My simple Tiramisu recipe is made without eggs or alcohol, making it a dessert that the whole family can enjoy. Creamy vanilla flavored mascarpone and whipped cream is layered with espresso-syrup soaked sponge cake for a delightfully rich sweet that is simply perfect.
Table of Contents
About Tiramisu
Tiramisu (pronounced “teer-a-ME-soo”) is a famous Italian dessert that translates to “pick me up.” The name isn’t surprising, considering how much coffee is added to this light and creamy recipe.
Tiramisu is one of our favorite desserts. In fact, when we go out to dine in Italian restaurants, we simply have to order tiramisu; it’s just that good!
Layers of “lady fingers” are soaked in an espresso syrup, then layered with a lightly sweet filling of coffee flavored mascarpone. It’s basically a latte flavored cloud of yumminess.
However, many recipes for this traditional dessert include two ingredients I abstain from: eggs and alcohol. As such, I took it upon myself to create this eggless and alcohol-free version so we can enjoy this delightful treat whenever we want.
While you can always swap in store bought lady fingers for a faster assembly, I share my simple recipe for an eggless sponge below. This way you can ensure that the entire recipe is egg free!
Making tiramisu recipe is easy and you can make this delicious dessert for small parties or gatherings.
So come along with me while I make this easy recipe. You’ll see just how easy it is to make an eggless tiramisu at home by following my step-by-step photos and instructions.
Tiramisu Ingredients
Tiramisu is one of those dishes where there are probably as many recipes as there are Italian families. In other words, there are a LOT of versions out there! For my family recipe, I had to take two major dietary considerations in stride – no alcohol and no eggs.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make my tasty eggless, alcohol-free tiramisu:
Lady Fingers (Savoiardi), or Sponge Cake
One of the most important elements in making tiramisu are savoiardi, the Italian name for lady finger biscuits/sponge fingers. While you can certainly buy pre-made biscuits or a sponge cake, it is simple enough to make at home and is much cheaper. I bake the sponge cake a day before and then refrigerate it.
For the sponge cake, I have shared the complete recipe below. Bake the cake, cool it and then simply cut the completed sponge into “fingers” before proceeding with the tiramisu. You can also make this spongy and light Applesauce Cake instead of the sponge cake recipe mentioned below.
Mascarpone cheese
Mascarpone cheese is another important element of an authentic tiramisu recipe. Mascarpone is a soft, creamy, lightly sweet cheese that can be easily whipped with a wired whisk. Mascarpone cheese can be made at home or bought at the store.
Cream
To achieve the proper tiramisu consistency, it is important to use full-fat cream. You can use heavy whipping cream or even cream having 25% to 35% fat. With whipping cream the eggless tiramisu will be more rich and heavy. In this tiramisu recipe, I have used cream having 25% fat.
Coffee
Coffee is the signature flavor that adds the “pick me up” to tiramisu. I used instant coffee to make my coffee syrup, but you can easily swap in a strong brewed coffee or espresso instead. If you are sensitive to caffeine, simply opt for a decaffeinated coffee or chicory brew instead.
Now that you know what ingredients are needed, shall we get making the recipe!
How to Make Tiramisu
To make this Italian specialty without any eggs, I recommend making your own sponge at home, as many store bought versions are made with eggs.
However, if you have ladyfingers or a sponge cake on hand, jump to the step of making the Tiramisu Filling and further.
Make Sponge Cake Batter
1. First grease 6×6 inches square pan or a 5 to 6 inches round pan well with some butter. Keep aside. preheat oven for 15 minutes at 200° C/390° F.
2. Place a plate or tray beneath a sieve. Add 1 cup all purpose flour and ½ teaspoon baking powder in the sieve.
If using unsalted butter, then you can add a light pinch of salt in the flour. Sift once. Keep aside.
3. In a pan, take ¼ cup salted butter, ½ cup sweetened condensed milk, 3 tablespoons sugar.
Note: I used organic raw sugar. You can also use regular sugar.
4. Add ½ cup water.
5. Place the pan on stovetop and heat on a low flame.
6. Stir with a spatula so that the butter melts. Mix everything very well with the spatula.
7. Let this mixture come to a boil on a low heat.
8. When the butter mixture comes to a boil, turn off heat, lift the pan and then immediately add it to the flour mixture.
9. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla essence.
10. With a wired whisk, begin to mix with a light pressure, being careful not to overmix. The batter in for this sponge is of medium consistency – neither thick nor thin.
Depending on the quality of flour, you may need to add less or more water. If the batter becomes too thick, then add 1 to 2 tablespoons more hot water, so keep a kettle nearby.
11. Whisk to a smooth batter, but do not overmix. Tiny lumps in the batter are fine.
12. Now pour the batter in the pan.
13. Gently shake the pan or tap the sides.
Bake Sponge Cake
14. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes at 200° C/390° F.
If using an OTG, then use the bake mode or keep only the bottom heating element on for a regular oven.
