Tiramisu recipe with coffee cream

I have made tiramisu in various ways, but for some time now I have been using a version with coffee cream where the egg yolks are cooked, and the egg whites remain raw, whipped into a foam. I do not use completely raw eggs, and I have found that this makes me feel more at ease, and the final texture is airy and tasty. Sometimes I use whipped cream instead of raw egg whites, but today I stick with the egg white version.

Quick Info

Total time: about 1 hour + at least 2-3 hours in the fridge
Servings: 10-12 slices
Difficulty: medium
Occasion: family dessert, festive meal

Ingredients

1 package of Savoiardi ladyfingers
750 ml strong coffee (8 tablespoons of coffee to 750 ml of water)
150 ml Amaretto liqueur
5 eggs (yolks and whites separated)
250 g sugar
250 g butter (minimum 82% fat)
250 g mascarpone
1 pinch of salt
1 tablespoon cocoa for decoration

Preparation method

1. Prepare the coffee
Boil 750 ml of water with 8 tablespoons of coffee. Add 2 teaspoons of sugar and a small pinch of salt to enhance the flavor. Let the coffee cool and clarify, then strain it through a filter. Set aside 100 ml for the cream, the rest for soaking the ladyfingers. In the coffee for the ladyfingers, mix 150 ml of Amaretto and set aside.

2. Coffee cream
Mix the yolks with 200 g of sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk them well until they become frothy and light in color. Heat 100 ml of coffee (from what you prepared earlier) in a double-bottomed saucepan. When it is hot, take 2-3 tablespoons and pour them over the yolks to dilute them, then add everything back to the remaining coffee on the heat. Stir continuously over low heat until the mixture thickens, like a pudding. This takes 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover with plastic wrap, and let it cool completely.

3. Add butter and mascarpone
Take the butter out of the fridge in advance so that it is soft. When the coffee cream has cooled, beat the butter with a mixer until creamy. Gradually add it to the coffee cream, mixing well after each addition. After incorporating all the butter, do the same with the mascarpone – add it little by little and mix to achieve a smooth cream.

4. Whip the egg whites
In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites into a foam with a tablespoon of sugar (taken from the 250 g at the beginning, if you haven't separated it already). When the foam is firm, carefully fold it into the coffee and mascarpone cream with wide movements to keep it airy. Chill the cream for 10-15 minutes.

5. Assemble the tiramisu
Pour the remaining coffee (with Amaretto) onto a large platter. Quickly dip the ladyfingers, once on each side, do not keep them in the coffee too long to avoid getting too soft. Place a layer of ladyfingers at the bottom of a tray or platter. Spread a thick layer of cream on top. Continue with another layer of ladyfingers and another of cream until you finish the ingredients. The last layer should be cream. Evenly sprinkle sifted cocoa on top.

6. Chill
Cover and refrigerate the tiramisu for a few hours (ideally overnight) to allow the flavors to meld and the cream to set.

Why I make this recipe often

It is one of the versions of tiramisu that I make when I want to avoid raw eggs. The cream is dense, with a pronounced coffee flavor. It keeps well in the fridge and is suitable for any larger meal or when I have guests.

Tips and variations

Tips

Do not soak the ladyfingers too long in the coffee, they will become soggy and the dessert will be too soft.
The coffee must be well cooled before soaking the ladyfingers, otherwise, they will fall apart.
For a more intense flavor, do not dilute the Amaretto with too much coffee.

Substitutions

If you do not want raw egg whites, use whipped cream instead, in the same amount.
For an alcohol-free version, omit the Amaretto.

Variations

You can use the cream without butter if you want a lighter texture, but it will be less dense.
If you do not have mascarpone, I do not recommend substituting it with cream cheese – the taste will be very different.

Serving ideas

Portion the tiramisu with a knife dipped in hot water for clean cuts.
You can decorate with chocolate shavings on top, in addition to cocoa.

Frequently asked questions

How strong should the coffee be?
The coffee should be very concentrated. I use 8 tablespoons to 750 ml of water for a clear taste, otherwise, the dessert will be bland.

Is it safe to use raw egg whites?
If you do not want to use raw egg whites, you can replace them with whipped cream. This is the option I prefer sometimes, especially if serving to children or vulnerable individuals.

Can I make tiramisu without liqueur?
Yes, you can omit the Amaretto or use a non-alcoholic liqueur. It does not affect the structure of the cream, only the flavor.

Can I freeze tiramisu?
I do not recommend freezing, the texture of the cream changes upon thawing and it is no longer as pleasant.

Nutritional values

Approximately, for a serving of about 120 g:
Calories: 350-400 kcal
Protein: 5-6 g
Fat: 22-25 g
Carbohydrates: 35-40 g
The values are indicative and may vary depending on portion size and ingredients used.

Storage and reheating

Tiramisu keeps in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. I do not recommend reheating, it is served cold. The longer it sits, the softer the ladyfingers become. If you do not finish it within this time, the texture becomes too wet.

Tiramisu original recipe. You can find Poliana's coffee cream recipe here. First, we prepare the coffee; I made it in a pot with 750 ml of water, 8 tablespoons of coffee, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and a little bit of salt, just to enhance the flavor. We let the coffee cool and clarify, then we strain it through a coffee filter and mix it with amaretto. We use 100 ml of coffee for the cream and the rest for the ladyfingers. Next, we prepare the cream. We whisk the egg yolks well with 200 g of sugar and a pinch of salt until they become frothy. In a larger pot, we put the coffee back on the heat, and when it's hot, we take 2-3 tablespoons of it and dilute the egg yolks, then we add them to the hot coffee and mix well until the cream thickens, like a pudding as Poliana says. We cool the pot covered with foil. We take the butter out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature until the cream cools, then we beat it well until it becomes frothy and mix it into the cream gradually, whisking vigorously. We do the same with the mascarpone. We whip the eggs with a little sugar (1 tablespoon) to help them firm up, then we add them to the coffee cream, mixing well to combine. We chill the cream for 10-15 minutes, then we spread the coffee on a serving platter and start dipping the ladyfingers in it for one second on each side to soak them slightly. We arrange a layer of ladyfingers and a layer of cream on a platter until we run out, with cream on top. We sift a little cocoa over the cream and chill the cake until we serve it. It is delicious!! For those who cannot tolerate raw egg whites, they can be replaced with whipped cream, as Timea did with her cake.

 Ingredients: Tiramisu original recipe 1 pack of Savoiardi ladyfingers 750 ml strong brewed coffee (8 heaping teaspoons) 150 ml Amaretto 5 eggs 250 g sugar 250 g butter (85% fat) 250 g mascarpone 1 pinch of salt 1 tablespoon cocoa

 Tags:  tiramisu coffee cream