Best Tiramisu Recipe {step by step}

Add one inch of water to a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer. Find a metal bowl that will fit on top of the pot so it's sitting on the pot without touching the water.

Add the egg yolks and sugar to the bowl, whipping to mix the ingredients together.

Place the bowl on the small pot of simmering water. Using a whisk to mix, whip the egg/sugar mixture constantly for about 10 minutes. This will cook the eggs. The mixture will increase in volume as it thickens. This is your sabayon. *egg/sugar mixture needs to reach a temperature of at least 165 degrees F. **If the bowl starts to get too hot, lift it off the pot of water for 15 seconds or so while continuing to whip the mixture. You can do this as often as necessary. ***If you used regular sugar instead of superfine / castor sugar your finished sabayon may be grainy. That's okay it will finish dissolving while your tiramisu is firming up.

After you have finished whipping the sabayon, remove the bowl from the heat and continue to whip yolks to help it cool. The mixture should be thick and a lemon yellow color. Allow to cool briefly before mixing in mascarpone.

Add room temperature Mascarpone to the whipped yolks, mix until well combined. Don't overmix this can cause curdling.*Mascarpone only needs to get to set out for 15-20 minutes. Don't let it get warm.

In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, whip the cream to stiff peaks.   (hand mixer or stand mixer is fine). This process should be slow, starting. on low increasing the speed over about ten minutes.**This method is how you keep the whipped cream from breaking. The cream should be ice cold and as fresh as possible. Look for heavy cream with the longest expiration date.

Gently fold the whipped cream in the mascarpone sabayon mixture and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the tiramisu.

Mix the cold espresso (or strong coffee) with the coffee liqueur and dip the ladyfingers into the mixture just long enough to get them wet, do not soak them!**If you can't use alcohol, just leave out the liqueur.

Arrange the ladyfingers in the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish (or container similarly sized)

Spoon half the mascarpone cream filling over the ladyfingers.

Repeat process with another layer of ladyfingers

Add another layer of tiramisu cream

Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.

Dust with cocoa before serving