Ask someone to name an Italian dessert, and they’ll probably say tiramisu!
I love tiramisu. I was keen to make an alcohol-free version at home. This is the end result – it’s rich, sweet, and the bonus is that it doesn’t contain raw eggs.
Usually, you’d fold raw egg yolks into the mascarpone filling to make it creamy, and use whipped egg whites to give it volume. Whipped cream replaces the egg whites in this recipe. I always add a bit of pastry cream to my cake fillings for added flavour, so I tried some in my tiramisu… and the results were delicious.
Give this recipe a go; while you need to plan ahead so it has time to rest in the fridge, I’m sure it will
become a comfort baking classic in your kitchen!
Comfort baking: Tiramisu
Here’s what you need to make enough tiramisu for 8 to 10 people
- 500ml whole milk
- 30g all-purpose flour
- 30g corn flour
- 260g granulated white sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 140g unsalted butter, cubed
- 500g whipping cream
- 250g mascarpone cheese
- 500g ladyfingers (also known as savoirardi or boudoir biscuits)
- 100g raw cocoa powder (optional)
Ingredients
My decadent tiramisu recipe
- Take a 26cm by 26cm (10 in by 10 in) Pyrex dish and put to one side. Also, fill a bowl with ice and place another bowl on top of it
- Start by making the pastry cream. Bring the milk to a boil in a deep saucepan
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour, corn flour, eggs, vanilla, and 110g of the sugar with a hand whisk
- Once the milk has boiled, lower the heat and add the mixed ingredients. Continue stirring by hand until the mixture thickens, and remove from the heat
- Add the butter and keep whisking until the butter melts in the mixture – making it shiny and pudding-like
- Take your bowl in the ice and place a sieve on top. Push the mixture through the sieve with a rubber spatula. This will help you get a smooth cream with no lumps, and the ice will cool the mixture so the eggs don’t overcook
- Put your cream in the fridge to cool down
- Next, make the rest of the cream filling. Whip the cream and the remaining sugar until you get stiff peaks and set aside. Remove your pastry cream from the fridge and gently fold in the mascarpone. Once well incorporated, fold in the whipped cream
- Use a sieve to sprinkle the bottom of the Pyrex dish with some cocoa powder
- Pour the espresso into a large bowl and dip the ladyfingers into it, one side at a time. It’s important to work quickly as the ladyfingers absorb the coffee quickly and can start breaking
- Assemble the ladyfingers side-by-side in the Pyrex dish, covering the entire surface – it’s okay to break them up if there are any gaps
- Cover the ladyfingers with half the cream mixture
- Repeat the process of dipping the ladyfingers in the espresso, layering them on top of the cream. Top with the remaining cream mixture
- Cover the tiramisu and let it set in the fridge for at least four hours, ideally overnight. Dust with the cocoa powder before serving
This tiramisu lasts in the fridge for up to 2 days – ideal if you want seconds (or thirds!)
Instructions
Making tiramisu: my top tips
- I use espresso shots of strong coffee, but instant coffee works just as well
- Don’t panic if your pastry cream turns out lumpy – put it in a blender to smooth it out
- You can also decorate your tiramisu with chocolate shavings or whipped cream
The perfect Italian comfort baking recipe
Tiramisu is one of those recipes that you think will be hard to make, but is simpler than you think. All the layering at the end reminds me of making a sweet lasagne.
This dessert is the perfect finish to a three-course meal, and it’s easy to scale up and down too – ideal if the whole family is unexpectedly turning up for dinner!
I’d love to hear what you think of it, and remember, that there are more delicious recipes like this in my dessert cookbook, Sweet Love.
