Italian Tiramisu for a Crowd - Baker by Nature (2024)

This easy Tiramisu recipe is my favorite make-ahead Italian dessert for a crowd! Made with a creamy mascarpone mixture, coffee flavored ladyfingers, and a dusting of cocoa powder… and no raw eggs. This is heaven in a baking dish!

Tiramisu is the Best Italian Dessert

When it comes to Italian desserts… there are quite a few famous ones! Cannoli, biscotti, and ricotta cheesecake all come to mind. But the most famous Italian dessert is probably tiramisu!

And what’s not to love about this coffee flavored treat? This quintessential Italian dessert is rich, creamy, and so satisfying. And a small slice is all you need, so it easily serves a crowd! This is our go-to dessert for family gatherings from Christmas to Mother’s Day.

This is NOT Traditional Tiramisu

• I don’t want to get in trouble with the tiramisu police. So I’ll just come out and say this upfront, this is NOT traditional tiramisu. While this does have elements of a traditional tiramisu recipe, it’s my own take on the classic Italian dessert.
• It features a super rich whipped cream mascarpone mixture instead of whipped egg whites. And no raw eggs; you cook the eggs yolks using a double boiler.
• The lady fingers are soaked in a mixture of melted chocolate, coffee, and kahlua. You can use dark rum for a more traditional tiramisu. But I love using coffee flavored rum for this easy tiramisu recipe! It gives the coffee soaked lady fingers so much flavor.
• For a classic look, I dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa. I like to use dutch-process cocoa powder here, because it’s less bitter and intensely dark. But if all you can find is unsweetened cocoa, it’ll work OK.

I’ve made a version of this recipe for years, but finally perfected it on February 6, 2021! Yes, it’s so good I marked it down on my calendar! And I’ve made it approximately 3 million times since then. It’s a family favorite, and I have a feeling you’ll love it as much as we do!

What is Tiramisu

• Let’s start with the name, tiramisu, which actually means “pick me up” in Italian. This makes sense because there are two caffeinated ingredients in the recipe: coffee and chocolate.Definitely a pick-me-up kind of dessert, if you ask me!
• Classic tiramisu is an Italian dessert that’s somewhere between a cake and a dessert casserole. Usually made in a baking dish, but this famous dessert can come in many forms.
• It features coffee soaked ladyfingers that are layered with a sweet mascarpone mixture.
• Tiramisu is a chilled Italian dessert that’s served cold, and dusted with cocoa powder before serving.

How to Make Tiramisu

1. Make the Mascarpone Mixture: This requires a double boiler and an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. Follow the steps carefully to ensure the mascarpone mixture doesn’t curdle.
2. Make the Coffee Soaked Lady Fingers: Dip the ladyfingers into the hot coffee mixture. You don’t want to soak the lady fingers for too long or they’ll become soggy.
3. Assemble the Tiramisu: Arrange the coffee soaked ladyfingers in a single layer on the bottom of abaking dish. Be careful not to soak the lady fingers too long, or they’ll yield a soggy tiramisu. Spread half of the mascarpone cream mixture on top of the lady fingers. Then repeat this process once more.
4. Refrigerate the Tiramisu: You’ll want to chill this for at least 8 hours before serving. Or up to 24 hours. Dust with cocoa powder before serving!

Tips for Making the Mascarpone Mixture

1. Double Boiler: You’ll need one of these for this recipe. But if you don’t have one, don’t fret, because all you need is a heatproof glass bowl and a pot to make one. Make sure the bowl fits snugly on top of the pot. When you add water to the pot, make sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the water.
2. Cook the Eggs: Use your double boiler to cook the egg yolks (yes, you really need 9 egg yolks), sugar, and amaretto liqueur. This step ensures no raw eggs will be consumed! It takes about 10 minutes, so be patient.
3. Make the Mascarpone Mixture: Stir the mascarpone cheese into the egg mixture. Add the mascarpone cheese a little bit at a time, until the mixture is smooth and the cheese is completely combined.
4. Make the Whipped Cream: Use a large chilled bowl to whip the heavy cream and confections’s sugar. Take care not to over whip the heavy cream. You want medium-soft peaks form.
5. Add to the Mascarpone Mixture: Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture and gently stir well to combine. Mix here until you evenly combine the whipped cream with the mascarpone cheese, but do not over mix.

Whipped Cream vs Whipped Egg Whites

• Many traditional tiramisu recipes that call for whipped egg whites. But my recipes uses a homemade whipped cream mixture instead.
• You’ll need an electric hand mixer or stand mixer for this part. You’ll pour the heavy cream into a large bowl and beat until medium-soft peaks to form.
• This means you want them just a little more structured than soft peaks. You want the whipped cream just firm enough that it holds its shape and doesn’t flow everywhere when you slice into the tiramisu.
• You’ll then fold this whipped cream mixture into the cooled mascarpone mixture. It should look lightly yellow and super smooth and creamy!

Dip the Ladyfingers

• The first step to this phase? Make a STRONG pot of coffee. If you have an espresso maker at home, espresso will work great, too. Then you’ll pour the hot coffee into a wide and shallow bowl.
• Add the chocolate and cocoa powder to the strong coffee and mix until smooth. You don’t want any large clumps of cocoa powder or chocolate.
• Next you’ll fold in the vanilla extract and Kahlua! If you don’t have Kahlua, you may omit or use dark rum, brandy, or even another coffee liqueur.
• Finally, grab your lady fingers and start dipping. They should be HARD lady fingers.
• Soft will not work for this recipe! They’ll get way too soft and mushy.You can find lady fingers in most grocery stores, but you can also order themonline here.
• Quickly dip each ladyfinger into the coffee mixture, being sure not to let them get too saturated with liquid. They’ll soften on their own as the tiramisu sets.

Assemble the Tiramisu

1. Arrange half of the coffee soaked lady fingers on the bottom of a 9×13 dish. Then spread half of the mascarpone cream cheese mixture on top of the lady fingers.
2. Spread the mascarpone cream mixture evenly with a spatula to cover the coffee soaked lady fingers. Then start the process again!
3. Top the cream with a second layer of dipped ladyfingers, and then top with the remaining mascarpone cream.

Chill the Tiramisu

• The final step is definitely the hardest! You need to cover with plastic wrap and chill, in the refrigerator, for 4 hours, or overnight!
• Personally, I prefer this recipe once it’s chilled for 8 to 12 hours, so you can definitely make it ahead of time. I think it’s best served within 24 hours of making.

How to Slice Tiramisu

• When it comes time to slice into your gorgeous tiramisu, don’t be afraid to just stick the knife in and SLICE!
• That said, I know neat and tidy squares look the prettiest, so I suggest cutting small pieces and wiping the knife between every slice.
• You can also pop the tiramisu in the freezer for like 5 minutes, which helps the cream set up just a little bit. But this isn’t necessary, it’s just an option if you’re little OCD like me and like very clean cuts!

Does Tiramisu have Alcohol?

• If you’ve read this post, you know the answer to this question already is yes. Tiramisu does have alcohol, as all traditional tiramisu recipes do.
• I think the alcohol adds a lovely flavor, but you can make this recipe without booze.
• To make this recipe without alcohol, simply omit in both steps.
• If you simply want to alter the alcohol used, feel free. You can use dark rum, Bailey’s Irish cream, sweet marsala wine, or even grand marnier liqueur!

Other Posts You May Like