Tiramisu is a traditional Italian dessert flavored with coffee. This simple tiramisu recipe is sure to be a hit if you’re entertaining or just want a slice of la dolce vita!
Simple Tiramisu Recipe
Impress your friends and family with this easy Italian dessert. It takes just 30 minutes to prepare this quick tiramisu.
What is Tiramisu?
As tiramisu is a a no-bake dessert, the alcohol used is quite potent so you don’t need a lot. For this light tiramisu recipe, we’ve opted to leave eggs out. A classic tiramisu often contains egg yolks and egg whites, but this recipe uses whipping cream instead for a richer taste.

What Coffee is Best for Tiramisu?
An authentic tiramisu recipe uses espresso coffee. Dark roasts from France or Italy are ideal but not essential.
If you only have a regular coffee maker at home, either buy espresso from a local coffee shop or use instant espresso powder.

What Liquor is in Tiramisu?
In Italy, it’s customary to make tiramisu with Marsala wine. This is a fortified wine made near the village of Marsala in Sicily. The alcohol content is a whopping 20% however you only need a small quantity.
For a non-alcoholic tiramisu, you can leave the Marsala out altogether. If you can’t find it in your grocery store, here are some perfectly good Marsala wine alternatives for tiramisu:
- Amaretto almond flavored liqueur
- Brandy
- Coffee liqueur
- Dark rum

Tiramisu Toppings
As part of this easy tiramisu recipe, you top it with either finely grated chocolate or cocoa powder. You could just leave it at that, or add more toppings for added wow factor, such as:
- Chocolate covered nuts
- Chocolate curls
- Fresh raspberries
- Fresh strawberries

Can You Freeze Tiramisu?
Obviously, tiramisu tastes best when it’s fresh but you can actually freeze it for up to 3 months. Just don’t add any fresh fruit toppings.
Cover the baking dish with two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of foil. Defrost this classic Italian dessert thoroughly in the refrigerator overnight, then eat within 3 days.

Here is the full tiramisu recipe, with all the ingredients that you need as well as exact quantities and instructions.
Simple Tiramisu Recipe
A rich and creamy tiramisu recipe.
Ingredients
- 8 oz/500 g whipping cream
- 8 oz/500 g mascarpone cheese
- 8 oz espresso coffee/ 2 coffee pods
- 1 tbsp Marsala wine
- 1 pack ladies fingers (16-18 biscuits)
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder or grated chocolate
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Brew the coffee and leave it to cool.
- Add the Marsala and stir well.
- Whip the mascarpone cream and whipping cream in a large mixing bowl until soft peaks form.
- Add the vanilla extract, then place in the refrigerator.
- Dip half of the lady fingers briefly into the coffee mix, covering both sides, then place in a shallow baking tray.
- Using a spatula, spread half the cream mixture over the lady fingers.
- Sprinkle half the chocolate or cocoa powder over.
- Dip the rest of the lady fingers into the coffee and layer them on top.
- Spread the remaining cream mixture on top.
- Sprinkle over the rest of the chocolate or cocoa powder.
- Cover with aluminium foil or food wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.
Notes
You can use either cocoa powder or grated chocolate for this recipe. If using chocolate, choose a good quality semi-sweet or dark one rather than milk chocolate.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 668Total Fat: 69gSaturated Fat: 42gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 208mgSodium: 409mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 7g
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