gather these basic tools before you start:

• electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• mixing bowls
• egg separator
• rubber spatula
• fine-mesh sieve
• serrated knife
• 8-inch (20 cm) square baking dish
• shallow bowl for dipping

How to make original tiramisu

Step 1. Prepare the coffee and cool it in the refrigerator. Using an egg separator, separate the egg whites from the yolks.

Pro tip: Make sure to clean eggs with a dry cloth (not by washing), crack them on a flat surface (not on the edge of the bowl), and wash your hands before and after touching them. While separating egg whites from the yolks, ensure that they are never in contact with the external part of the shell.

Make the tiramisu cream

Assemble the tiramisu

Step 6. To assemble the tiramisu, pour the cold espresso into a shallow bowl or dish.

Pro tip: Alternatively, place the cookies at the bottom of the bowl and brush on the coffee. This trick controls how much coffee gets on the ladyfingers.

Step 9. Cover the dish with a lid, plastic wrap, or aluminum foil and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours.

To serve, use a fine-mesh sieve to dust cocoa powder (make a light veil) over the top of the tiramisu. Serve it well chilled.

Slice the tiramisu into servings with a sharp knife, cleaning the blade between cuts, or scoop it onto plates. A metal serving spatula helps remove the slices.

Expert tips

1. Cool the coffee in the fridge before dipping the cookies: it prevents cookies from going to mush. It must be unsweetened since the tiramisu is sweet, but you can sweeten it according to your desired taste.
2. Dip the cookies one at a time. Don't dip ladyfingers longer than 2 seconds to prevent them from getting too soaked and crushed. To test, dip one cookie and bend it in half; the center should still be somewhat dry. Remember: too much liquid soaked will result in a mushy dessert!
3. Try a crisscross with ladyfingers in layers: they will look pretty when you cut them. Or opt for a single layer of cookies and a cream layer if desired.
4. Place biscuits face down (flat side) against the bottom of the dish to keep the tiramisu authentic.
5. Chill the tiramisu for at least a couple of hours; 3 to 4 hours or overnight is best.
6. Don't sprinkle cocoa powder before refrigerating the tiramisu cake: cocoa powder will darken as it soaks into the mascarpone cream. Sprinkle icing sugar before applying cocoa powder if you want your tiramisu to remain presentable over the hours.
7. Store leftover tiramisu, covered with cling film, in the fridge.
8. With leftover egg whites, make French financiers or coconut macaroons.
9. Attention: classic tiramisu is made with raw eggs, which could be unsafe, especially for kids and pregnant women. To enjoy this treat without worrying about safety issues, make tiramisu with pasteurized eggs ("cooked" eggs) or an eggless version.

Marsala substitute for tiramisu

While sweet Marsala wine is traditional for making original tiramisu, you can also use

• cognac,
• dark rum,
• brandy,
• whiskey,
• Amaretto,
• Irish cream,
• Grand Marnier,
• coffee liqueur Kahlua,
• Tia Maria,
• Disaronno, or
• vanilla extract.

Recipe variations

• Ladyfinger substitutes: Try one of 27 ladyfinger substitutes like pavesini biscuits, pink champagne biscuits, shortbread cookies, Oreos, slices of pandoro, sponge cake, or even French toast. Or use speculoos cookies to make speculoos tiramisu.

• Coffee replacement: Dip spoon cookies in milk, fruit juice (for example, red fruit, pineapple, orange, etc.), or a mix of equal amounts of maple syrup and water.

• One more tiramisu layer: Add a layer of Nutella, lemon curd, fruit confit, fresh fruit, caramelized bananas, grated chocolate, or coffee over the soaked biscuits.

Storing & freezing

Store original tiramisu in the refrigerator, tightly covered with a lid or plastic wrap. Because it is made with raw eggs, enjoy it within 24 hours. If you use pasteurized or cooked eggs (heated to 250°F / 121°C), you can keep it for up to 2 days.

To freeze, wrap the dessert (without the cocoa powder) twice in plastic film and then in aluminum foil, and freeze it for up to two weeks.

To thaw, move it to the fridge for about 2 hours, then dust with cocoa powder and serve.

FAQ

Do you need Marsala in tiramisu?
No, Marsala is optional, but sweet Marsala wine is traditional and adds depth to the mascarpone cream. You can leave it out or swap it for another liquor.

What can I use instead of Marsala wine?
Good substitutes include dark rum, brandy, cognac, Amaretto, coffee liqueur, or, for an alcohol-free version, a little vanilla extract.

How do you pronounce tiramisu?
The word comes from the Treviso dialect and is pronounced tee-ruh-mee-soo. It was Italianized to tiramisù in the second half of the 20th century.

Where does tiramisu come from?
Tiramisu comes from Treviso, in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy. Modern versions were popularized in restaurants from the late 1960s, and the recipe was codified at the Le Beccherie restaurant in the early 1970s.

What does tiramisu mean?
Tiramisù blends the Italian words for "pull me" and "up," so it means "pick me up" or "cheer me up."

Can you make tiramisu without eggs?
Yes. Eggless tiramisu replaces the raw eggs in the cream, often with whipped cream, though the ladyfingers themselves still contain egg.

What is the difference between original and traditional tiramisu?
They are essentially the same dessert. Both use the classic Italian method with raw eggs, mascarpone, coffee-soaked ladyfingers, and cocoa. Some recipes add Marsala or another liqueur, while stricter versions skip the alcohol, but the core stays the same.

What is the difference between Italian and American tiramisu?
Authentic Italian tiramisu uses whipped raw eggs to make the mascarpone cream light and airy. American versions often skip the eggs and fold in whipped heavy cream instead, which gives a thicker, more stable filling but a slightly different taste and texture.

Love tiramisu desserts? Try these next!

• Fig tiramisu
• Lemon tiramisu
• Tiramisu torte (made with "cooked" eggs)
• Speculoos tiramisu

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The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.