Tasty Tiramisu is a perfect description. This dessert is a perfect conclusion to a good meal and a perfect treat when you want it. The smoothness of the mascarpone and the bitterness of the coffee blend perfectly. Served as a dessert/pudding with a sprinkling of cocoa powder for lot of smiling faces.
One of the best things about this tiramisu is how little effort it takes to create something that feels so special. The preparation is wonderfully straightforward, yet the finished dessert has the appearance and flavour of something far more complicated. Therefore, it is an excellent choice when you are entertaining because most of the work can be completed well before your guests sit down to eat.
The coffee is particularly important because it gives the sponge fingers their distinctive character. Make it strong enough to stand alongside the creamy mascarpone mixture, but allow it to cool before dipping the biscuits. This helps keep the layers neat and prevents the sponge fingers from becoming overly soft. A quick dip on each side is usually all that is needed. If they absorb too much coffee, the finished dessert can lose some of its lovely texture.
Meanwhile, the mascarpone and cream create a wonderfully smooth filling with a gentle sweetness. The vanilla adds another layer of flavour without overpowering the coffee. As a result, every spoonful brings together creamy richness, coffee and chocolate in a beautifully balanced way. The cocoa dusting then adds a slightly bitter finish that cuts through the richness and makes the dessert surprisingly moreish.
For the best results, give the tiramisu plenty of time to rest in the refrigerator. Four hours will allow the layers to settle, but leaving it overnight makes an even bigger difference. During this time, the coffee gradually works into the sponge while the cream mixture firms up. Consequently, the dessert becomes easier to serve and develops a deeper, more rounded flavour.
This is also a wonderfully adaptable dessert for family meals and dinner parties. You can prepare it in one large dish for everyone to share, or divide the mixture between smaller serving glasses for individual portions. Either way, keep the cocoa powder until shortly before serving so it looks fresh and inviting.
Finally, remember that tiramisu is best served chilled. Take it from the refrigerator just before serving and add a final light dusting of cocoa if needed. The contrast between the cool, creamy filling, coffee-soaked sponge and cocoa creates the familiar tiramisu experience that makes this Italian-inspired dessert such a reliable favourite.
Tasty Tiramisu
Ingredients
- 350 ml coffee espresso
- 225 g mascarpone soft
- 340 g double cream whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 200 g sponge finger lady fingers
- 35 g sugar granulated
- Cocoa powder dusting
Instructions
- Make the coffee nice and strong and leave to one side to cool off.350 ml coffee
- Add the cream into a high sided mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, either hand or a large one, whisk on a medium speed.340 g double cream
- Add the sugar and vanilla gently while continually whisking. Add the mascarpone and whisk until you achieve stiff peaks in the mixture. Put to one side for now.1 tsp vanilla extract, 35 g sugar, 225 g mascarpone
- Add the coffee to a bowl and dunk the sponge fingers/lady fingers. You don’t want to soak them just dip them covering all sides. Do a few at a time.200 g sponge finger
- Once dunked, add the fingers creating one layer into a 9 inch x 7 inch or 8×8 dish.
- Add half of the mascarpone/cream mixture onto the sponge fingers smoothing it level.
- Add another layer of dunked sponge fingers with the remaining mascarpone/cream mixture on top.
- Generously sprinkle the cocoa powder over the dessert and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or even overnight. The flavours will increase.Cocoa powder
- Serve and enjoy.
31 comments
My favourite dessert and now even a snack.
Everyone enjoyed this when I served it after Sunday dinner. It was rich enough to feel special but not overwhelmingly sweet.
A very satisfying tiramisu with lovely layers and plenty of flavour. It was even better the next day when everything had had time to blend together.
This was absolutely gorgeous served cold from the refrigerator. The cocoa gave it a slightly bitter edge that stopped the creamy filling from becoming too heavy.
This was a big hit with the family. It was creamy, chocolatey and had just enough coffee flavour to make it interesting.
I enjoyed the recipe, although I think the cocoa needs to be added just before serving. Mine looked a little damp after sitting in the fridge.
This tasted lovely, although mine did not look quite as neat as expected. The layers were a little messy, but nobody complained once they started eating it.
A fantastic family dessert that disappeared very quickly. I would recommend making it a few hours ahead rather than serving it immediately.
This was much easier to make than I expected. The coffee and creamy mascarpone worked beautifully together, and everyone wanted seconds.
Really tasty and pleasantly light despite being quite a rich dessert. The cocoa on top added just the right finishing touch.
The coffee flavour was delicious, but I would personally add slightly more cocoa on top. Otherwise, it was a lovely dessert.
The mascarpone mixture was wonderfully creamy and smooth. My only criticism is that I found the dessert slightly too rich after a large meal.
Excellent flavour and very easy to assemble. Leaving it overnight made a noticeable difference to the texture.
The texture was fantastic after chilling overnight. It looked impressive when served and tasted wonderfully rich without being too sweet.
This is now one of my favourite homemade desserts. It tasted fresh, creamy and much better than the ready-made versions I have bought.
I thought this was good but perhaps a little sweet for my taste. I would reduce the sweetness slightly next time.
A simple dessert that produced excellent results. I would definitely make this again for a dinner party.
The texture was beautiful after chilling and the sponge fingers had absorbed just enough coffee. I will definitely be making this again.
Very enjoyable tiramisu and surprisingly straightforward to prepare. I particularly liked the combination of vanilla, coffee and mascarpone.
The preparation was simple and the result looked far more complicated than it actually was. It is a great dessert when you want to impress guests.
Mine turned out a little softer than I wanted because I dipped the sponge fingers for too long. Even so, the flavour was excellent.
I made individual portions in small glasses and they looked beautiful. The recipe worked just as well served this way.
Very creamy and indulgent with a wonderful coffee flavour. It made a lovely finish to our dinner and was enjoyed by everyone.
This was a lovely tiramisu with a really good balance of coffee and cocoa. I made it the night before and it was even better the following day.
I would happily make this again. It is easy, creamy and full of the classic flavours you expect from a good tiramisu, although I may use a little less coffee next time.
A really good recipe for entertaining. I prepared everything earlier in the day and simply kept it chilled until dessert time.
I liked how easy this was to prepare ahead. It saved a lot of time on the day of our meal and tasted fantastic after several hours in the fridge.
I accidentally over-soaked a few of the sponge fingers, which made part of the dessert quite soft. The rest was delicious, so I would definitely try again.
I really enjoyed this recipe. The mascarpone layer was smooth and creamy, while the coffee-soaked sponge fingers gave it plenty of flavour.
The flavour was very good, although I found the coffee slightly too strong for my taste. Next time I will use a little less.
I used a slightly stronger coffee and thought it worked really well. The bitterness balanced the sweetness of the creamy filling perfectly.