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Classic tiramisu with clean layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cream dusted with cocoa

Cousin Mike's Classic Tiramisu

Classic no-bake tiramisu with clean layers of espresso-soaked ladyfingers and silky mascarpone cream. The whole trick is a one-second dip so they never turn to mush, and an overnight chill so it slices clean.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 16 oz mascarpone cheese room temperature
  • 1 cup heavy cream cold
  • 1 1/2 cups strong espresso or strong coffee cooled
  • 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur or dark rum optional
  • 24 ladyfingers (savoiardi)
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
  • 1 pinch salt

Method
 

  1. Set a heatproof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Whisk the egg yolks and sugar constantly 5–8 minutes, until pale, thick, and ribbony — this gently cooks the yolks. Remove and let cool a few minutes.
  2. Whisk the room-temperature mascarpone and a pinch of salt into the warm yolk mixture until completely smooth.
  3. In a separate cold bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft-to-medium peaks. Fold it into the mascarpone mixture gently, in two additions, until smooth and stable. Do not overmix.
  4. Stir the cooled espresso together with the liqueur (if using) in a shallow dish. Dip each ladyfinger quickly — about 1 second per side. Do not soak them; they should be moistened, not saturated.
  5. Lay a layer of dipped ladyfingers in the bottom of a 9x13-inch dish. Spread half the mascarpone cream over them. Add a second layer of dipped ladyfingers, then the rest of the cream, smoothed flat.
  6. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours, ideally overnight, so it sets and the flavors meld.
  7. Just before serving, dust the top generously with cocoa powder through a fine sieve.

Notes

The one-second dip is everything — oversoaked ladyfingers turn the whole thing to mush. Cooking the yolks over a double boiler makes the custard food-safe; you can also use pasteurized eggs. Chill overnight so it slices clean, and always dust the cocoa at the very end so it does not absorb into the cream. The perfect finish to an Italian dinner.