The Ultimate Tiramisu Recipe
The Ultimate Tiramisu Recipe is a medium Italian recipe that serves 8. 350 calories per serving. Recipe by James Hoffmann on YouTube.
Prep: 55 min | Cook: 8 hrs 50 min | Total: 10 hrs
Cost: $24.94 total, $3.12 per serving
Ingredients
- 8 pieces Egg Yolks (pasteurized via sous‑vide; use at room temperature after cooling)
- 150 g Cane Sugar (granulated; adjust to taste)
- 500 g Mascarpone Cheese (full‑fat, chilled)
- 32 pieces Ladyfinger Biscuits (Savoiardi) (store‑bought; keep one side unsweetened for dunking)
- 144 g Ground Decaf Espresso Coffee (high‑quality decaf espresso blend; fine grind for strong extraction)
- 5 g Salt (for 80:20 saline solution; measured with scale)
- 10 g Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (light‑colored, sustainably sourced; for dusting)
- ~500 ml Water (for coffee dilution and saline solution; use filtered water)
Instructions
Pasteurize Egg Yolks
Separate 8 egg yolks, place them in a vacuum seal bag, seal tightly, and submerge in a water bath set to 60°C for 30 minutes.
Time: PT15M
Temperature: 60°C
Cool Egg Yolks
Remove the bag, transfer the yolks to an ice‑water bath for about 10 minutes until completely cool.
Time: PT10M
Prepare Saline Solution
Dissolve 5 g salt in 20 g hot water, mix until fully dissolved to create an 80:20 water‑to‑salt solution.
Time: PT2M
Brew Strong Coffee
Grind 144 g decaf espresso coffee fine, then brew in an espresso machine (or three AeroPress batches: 40 g coffee + 200 g water, plus a final 24 g + 120 g water) to obtain roughly 480 ml of espresso‑strength liquid.
Time: PT10M
Dilute and Salt the Coffee
If the espresso volume is below 480 ml, add filtered cold water to reach 480 ml. Add 9 drops of the saline solution (≈0.75 g salt) to the coffee and stir gently.
Time: PT5M
Whisk Egg Yolks with Sugar
In a chilled mixing bowl, combine the cooled egg yolks with 150 g cane sugar. Whisk on low speed for 4–5 minutes until the mixture lightens in color and volume increases noticeably.
Time: PT5M
Incorporate Mascarpone
Add the 500 g mascarpone to the yolk‑sugar foam in three equal batches, folding gently after each addition until just combined; the mixture should be glossy and hold soft peaks.
Time: PT3M
First Biscuit Layer & Coffee Dosing
Place 16 ladyfingers (non‑sugar side up) in the dish. Pour 240 ml of the coffee onto the tray, quickly dunk each biscuit once (short dip). After dunking, brush any remaining coffee onto the biscuits to ensure 15 g coffee per biscuit. Spread half of the mascarpone cream evenly over the layer.
Time: PT10M
Second Biscuit Layer & Finish
Repeat with the remaining 16 biscuits using the rest of the coffee, then spread the remaining mascarpone cream. Dust the top generously with sustainable unsweetened cocoa powder using a fine mesh sieve.
Time: PT10M
Chill to Set
Cover the tiramisu and refrigerate for at least 8 hours (24 h ideal, up to 48 h). The dessert will firm and flavors will meld.
Time: PT8H
Temperature: 4°C
Serve
Remove from fridge, let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes, then slice and serve. Optionally add an extra dusting of cocoa just before plating.
Time: PT5M
Nutrition Facts
- Calories
- 350
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 35 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Dietary info: Vegetarian, Contains gluten, Contains dairy
Allergens: Eggs, Dairy, Gluten
Last updated: April 17, 2026








