Easy tiramisu recipes to master at home: Keep the coffee, cream, eggs and ladyfingers ready

Fyole Tiramisu, by Chef Hemant, Pastry Head Chef, Fyole, Mumbai

Tiramisu, a true testament to a chef's culinary expertise, is a delightful dessert that demands meticulous attention to detail. Layering it with precision, using key ingredients such as Ladyfingers (Savoiardi biscuits), the perfect cream, and a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese, culminates in a harmonious masterpiece. Topped off with a lavish dusting of cocoa powder, this decadent treat leaves no room for compromise. Behind each tantalizing creation lies a chef's secret method, adding to the allure of this dessert menu star. The end result is a feast that indulges every sense, leaving diners with an unforgettable experience.

Here are five delicious recipes for homemade Tiramisu. The pro tips will help in getting your tiramisu perfect.

Fyole Tiramisu

Chef Hemant, Pastry Head Chef, Fyole, Mumbai

Ingredients: Eggg yolks, 6; Sugar, 3/4 cup;  Milk, 2/3 cup;  Heavy cream, 1 1/4 cups; Mascarpone cheese, 8 oz; Strong brewed coffee, 1 cup;  Rum or coffee liqueur (optional), 2 tbsp;  Ladyfinger cookies, 24;  Cocoa powder

Method: Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a bowl / Heat milk in a saucepan, and then gradually whisk into the egg mixture / Cook the mixture over simmering water until custard-like / Let the custard cool, then fold in whipped cream and mascarpone cheese / Dip ladyfinger cookies in coffee and arrange them in a dish / Spread half of the cream mixture over the cookies / Repeat layers, ending with the cream mixture on top /  Chill for at least 4 hours / Dust with cocoa powder before serving.

Tip: Quality ingredients are key: Fresh eggs, good mascarpone, strong coffee, and high-quality cocoa powder. Layer ladyfingers carefully. Briefly soak them in coffee to absorb flavour without becoming soggy. For balanced flavours, add a touch of bitterness from coffee to complement the sweetness in mascarpone cream. For whipped mascarpone cream, use room temperature cheese and avoid over mixing for a smooth texture.

Shy TiramisuBy Chef Govind Nayak, Shy, Mumbai

Ingredients: 

For syrup: Water, 25 ml; Expresso, 15 ml; Sugar, 20 gm; Old monk, 15 ml

Method: Mix all the above ingredients except rum, and boil it till the sugar melts, cool it, add rum .

Lady’s finger Biscuit: Egg yolk, 2; Castor sugar, 6 gm; Egg white, 2; Castor sugar, 15 gm; Flour, 25 gm; Corn flour 25 gm

Method: Mix yolk and sugar, beat it with blender, keep it aside/ In a new bowl, beat egg white with sugar till fluffy, fold in the yolk mixture with egg white mixture / Spread the above mixture in a baking tray, bake for 180 deg C for 10 minutes/ Cool it

Filling: Egg white, 1; Castor sugar, 13 gm; Mascarpone cheese, 125 gm; Coffee and alcohol syrup, 1 gm; Whipping cream, 65 gm

Method: Mix in egg yolk, castor sugar, cook over a double boiler to make a sabayon, fold in Mascarpone Cheese, add alcohol syrup whipped cream.

Assembly: Soak the lady finger with alcohol syrup, place it in transparent glass, pipe the mascarpone cream, copy the same layer again, garnish with coffee powder.

Tip: To achieve the perfect balance of flavours in your tiramisu, make sure to generously soak the ladyfingers in the syrup mixture. This allows for a delightful infusion of coffee and rum throughout the layers. Additionally, when piping the mascarpone cream, take your time to create even and elegant layers for a visually stunning presentation. Lastly, don't forget to chill the assembled tiramisu for a few hours to let the flavours meld together and achieve the ultimate indulgence.

