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Tiramisu Without Raw Eggs

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on September 10, 2007

Time

1 hour, plus 6 hours chilling

Yield

Serves 10 to 12

Tiramisu Without Raw Eggs

Ingredients

2 ½ cups strong black coffee, room temperature1 ½ tablespoons instant espresso powder 9 tablespoons dark rum 6 large egg yolks ⅔ cup sugar ¼ teaspoon table salt 1 ½ pounds (680 grams) mascarpone cheese ⅓ cup cream for adding to yolks¾ cup cold heavy cream for whipping14 ounces (397 grams) ladyfingers (42 to 60, depending on size)3 ½ tablespoons cocoa, preferably Dutch-processed¼ cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, grated (optional)

Before You Begin

Brandy and even whiskey can stand in for the dark rum. The test kitchen prefers a tiramisù with a pronounced rum flavor; for a less potent rum flavor, halve the amount of rum added to the coffee mixture in step 1. Do not allow the mascarpone to warm to room temperature before using it; it has a tendency to break if allowed to do so. Be certain to use hard, not soft ladyfingers (see related Ask Cook's information on shopping for ladyfingers).

Instructions

  1. Stir coffee, espresso, and 5 tablespoons rum in wide bowl or baking dish until espresso dissolves; set aside.
  2. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat yolks at low speed until just combined. Add sugar and salt and beat at medium-high speed until pale yellow, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula once or twice. Add 1/3 cup cream to yolks and beat at medium speed until just combined, 20 to 30 seconds; scrape bowl. Set bowl with yolks over medium saucepan containing 1 inch gently simmering water; cook, constantly scraping along bottom and sides of bowl with heatproof rubber spatula, until mixture coats back of spoon and registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir vigorously to cool slightly, then set aside to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Whisk in remaining 4 tablespoons rum until combined. Transfer bowl to standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, add mascarpone, and beat at medium speed until no lumps remain, 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer mixture to large bowl and set aside.
  3. In now-empty mixer bowl (no need to clean bowl), beat the 3/4 cup cream at medium speed until frothy, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Increase speed to high and continue to beat until cream holds stiff peaks, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes longer. Using rubber spatula, fold one-third of whipped cream into mascarpone mixture to lighten, then gently fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Set mascarpone mixture aside.
  4. Working one at a time, drop half of ladyfingers into coffee mixture, roll, remove, and transfer to 13 by 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. (Do not submerge ladyfingers in coffee mixture; entire process should take no longer than 2 to 3 seconds for each cookie.) Arrange soaked cookies in single layer in baking dish, breaking or trimming ladyfingers as needed to fit neatly into dish.
  5. Spread half of mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers; use rubber spatula to spread mixture to sides and into corners of dish and smooth surface. Place 2 tablespoons cocoa in fine-mesh strainer and dust cocoa over mascarpone.
  6. Repeat dipping and arrangement of ladyfingers; spread remaining mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers and dust with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa. Wipe edges of dish with dry paper towel. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 to 24 hours. Sprinkle with grated chocolate, if using; cut into pieces and serve chilled.

Tiramisu Without Raw Eggs

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1 hour, plus 6 hours chilling

Yield

Serves 10 to 12

Ingredients

2 ½ cups strong black coffee, room temperature
1 ½ tablespoons instant espresso powder
9 tablespoons dark rum
6 large egg yolks
⅔ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon table salt
1 ½ pounds (680 grams) mascarpone cheese
⅓ cup cream for adding to yolks
¾ cup cold heavy cream for whipping
14 ounces (397 grams) ladyfingers (42 to 60, depending on size)
3 ½ tablespoons cocoa, preferably Dutch-processed
¼ cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, grated (optional)

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 ½ cups strong black coffee, room temperature
1 ½ tablespoons instant espresso powder
9 tablespoons dark rum
6 large egg yolks
⅔ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon table salt
1 ½ pounds (680 grams) mascarpone cheese
⅓ cup cream for adding to yolks
¾ cup cold heavy cream for whipping
14 ounces (397 grams) ladyfingers (42 to 60, depending on size)
3 ½ tablespoons cocoa, preferably Dutch-processed
¼ cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, grated (optional)

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 ½ cups strong black coffee, room temperature
1 ½ tablespoons instant espresso powder
9 tablespoons dark rum
6 large egg yolks
⅔ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon table salt
1 ½ pounds (680 grams) mascarpone cheese
⅓ cup cream for adding to yolks
¾ cup cold heavy cream for whipping
14 ounces (397 grams) ladyfingers (42 to 60, depending on size)
3 ½ tablespoons cocoa, preferably Dutch-processed
¼ cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, grated (optional)

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

For the perfect tiramisu recipe, we determined just the right proportions of the ingredients and perfected our dipping technique, so that the ladyfingers would be properly moistened but not saturated with a mixture of coffee and dark rum.

Before You Begin

Brandy and even whiskey can stand in for the dark rum. The test kitchen prefers a tiramisù with a pronounced rum flavor; for a less potent rum flavor, halve the amount of rum added to the coffee mixture in step 1. Do not allow the mascarpone to warm to room temperature before using it; it has a tendency to break if allowed to do so. Be certain to use hard, not soft ladyfingers (see related Ask Cook's information on shopping for ladyfingers).

Instructions

  1. Stir coffee, espresso, and 5 tablespoons rum in wide bowl or baking dish until espresso dissolves; set aside.
  2. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat yolks at low speed until just combined. Add sugar and salt and beat at medium-high speed until pale yellow, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula once or twice. Add 1/3 cup cream to yolks and beat at medium speed until just combined, 20 to 30 seconds; scrape bowl. Set bowl with yolks over medium saucepan containing 1 inch gently simmering water; cook, constantly scraping along bottom and sides of bowl with heatproof rubber spatula, until mixture coats back of spoon and registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir vigorously to cool slightly, then set aside to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Whisk in remaining 4 tablespoons rum until combined. Transfer bowl to standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, add mascarpone, and beat at medium speed until no lumps remain, 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer mixture to large bowl and set aside.
  3. In now-empty mixer bowl (no need to clean bowl), beat the 3/4 cup cream at medium speed until frothy, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Increase speed to high and continue to beat until cream holds stiff peaks, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes longer. Using rubber spatula, fold one-third of whipped cream into mascarpone mixture to lighten, then gently fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Set mascarpone mixture aside.
  4. Working one at a time, drop half of ladyfingers into coffee mixture, roll, remove, and transfer to 13 by 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. (Do not submerge ladyfingers in coffee mixture; entire process should take no longer than 2 to 3 seconds for each cookie.) Arrange soaked cookies in single layer in baking dish, breaking or trimming ladyfingers as needed to fit neatly into dish.
  5. Spread half of mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers; use rubber spatula to spread mixture to sides and into corners of dish and smooth surface. Place 2 tablespoons cocoa in fine-mesh strainer and dust cocoa over mascarpone.
  6. Repeat dipping and arrangement of ladyfingers; spread remaining mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers and dust with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa. Wipe edges of dish with dry paper towel. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 to 24 hours. Sprinkle with grated chocolate, if using; cut into pieces and serve chilled.

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