Tiramisu

The Foodies' KitchenNovember 16, 2025

This post is also available in ESPAÑOL (SPANISH)

November is an important birthday month at our house; both my daughter and husband celebrate their birthdays! I always make their cakes, anything they want, and this year Kristen asked for Tiramisu.

I wanted something classic but extra special, so I brewed a strong moka-pot coffee, the kind that fills the whole kitchen with that deep, toasty aroma, and mixed it with a generous splash of Botrán rum. That one detail alone transforms the dessert: the rum brings warmth, depth, and a hint of Guatemalan soul into every layer.

The right ladyfingers are also key. We found Italian ones at the supermarket which are perfect for this recipe, they are uniformly sized and you can cut them with a serrated knife if necessary to fit your dish.
And because tiramisu isn’t a recipe you rush, I let it rest overnight so the flavors could marry and the layers could set just right. The next day it sliced beautifully — clean, neat squares with that perfect contrast of creaminess and soft, coffee-soaked ladyfingers. It was the kind of dessert that made Kristen smile the moment she took the first bite, and honestly, that’s the best feeling!
We’d love to know if you try our recipe for a special celebration of your own!

Helga

Tiramisú

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups espresso or very strong coffee room temperature
¾ cup dark rum divided (optional, but recommended)
16 ounces mascarpone (452 g.)
6 large egg yolks
⅔ cup granulated sugar (133 g.)
2 cups heavy whipping cream (480 ml.)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
40 ladyfingers
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (33 g.)

Directions:

Stir together the coffee and 1/2 cup of dark rum in a medium bowl and set aside. (You can omit the rum and add a little bit of vanilla with some more coffee for soaking or you can add a favorite liqueur like Kahlua or Grand Marnier)
In a large mixing bowl, combine the mascarpone and the remaining 1/4 cup of dark rum. Whisk together or beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until well combined. Set aside.
For the next step, use a double boiler, or a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Combine the egg yolks and sugar, whisk until well combined. Place the egg yolk mixture over the simmering water making sure the water does not touch the bowl. Whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is light yellow in color and thickened a bit, about 5 to 8 minutes
Pour the egg yolk mixture into the mascarpone and whisk until combined. Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to cool.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the whipping cream and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes
Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. You can run a whisk through it at the end to mix in any remaining unmixed bits.

For the Asselmbly:

Working with one at a time, dip the top and bottom of a ladyfinger for 1 second per side in the coffee mixture. Arrange enough ladyfingers in a single layer to cover the bottom of a 9×13-inch dish. Try not to leave any gaps.
Add half of the mascarpone mixture on top of the ladyfingers and smooth out to the edges using an offset spatula. Dip more ladyfingers, arranging them in a single layer on top of the filling as you go. Add the remaining mascarpone mixture and smooth out into an even layer.
Dust top with the cocoa powder and chill overnight. Tiramisu needs time to set, so make sure to make it ahead of time so it has time to chill overnight.

Have you made this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture with the hashtag #thefoodieskitchen!

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