Dessert

Tiramisu

Name: Tiramisu
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 250 g (1 cup) mascarpone; 3 eggs, separated; 80 g (1/3 cup) caster sugar; 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) strong espresso, cooled; 3 tbsp coffee liqueur (optional); 200 g sponge finger biscuits; 2 tbsp cocoa powder

Serves 8 Prep 30 mins + chilling Cook 0 mins Total 4 hours 30 mins

Here is our working tiramisu for Scoops & Dishes: no doorway fluff, just a cookable page with Australian metric detail and notes that prevent the usual failures. Serves 8 with about 30 mins + chilling prep and 0 mins cook time (around 4 hours 30 mins total). That is a home estimate — ovens and pans vary, so use colour and texture as well as the clock. Key building blocks: mascarpone, eggs and caster sugar. If you need a substitute, change one thing at a time and expect the texture notes below to matter more than the timer. Use it for puddings after roast night, birthdays, and bring-a-plate invites, then serve warm or chilled depending on the style. Portion generously; leftovers keep if covered in the fridge. Metric spoons here mean a 20 ml tablespoon and a 5 ml teaspoon. We write dessert recipes so you can cook from your phone on the bench: large checkable ingredients, numbered steps, and notes you can skim while the pan heats.

Ingredients

250 g (1 cup) mascarpone
3 eggs, separated
80 g (1/3 cup) caster sugar
300 ml (1 1/4 cups) strong espresso, cooled
3 tbsp coffee liqueur (optional)
200 g sponge finger biscuits
2 tbsp cocoa powder

Method

Whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale. Fold in mascarpone.
Whisk egg whites to soft peaks and fold into mascarpone mix.
Combine espresso and liqueur. Dip biscuits briefly and layer in a dish with cream.
Repeat layers. Dust with cocoa. Chill at least 4 hours.

Tip: Dip biscuits quickly so they do not go soggy.

Notes

Putting it together for Tiramisu: work clean, taste as you go, and do not rush browning or reduction steps if they appear in the method. If you are cooking for mixed diets, plate sauces and toppings separately where practical. Keep this page bookmarked if it becomes a household regular — we update wording when cooks report a confusing step. Metric consistency across Scoops & Dishes means once you trust the cups and scales here, breakfast through dessert behaves the same way.
Dessert notes: sweetness should taste balanced, not sugary-sharp. If you are adding cream or fruit, whip cream only to soft peaks so it spreads without splitting. Chill or rest when the method asks — structure sets in the fridge more than on the bench. Serve Tiramisu at the temperature the recipe implies (warm pudding vs cold slice).
Method rhythm: step one is “Whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale. Fold in mascarpone.”. Do not skip resting, cooling, or draining steps if they appear later — they are usually there for texture. The finish is “Repeat layers. Dust with cocoa. Chill at least 4 hours.”. Taste before you plate; salt at the end often needs a final pinch.
Shopping and mise en place: read the full ingredient list once before you start. For Tiramisu, mascarpone and eggs are the items that decide whether the dish tastes flat or properly seasoned. Weigh where grams are given — volume cups are fine for liquids and some dry goods, but baking ratios are tighter if you use scales. Australian cups are 250 ml; a tablespoon is 20 ml and a teaspoon is 5 ml.