15. Check with a toothpick or a wooden skewer to see if the cake is done. The toothpick should come out clean, with no sticky batter on it.
Make Sponge Fingers
16. Place the cake pan on a wired rack to cool.
17. When cool enough to handle, gently unmold and place the cake on the rack to finish cooling.
18. When the cake has cooled completely, mark the cake with a serrated knife for cutting into 6 even pieces
19. Slice vertically first.
20. Then slice from the center to make 12 pieces.
21. Separate the sponge fingers. Keep aside.
Make Tiramisu Filling
22. Get all the ingredients ready before you begin.
23. Heat ½ cup water till it comes to a vigorous boil.
24. Turn off the heat and add 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder.
25. Mix very well and keep aside.
Note: You can add ½ tablespoon of liquor like rum, Kahlua or marsala sweet wine once the coffee solution cools down.
26. In another bowl, take 200 grams mascarpone cheese. With a hand held whisk, whip the cheese till smooth. Do not over whip, as the cheese can curdle.
27. Add 6 tablespoons powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar.
28. Mix very well. Keep aside.
29. Take 200 ml cream in another bowl. Make sure the cream is cold or chilled before you whip it.
30. Using an electric beater or a stand mixer, whip cream.
31. Whip cream till you get stiff peaks in it.
32. Now add the whipped cream to the bowl containing the mascarpone cheese with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. If using vanilla essence, then only add ½ teaspoon.
33. Fold gently with a spatula.
34. Fold well, but take care not to knock the air out of the mixture.
Assemble Tiramisu and Refrigerate
35. Take each sponge finger and dip in the coffee syrup. Let them soak up the syrup and become moist, but make sure that the sponge fingers do not become soggy or they may crumble.
36. Layer the base of a glass pan or bowl with the coffee syrup soaked sponge fingers.
If you want, you can line the glass pan or bowl with a butter paper or parchment paper and then place the sponge fingers on it.
37. Now take half of the cream filling.
38. With a spatula spread it evenly on the sponge fingers.
39. Line with another layer of the coffee dipped sponge fingers.
40. Spread the remaining layer of the mascarpone cheese+cream filling and make it even with a spatula.
41. Now take a small sieve or tea strainer and add 1 to 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder in it. Sift directly on the last filling layer.
42. Dust evenly all over.
43. Seal the pan or bowl with a foil or lid and refrigerate tiramisu for at least 4 to 5 hours or overnight.
44. Here’s a photo of the tiramisu after getting set.
45. Now slice and serve the tiramisu.
46. Leftovers can be refrigerated. Tiramisu stays well for a couple of days in the fridge.
For your ease, I again list the steps in brief for you, so you get the idea of making this dessert which is not complicated and can be done easily.
Brief Overview of Steps to Make Tiramisu
1. Making the mascarpone and whipped cream filling: In an eggless tiramisu recipe, the tiramisu filling is made by making a smooth mixture of whipped mascarpone cheese, whipped cream, powdered sugar (or confectioner’s sugar) and vanilla extract.
2. Layering with coffee soaked ladyfingers & mascarpone filling: The sponge fingers or ladyfingers or sponge cake slices are dipped in coffee syrup. These are then layered in a glass pan or bowl. Now the mascarpone cheese and whipped cream filling mixture is spread evenly on the sponge fingers. Step 2 is repeated until you have 3 layers of soaked sponge and coffee cream.
4. Dusting with Cocoa Powder: The top layer of the cream filling is dusted with cocoa powder.
5. Refrigerating: The tiramisu has to be refrigerated for 4 to 5 hours or overnight for it to set. After the tiramisu is set, you can slice it and serve as a dessert. Serve with a small cup of espresso for a yummy end to any meal!
FAQs
In the sponge cake recipe pictures above, you can see that I have baked the sponge cake in a square pan. Don’t worry if you need to bake yours in a round pan instead.
Simply slice the cake horizontally into three equal layers. You can then assemble the tiramisu in a round pan like a layer cake. You can also make individual portions of tiramisu in desserts bowls or cups, so long as you follow the layering instructions.
If you are able, I highly recommend either making or buying mascarpone cheese for this tiramisu recipe. However, if you are unable to find it, these are acceptable substitutes:
1. Whipped hung curd or greek yogurt
2. A mixture of 100 grams of hung curd (yogurt) and 100 grams of grated paneer beaten very well, or
3. Cream Cheese
Please note that with any of these substitutes, your tiramisu filling will have a bit of a tangy flavor that would not be present with mascarpone. This isn’t a bad thing, per se; it just isn’t traditional.
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Tiramisu Recipe (Without Eggs)
Ingredients
For tiramisu filling
- 200 grams mascarpone cheese
- 200 ml cream – 25 to 50% fat
- 6 tablespoons powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
For eggless sponge cake
- 1 cup all purpose flour (maida) or 105 grams all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 light pinch salt – OPTIONAL and only if using unsalted butter
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup Butter or 40 grams butter – salted or unsalted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 to 2 teaspoon cocoa powder for dusting
If using ready made sponge cake or lady finger biscuits
- 375 to 400 grams sponge cake OR lady finger biscuits (savoiardi)
Instructions
Making sponge cake
Preparing cake batter
- First grease 6×6 inches square pan or a 5 to 6 inches round pan well with some softened butter. Set aside. Preheat oven for 15 minutes at 200° C/390° F.
