Throughout the long weekend I recently spent with Flavours Holidays in Italy, we made one after another of some of the most wonderful dishes I’ve ever tasted. One of my favourites, that was also one of the easiest to make, was the delectable tiramisu. I’ve never been a particularly big fan of this, the most famous of Italy’s desserts, but I suspect that is because I have never had the real deal before! This authentic tiramisu recipe is superb and in a completely different league to any I had previously tried.

authentic tiramisu recipe

Authentic tiramisu recipe from Tuscany
Print

Easy Tiramisu Recipe

The most delicious dessert I've ever tasted!
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 40 minutes
Minimum resting time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 495kcal

Ingredients

  • 500 mascarpone cheese
  • 8/9 tbsp of sugar
  • 6 large eggs
  • 300 g savoiardi biscuits or ladyfinger sponge biscuits
  • strong espresso coffee
  • Marsala wine

Instructions

  • Separate the egg yolks from the whites, keeping both.
  • In a large mixing bowl beat the egg yolks and most of the sugar until thick and pale. This takes a while so stick with it. I found it easiest to start by hand and then let an electric whisk do the hard work.
  • Add the mascarpone cheese little by little and mix well so that it is smooth with no lumps.
  • In another bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Again this takes time, so persevere.
  • Quickly but gently, fold the egg whites into the first mixture of egg yolks, sugar and cheese.
  • Make a bowl of coffee, add a little sugar and some Marsala wine.
  • Dip each of the sponge fingers into the coffee for a few seconds, shake off the excess and arrange them in a layer on the bottom of a large rectangular baking dish.
  • Spread a layer of the egg and cheese mixture over the top of the biscuits and then repeat this with another layer of soaked biscuits finishing with a layer of the creamy mixture.
  • Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours but the longer you leave it the better as the flavours blend together. Keep in mind that the eggs are uncooked though and will only keep a couple of days in fridge.
  • Before serving dust the top with a little coco powder.

Notes

Marsala is a sweet fortified wine. While it should be readily available, if you aren’t able to get hold of any, I found that cream sherry made a good substitution. If you can’t find authentic savoiardi biscuits then ladyfinger sponge biscuits will make a good substitution. I used both these alternatives one Easter Monday, when I had my family offer for lunch, and everyone really loved it. I couldn't believe how good it tasted and it was even better the next day.

 

Authentic tiramisu recipe from Tuscany

 

 

 

 

Join my 'Behind the Scenes' newsletter

Delivered monthly to your inbox with all my behind the scenes news, latest posts and giveaways exclusive to my subscribers.