Chocolate Tiramisu - Catherine Zhang (2024)

Layers of cocoa-coffee soaked lady fingers, silky mascarpone cream, and rich chocolate ganache all topped with a dusting cocoa powder, a chocolate tiramisu you'll dream of!

What is chocolate tiramisu?

Tiramisu is a traditional coffee-flavored Italian cake made from layers of espresso-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cream, topped with a dusting of cocoa powder.

Typically the mascarpone cream is made with a mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese. This creates a rich and creamy filling that pairs perfectly with the rest of the dessert. This version takes the classic coffee-flavored cake and adds a flavor that everyone loves, chocolate!

I've added cocoa powder to the coffee soak for extra cocoa flavor. And the layers of chocolate ganache in between and on top of the mascarpone cream are rich, chocolatey and so so delicious!

Ingredients

Coffee Soak

• Strong brewed coffee: I like to use a moka pot or French press to make a strong cup of coffee for this, but feel free to use instant coffee if that is all you have on hand. Adjust the intensity of the coffee to your personal preference

• Granulated sugar: Sugar mellows out the coffee a little bit, otherwise it'll be quite intense once you soak the ladyfingers in there
• Cocoa powder: Cocoa powder introduces some chocolate flavor into the coffee

Mascarpone Cream

• Egg yolks: Raw egg yolks are perfectly safe to eat as long as you use fresh eggs. If you are worried about eating fresh eggs you can use pasteurized eggs, or just leave them out. Keep in mind that the cream won't be as rich and flavorful without them
• Granulated sugar: Sugar brings sweetness to the cream! You can increase or decrease this according to your personal preference.

• Rum: Rum is a great addition as it adds depth of flavor, while also canceling out some of the egginess from the egg yolks. If you prefer not to use alcohol feel free to use vanilla or almond extract.
• Mascarpone cheese: Mascarpone cheese is essential when making tiramisu! Keep the cheese chilled before using it to prevent it from splitting when whisked into the egg yolks. Some people will try to use cream cheese instead, but it's not the same.

• Heavy cream: Aka thickened cream. I like to use cream to lighten the mascarpone cream, this prevents it from getting too rich. Some recipes use egg whites instead, but personally, I like the texture cream adds to it.

Chocolate Ganache

• Heavy cream: Cream thins out the chocolate to the perfect consistency so that the chocolate ganache doesn't set up too hard when layered in the tiramisu. You can use pure cream or whipping cream instead of heavy cream if you need to

• Dark chocolate: I like to use chocolate at 45% cocoa as it is dark enough to have a rich flavor, but still has a sweetness to it. You can use darker chocolate if you'd like, but I wouldn't recommend going for a cocoa percentage lower than 45% as it will be too sweet.

Assembly

• Lady fingers: Ladyfingers make up the cake portion of this dessert! You can use storebought lady fingers, or make your own. I have a recipe here!
• Cocoa powder: A dusting of cocoa powder over tiramisu is an iconic garnish! Any kind of cocoa powder works here.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does this last?

This will last up to 4 days when stored covered in the fridge. Make sure you keep the top covered with cling wrap or stored in an airtight container. The fridge environment will cause the top of the tiramisu to dry out.

Can I make my own ladyfingers?

Yes, you can! Personally, I like making my own ladyfingers as they soak up the espresso soak better than storebought ones, however, not everyone has the time for that.

If you want to make your own ladyfingers you can use the recipe I have here in my best tiramisu from scratch recipe!

Why is my mascarpone cream runny?

There are a couple of reasons for a runny mascarpone cream:

• The ingredients weren't chilled for long enough
• The mascarpone cream got too warm, and split as it was being incorporated
• The cream was overwhipped, causing it to split and get watery

Do I have to use raw egg yolks?

No, you don't have to use raw egg yolks if you don't feel comfortable using them.

The alternative is using pasteurized eggs, or heating the egg yolks with sugar over a double boiler.

To do this simply place the egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a small pot of simmering water heating at medium heat. Then whisk the egg yolks constantly until they are warm and doubled in volume.

This will kill most of the bacteria, making it safe to use. If you are doing this make sure you cool this mixture down to room temperature before adding the mascarpone cheese otherwise the mixture will split.

Let's Get Baking

Want to try something different from your regular tiramisu? Trust me, this chocolate version will blow your mind. Plus it's easy and no oven is required!

If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how you went.

Also, don't forget to tag me on Instagram@catherine.dessertsand hashtag #cattycakes so I can see and share your desserts. Follow me onFacebook,Pinterest,Youtube,andTikTokfor more of my baking creations and updates! Until next time... happy caking!

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