Classic Tiramisu Recipe

Tiramisu is one of the most iconic and beloved desserts of the Italian tradition. This dessert, creamy and with an unmistakable flavor, conquers the palate thanks to the perfect balance between coffee, mascarpone and cocoa. Today I propose the traditional recipe of tiramisu, easy to make and perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients (for 6-8 people):

- 300 g of ladyfingers
- 4 fresh eggs (better if organic)
- 100 g of granulated sugar
- 500 g of mascarpone
- 300 ml of espresso coffee
- Bitter cocoa powder to taste
- 1 tablespoon of Marsala or liqueur of your choice (optional)

Preparation:

1. Prepare the coffee: Start by preparing the espresso. It should be strong and allowed to cool completely before using. If you prefer, you can add a spoonful of coffee liqueur for an extra touch of flavor, but this is optional.

2. Separate the yolks from the whites: Divide the eggs into two bowls, placing the yolks in one and the whites in the other. Make sure the eggs are fresh, as they will not be cooked.

3. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar: Add the sugar to the egg yolks and beat them with an electric whisk until the mixture is light and frothy.

4. Add the mascarpone: Combine the mascarpone with the whipped egg yolks and mix carefully until you obtain a smooth, lump-free cream.

5. Whip the egg whites until stiff: Whip the egg whites until stiff with a pinch of salt to facilitate the process. The egg whites should be firm, but not too dry.

6. Combine the egg whites with the mascarpone cream: Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the mascarpone cream, mixing from the bottom up so as not to deflate them and obtain a soft and velvety cream.

7. Assemble the tiramisu: Dip the ladyfingers in the cooled coffee, being careful not to soak them too much, or they will crumble. Arrange them on the bottom of a baking dish to form the first layer. Cover the ladyfingers with a generous amount of mascarpone cream. Repeat with a second layer of ladyfingers and finish with a final layer of cream.

8. Sprinkle with cocoa: Once the tiramisu is assembled, generously sprinkle the surface with bitter cocoa powder.

9. Let it rest in the refrigerator: The tiramisu needs to rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, better if all night. In this way the flavors will blend perfectly and the consistency will become more compact.

Tip: The tiramisu can be customized to taste, adding chocolate chips, berries, or replacing the coffee with barley coffee for a lighter version. Also, for those who prefer a variant without raw eggs, it is possible to pasteurize the eggs by heating the yolks with sugar in a bain-marie up to 82°C.

Enjoy your meal!