Tiramisu (Family Recipe!)

There is a single dessert that has always been more than just a treat to me, but a comforting reminder of family, home, and the simple joys of life. Growing up, it was always my requested birthday cake, and never failed to bring everyone together around the table. I can still remember the smell of coffee and chocolate filling the kitchen as my mom would carefully layer the mascarpone and lady fingers, each step taken with love and precision. To this day, tiramisu remains my favorite dessert. It’s a taste of home and a piece of my childhood that’s always there to bring a little joy, no matter where life takes me. So follow along for my mom’s famous recipe!

Tips and Tricks for Success

As you will see, there is a certain skill required to make the perfect layers in your tiramisu! However, if you have the proper setup, this will quickly come to you. First things first, you have to ensure you have the right sized pan. For this recipe, you can use either a 9×9 serving dish or two bread pans. It is also a good idea to have a rectangular spatula to more easily remove slices from the dish. Lastly, I like using the Oxo Paddle Grater to shave the chocolate on top at the end! It is easiest if you place the chocolate in the freezer while the tiramisu chills in the fridge, allowing for easier handling while shaving.

It is also important to ensure you don’t make “tirami-soup” (as my mom always says)! To reduce the liquid in the dish, make sure to not over soak the lady fingers. I find pouring the coffee into an additional bread pan allows for efficient dunking, and a clean assembly line.

How to Make My Mom’s Tiramisu:

Tiramisu (Family Recipe!)

Course: DessertCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Chilling Time

2

hours 

Calories

180

kcal

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs

• 8 oz mascarpone cheese

• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar

• 1/8 cup Kahlua (or rum)

• 3 cups fresh brewed coffee (room temperature)

• 2 3.5 oz boxes Lady Fingers (~60 cookies)

• Chocolate (shaved)

Directions

• Separate the egg whites and yolks.
• Using a hand mixer, beat the egg whites until light and fluffy on high speed.
• Clean the hand mixer and beat the egg yolks at low speed. While beating, add the granulated sugar, then the mascarpone cheese and Kahlua. Beat until smooth.
• Add the egg whites to the egg yolk mixture, beating on low until well incorporated. Set aside.
• One at a time, dunk your Lady Fingers into the cooled coffee for ~2 seconds, ensuring they absorb the liquid, but do not fall apart. Place in an orderly fashion at the bottom of the serving tray (either a 9×9 baking dish, or two bread pans). Repeat until a full layer is formed.
• Pour half of the cream mixture over the first layer of Lady Fingers and ensure it is evenly distributed.
• Repeat step 5 and form a second layer of Lady Fingers on top of the cream layer.
• Pour remaining cream over the second layer of Lady Fingers, once again making sure it is evenly distributed and all Lady Fingers are covered completely.
• Place assembled tiramisu in the fridge, allowing to chill for 2 hours.
• Once chilled and the cream has thickened, top with chocolate shavings, serve, and enjoy!