- Place a plate or tray beneath a sieve. Add 1 cup all-purpose flour (maida) and ½ teaspoon baking powder in the sieve. If using unsalted butter, then you can add a light pinch of salt in the flour.
- Sift once. Keep aside.
- In a pan, take ¼ cup salted butter, ½ cup sweetened condensed milk, 3 tablespoons sugar.
- Add ½ cup water.
- Place the pan on stovetop and heat this mixture on a low flame.
- Stir with a spatula so that the butter melts. Mix everything very well with the spatula.
- Let this mixture come to a boil on a low heat.
- When this mixture comes to a boil, then immediately add it in the flour mixture. Also add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- With a wired whisk begin to mix with a light pressure, so that over mixing does not happen.
- While mixing you will come to know if the batter is going to be thick or too thick. the batter in this recipe is of medium consistency – neither thick nor thin. Depending on the quality of flour, you may need to add less or more water. if the batter becomes thick, then do add 1 to 2 tablespoons more hot water. So do keep some hot water handy.
- Whisk to a smooth batter, but don't over do the mixing. If there are small tiny lumps in the batter, then its fine.
- Pour the batter in the greased pan. Gently shake the pan or tap the sides.
Baking sponge cake for tiramisu
- Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes at 200° C/390° F.If using an OTG, then use the bake mode or for a regular oven, keep only the bottom heating element on.
- Check with a toothpick or a wooden skewer if the cake is done. The toothpick or skewer should come out clean and there should be no sticky batter on it.
- Keep the cake pan on a wired rack and let it become warm or cool down.
- Then gently un-mold or remove the cake and place it on the rack to cool.
- When the cake has cooled down completely, then with a serrated knife mark the edges equally for slicing the cake.
- Slice vertically first and then slice from the center.
- Separate the sponge fingers. Keep aside.
Making tiramisu filling
- Keep all the ingredients ready before you start.
- Heat ½ cup water till it comes to a vigorous boil.
- Turn off the the heat and add 2 teaspoons of instant coffee powder.
- Mix very well and keep aside. You can also add liquor like rum or wine once the coffee solution cools down.
- In another bowl take 200 grams mascarpone cheese. With a hand held whisk, whip the cheese till its smooth. do not over do the whipping as then the cheese can curdle.
- Add 6 tablespoons powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar.
- With the whisk mix very well. Keep aside.
- Take the cream in another bowl.
- Using an electric beater or a stand mixer, whip cream till you get stiff peaks in it.
- Now add the whipped cream to the bowl containing the mascarpone cheese. also add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. If using vanilla essence, then add ½ teaspoon of it.
- Fold gently with a spatula and do not over do the folding.
Assembling and layering tiramisu
- Now take each sponge fingers and dip them in the coffee syrup. Let them soak the syrup and become moist but make sure that they do not crumble and fall apart.
- Layer the base of a glass pan or bowl with the coffee syrup soaked sponge fingers. If you want you can even line the glass pan or bowl with a butter paper or parchment paper.
- Now take half of the mascarpone cheese and cream filling.
- With a spatula spread it evenly on the sponge fingers.
- Line with another layer of the coffee dipped sponge fingers.
- Spread the remaining layer of the mascarpone cheese and cream filling.
- Now take a small sieve or tea strainer and add 1 to 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder in it. Sift directly on the last filling layer dusting evenly all over.
- Seal the pan or bowl with a foil or lid and refrigerate tiramisu for 4 to 5 hours or overnight.
- Now slice the tiramisu.
- Then serve tiramisu. Leftovers can be refrigerated and tiramisu stays well for a couple of days in the fridge.
Notes
- Feel free to make tiramisu with lady finger biscuits (savoiardi) instead of the sponge cake. You will need about 375 to 400 grams of ladyfingers for this recipe.
- Don’t have a square cake pan? Not to worry! Feel free to bake yours in a round pan instead. To assemble, simply slice the cake horizontally into three equal layers. You can then layer the tiramisu in a round pan like a layer cake.
- You can also opt to make individual portions of tiramisu in desserts bowls or cups, so long as you follow the layering instructions.
- No mascarpone? These are acceptable substitutes:
1. Whipped hung curd or greek yogurt,
2. A mixture of 100 grams of hung curd (yogurt) and 100 grams of grated paneer beaten very well, or
3. Cream cheese.
Please note that with any of these substitutes, your tiramisu filling will have a bit of a tangy flavor that would not be present with mascarpone. - The recipe can be halved or doubled easily.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Tiramisu recipe from the archives, originally published in September 2017 has been updated and republished on February 2023.
