Classic Tiramisu – Butternut Bakery

This incredible no-bake Tiramisu is my take on the iconic Italian dessert that features a silky smooth mascarpone filling layered with espresso-soaked lady fingers. This is the BEST tiramisu with a traditional taste and melt in your mouth texture!

One of my favorite parts about being a blogger is getting requests from YOU! I love that you all trust me to test out different desserts, carefully tweaking the ingredients until it’s perfect, and that’s exactly what I did in this tiramisu recipe. 

Tiramisu is a popular Italian dessert that has layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers combined with a rich and creamy filling made from mascarpone cheese, eggs, and sugar. It has a delicious blend of flavors and textures, with a strong coffee taste and sweet, smooth mascarpone, creating the perfect blend. Tiramisu translates to “pick me up” in Italian, making it a great afternoon or after dinner dessert!

Using Raw Eggs

One of the biggest concerns about making this dessert is the use of raw eggs, but not to worry! To make raw eggs safe for tiramisu, you’ll heat the egg yolks and sugar in a heat-safe bowl over a pot of simmering water that doesn’t touch the water. Continuously whisk until the sugar dissolves for about 8-10 minutes. Use a thermometer to check that the mixture reaches at least 145°F for 15 seconds, which kills any potential bacteria to make them safe to eat.

How to Make Creamy Tiramisu Filling

Create a double boiler: Fill the same saucepan with an inch or two of water and set it over medium heat. Find a heat-safe mixing bowl that fits snugly over the pan without touching the water. Add egg yolks and sugar to the bowl and whisk until combined. 

Heat the egg yolks: Set the bowl over the simmering water, making sure the water never reaches a boil. Continuously whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 8-10 minutes. Rub a little mixture between your fingers to check for granules; if none, it’s ready. Use a thermometer to check that the mixture reaches at least 145°F for 15 seconds.

Cool the mixture: Remove the bowl from heat and place it in a larger bowl filled with ice, whisking until cooled. You can also cool it in the refrigerator, which takes longer. Make sure the mixture is completely cooled before moving to the next step. 

Assemble the mascarpone filling: In a clean mixing bowl, combine the mascarpone, salt, and vanilla bean paste using an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add half the heavy cream, mix, then scrape the bowl and add the remaining cream. Whip on high speed for about 2 minutes until thick and fluffy.

Combine and fold: Add half of the whipped mascarpone to the cooled egg mixture, folding gently with a whisk to avoid lumps and not to over mix. Then, fold in the remaining mascarpone until smooth.

How to Layer Tiramisu

Soak the ladyfingers: Briefly dunk each ladyfinger into the coffee soak for just a second and lay them in the bottom of an 8×8 pan. Trim a small portion off one row of ladyfingers if needed.

Add the layers: Spread half of the mascarpone filling evenly over the layer of ladyfingers. Then, dunk another set of ladyfingers in the coffee soak and place them over the filling. Spread the remaining mascarpone filling evenly over the top layer of ladyfingers. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to set.

Garnish and serve: The next day, remove the plastic wrap. If the wrap has left any texture on the surface of the tiramisu, smooth it out gently with a spatula. Dust the top with cocoa powder just before serving for a classic finish. Enjoy either scooped or sliced into neat squares.

Key Ingredient Notes

• Crispy Ladyfingers – These crunchy long cookies form the base of the dessert, absorbing the espresso to add a moist texture while maintaining enough structure to support the layers of creamy filling. They are made by many different brands with gluten-free options. 
• Espresso Powder – Adds a deep, rich coffee flavor that is essential to the classic tiramisu taste; instant espresso gives the dessert a consistent, strong flavor that is superior to brewed coffee, but you can use that too.  
• Amaretto (optional) – Adds a sweet, almond-like flavor that complements the coffee and creamy elements, offering a contrasting taste. 
• Chilled Mascarpone Cheese – The main component of the creamy filling, mascarpone is a soft Italian cheese that gives tiramisu its rich and velvety texture and must be chilled to maintain the texture of the dessert. After testing out a few brands, I found that BelGioso is the winner!  
• Vanilla Bean Paste – Infuses a rich, aromatic vanilla flavor into the mascarpone filling. While the bean paste is preferred, you can also use a high-quality vanilla extract instead. 
• Heavy Cream – Whipped into the mascarpone mixture to add lightness and volume, creating a fluffy and soft texture that pairs well with the soaked ladyfingers.

Tiramisu Success Tips

• Before starting, make sure all ingredients, especially the mascarpone and eggs, are at the correct temperature as specified in the recipe to allow for smooth mixing and proper emulsification.
• Use a digital thermometer to accurately check the temperature of the egg and sugar mixture to guarantee it reaches 145°F for safe consumption.
• Keep the water in the double boiler at a gentle simmer. Boiling water can overheat the egg mixture, causing it to scramble.
• Gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the egg yolks to retain as much air as possible for a light and fluffy filling.
• Dip the ladyfingers in the coffee mixture quickly to avoid them becoming too soggy, which can cause the layers to collapse.
• Arrange the ladyfingers tightly together in the dish to create a stable base and even layers. Cut them down if you need to.
• Allow the tiramisu to chill overnight, as this time is crucial for the flavors to blend together and the dessert to firm up for clean slicing.
• Instead of an 8×8 pan, you can also use a 9×13 pan following the same instructions.

Commonly Asked Tiramisu Questions

For more classic dessert recipes, check out my:

Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram if you make this classic tiramisu. I love seeing my recipes come to life in YOUR kitchen! To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!

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