A Super Easy Tiramisu Recipe To Cap Off Your Next Italian Feast!
We heard the 90s are in again, and we’re bringing the classic tiramisu recipe back to celebrate, baby. Remember the scene from Sleepless in Seattle when Tom Hanks is thinking about dating again and Rob Reiner’s primary advice revolves around the fact that to get a girl, he’s going to have to learn about tiramisu? That’s how iconic tiramisu was in the early 90s—Nora Ephron built a whole moment around it in her (arguably) best movie ever! And while shoulder pads and taupe everything can stay firmly in 1992, it’s time for us to make some room for tiramisu in our hearts once again, because this creamy, textural, coffee-drenched dessert is seriously delicious! Plus, with our pared down, super easy tiramisu recipe, it’s a dessert you can make almost any time the craving strikes.
What Is Tiramisu?
Tiramisu is a creamy, coffee-laced Italian dessert that was likely invented sometime in the early 19th century in Treviso (though origin stories vary widely). And exactly what does tiramisu translate to in English? Tiramisu means simply “pick me up”, so that coffee element must be strong and plentiful! A lot of recipes call for espresso, but strongly brewed coffee works, too. There are always ladyfingers in tiramisu, and always lots of creamy things—usually mascarpone, often egg yolks and heavy cream to scoop up greedily with a spoon. Many recipes include booze, and vary greatly according to personal preference. Some folks add coffee liqueur, to double down on the coffee flavors, while others call for a more assertive spirit, like brandy, dark rum or marsala wine. We like to keep things kid-friendly, and wanted this recipe to be a truly easy tiramisu recipe, so we’ve opted to skip the alcohol entirely and think that the final result is no less delicious for the omission. We’ve also gone with a no egg tiramisu recipe, because—while they are a classic tiramisu ingredient—we know that raw egg whites can make some people nervous. We get it! And the recipe is still quite (quite!) rich, we promise.
The Simplest Tiramisu Ingredients
The best tiramisu recipe is the one that you’ll actually get around to making, and thankfully this one is so simple that there’s nothing stopping you! No expensive or hard-to-find ingredients, no fussy steps and best of all? It’s a no-bake dessert that needs to chill for at least four hours–overnight is best–so it’s the ideal make-ahead dessert recipe! It gets better as it sits—who doesn’t love that!? Grazie mille to the genius pastry chef who invented this dessert! To make this easy tiramisu recipe, you’ll need:
Heavy cream
Mascarpone cheese
Maple syrup
Cinnamon
Vanilla
Brewed coffee (and make it strong, please!)
Ladyfingers
Cocoa powder
How Do You Make Tiramisu From Scratch?
Get ready to impress your friends, family—anyone that you gather around the table to eat this special, simple, classic, coffee-and-cream dessert. Cool and creamy, it’s a welcome cap to most any meal. Plus, it has a rich taste but doesn’t feel heavy, so there’s always room for a little tiramisu. Here’s how to make tiramisu:
Make whipped cream! You can do this in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, using a hand mixer, or with good old elbow grease. Just be sure you see those classic stiff peaks.
Stir together the mascarpone, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla extract until combined. fold this mixture into the whipped cream.
Dip the ladyfingers in coffee—just enough to give them a little coating, not too saturated with liquid.
Assemble the tiramisu. Begin with a layer of the coffee-soaked ladyfingers, and then spread the whipped cream-mascarpone mixture over the top. Repeat.
Chill the tiramisu! Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least four hours, but you can leave it as long as overnight.
Eat the tiramisu! To make it pretty for serving, dust the top with a little cocoa powder and cinnamon.
Tools You’ll Need To Make Tiramisu
A stand mixer is very handy, but a whisk and a bowl will do in a pinch.
Some sort of coffee maker (any kind is OK!)
Still Dreaming Of That Trip To Italy?
If so, you might be planning your next Italian-inspired dinner party. Here’s some menu ideas:
Start with these cream cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers or Stuffed Mushrooms
Bake up a side of Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats and serve up a big Antipasto Salad
Make all the pasta! Easy Stuffed Pasta Shells, Baked Ziti, or Spaghetti and Meatballs
Clear eyes, Chicken Cacciatore, can’t fail
Warm weather loves this Summer Tortellini Pasta Salad with a side of Meatball Sub Sandwich!
Olive Oil Cake would be a lovely finish to the meal
Yep, You Did It! You Made The Best Tiramisu, Ever
And we want to hear all about how it went! Let us know how you liked our tiramisu recipe, OK? Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!