Tiramisu (Eggless)

By Chef Biju Philiph, Executive Chef, Courtyard By Marriott, Mumbai International Airport

Ingredients: Double cream, 400 ml;  Mascarpone cheese (room temperature soft consistency), 250 gm;  Marsala wine (can be substituted with dark rum), 75 ml;  Vanilla extract, 15ml; Caster sugar, 75gm; Strong coffee, 200 ml; Lady finger biscuits, 175 gm;  Cocoa powder (unsweetened), 12 gm

Method: Take a large stainless steel bowl and add double cream/ Whisk until soft peaks / Add sugar, whisk until the mixture is homogeneous/ Add Vanilla essence and Mascarpone cheese and whisk until the whipped cream is consistent / Soak the ladyfingers in coffee and wine mixture for 30 seconds, turning for a few seconds, until nicely soaked but not soggy/ Layer half the ladyfinger evenly on the base of a clean glass or ceramic dish / Evenly spread half the cream mixture over it / Repeat laying the ladyfingers on top of the cream mixture covering all sides / Finish with spreading the remaining cream mixture on top / Cover and chill for a minimum 3 hours or best if chilled overnight / Before serving, dust with the cocoa powder

Tip: The whisking of mascarpone cheese has to be proper. It makes or breaks the dessert as it has to be very airy and light. Temperature also plays an important part because if the mixture becomes warm, it'll turn into a dense cream paste.

Italian Tiramisu Cake

By Chef Ashish Singh, Culinary Director, Cafe Delhi Heights

Ingredients: Whole egg, 5; Egg yolk, 3; Breakfast sugar, 100 gm; Mascarpone cheese, 300 gm; Whipping cream, 200 gm; Coffee powder, 2 gm; Rum, 60 ml; Gelatin, 10 gm; Water, 150 gm; Coffee powder, 5 gm; Maida, 40 gm; Corn flour, 20 gm

Method: Cook the egg yolks, sugar, and milk until it is slightly thick / Let it cool and then chill in the fridge for about an hour / When the filling is fully chilled, mix in mascarpone cheese / Add whipping cream and mix them together / Then combine coffee and rum in a small bowl / Add it to the existing mixture / Now to make finger biscuits, mix egg white, egg yolk and breakfast sugar with an electric beater / Add maida and corn flour to it / Mix it well / Bake it at 160 degree for 15-20 minutes /  Dip the finger biscuit base in the existing mixture / Put half of the finger biscuits in the bowl and pour half of the mixture on it / Defreeze it for 2-3 hours and then put the other half of the finger biscuits on it / Pour the rest of the mixture over it and chill it again / After an hour, it’s ready to serve.

Tip: Serve it chilled.

Paper Moon’s Tiramisu

By Chef Aashutosh Shende, Paper Moon, Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa, Goa

Ingredients: Mascarpone cream, 240 gm; Savoiardi cookies, 80 gm; Espresso coffee, 20 gm;

Ingredients for mascarpone cream: Egg yolk pasteurised, 400 gm; Sugar, 250 gm; Mascarpone cheese, 2 kg; Cream Elle & vire, 1 ltr; Sugar, 250gm; Gelatine leaves,  10 pieces

Method to make mascarpone cream: Soak the gelatine in water and ice /
Whip the yolk with 250 gm of sugar / Whip the cream with the other 250 gm of sugar / Combine the yolk mixture with the mascarpone obtaining a smooth cream / Then incorporate the whipped cream into the mixture /
Melt the previously softened gelatine in the microwave and add it to the obtained cream / Keep it in the chiller.

To align the tiramisu: Dip the savoiardi cookies in coffee and keep aside /
At the bottom of the bowl place the mascarpone cream, add a layer of coffee infused savoiradi cookies / Then add another layer of cream. Refrigerate it /
Finish with dusting the top with cocoa powder just before serving /

For garnish: Thinly slice the orange by 2mm and dehydrate for 6 hours/ Once it’s dry keep it in the air tight container.

Tip: Layering has to be done very carefully to get the right flavouring. Serving chilled works better.