Cherie’s Tiramisu Recipe

This Cherie’s Tiramisu recipe layers strong coffee-soaked ladyfingers with a luxuriously airy mascarpone cream flavoured with dark rum and vanilla. Featured on Cook the Books: Celebrity Edition Season 3, this impressive Italian dessert prepared by host Shahir Massoud is finished with unsweetened cocoa powder for the perfect bittersweet contrast.

The Inspiration

Tiramisu is one of the most celebrated desserts in Italian cooking. Its combination of strong coffee, creamy mascarpone, delicate ladyfingers, and cocoa creates a sophisticated dessert using relatively simple ingredients. The name is commonly understood to mean “pick me up,” reflecting the energizing espresso and indulgent sweetness found in every serving.

Cherie’s Tiramisu comes directly from Your Pasta Sucks and is featured on Cook the Books: Celebrity Edition Season 3 with host Shahir Massoud. The recipe maintains the essential flavours associated with classic tiramisu while creating an especially light filling from mascarpone, whipped cream, cooked egg yolks, and whipped egg whites.

Ingredients

6 egg yolks, plus 5 egg whites
¾ cup white sugar
1 lb mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
2 cups heavy cream, cold
2 cups plus 2 tbsp strong, dark roast coffee or espresso, cooled
2 tbsp dark rum
1 tsp vanilla extract
40 ladyfingers (from [500 g] bag Balocco Savoiardi Ladyfingers)
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Method

Chill a large mixing bowl.
Bring a medium pot of water to a simmer. In another large mixing bowl that’ll sit in the pot without touching the water, combine the egg yolks and sugar. Set the bowl in the pot and whisk constantly until the mixture turns pale yellow and looks super silky (lift the whisk and let the mixture dribble off- it’s ready when the dribble stays on the surface for a few seconds like a little ribbon), about 5 minutes.
Take the mixture off the heat. Add the mascarpone and use a handheld electronic mixer (or transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer) and beat on high speed until smooth, creamy, and slightly fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
In the chilled large mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream on high speed to stiff peaks, about 3 minutes. Add the 2 tbsp of coffee, and the rum, and the vanilla and whip on medium speed just until smooth.
In another large mixing bowl (yes, I know, but trust me, it’s worth it), whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. Using a rubber spatula, gently scrape the mascarpone mixture into the whipped cream and gently fold it in- you want to mix it in well without losing all that air you spent time whipping into it in the first place. Add the whipped egg whites about a cup at a time, again gently folding after each addition.
Into a medium mixing bowl, add the remaining 2 cups of coffee. One at a time, submerge 20 of the lady fingers for a count of two (any longer and they’ll fall apart) and lay them in a 9 by 13 by 2 in [23 by 33 by 5cm] baking dish (glass or ceramic, please) until the surface is covered in a single layer. Spread on half the mascarpone mixture in a nice even layer.
Repeat with the remaining lady fingers until the second layer is complete (you’ll have ladyfingers leftovers, it is what it is) and the mascarpone mixture. Add as much cocoa powder as you’d like to a fine mesh strainer and gently dust it over the tiramisu.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 2 days before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Cherie’s Tiramisu directly from the refrigerator so the mascarpone filling remains firm and the coffee-soaked layers hold their shape. Cut it into squares and present each portion on a small dessert plate, allowing the alternating ladyfinger and mascarpone layers to remain visible.

Tiramisu pairs naturally with espresso, cappuccino, or strong dark-roast coffee. Black tea and sparkling water offer lighter alternatives. For an adult dinner, serve it with a small glass of dark rum, coffee liqueur, or Italian dessert wine.

This make-ahead tiramisu is ideal for birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, dinner parties, and Italian-inspired celebrations. Preparing it the night before allows the coffee, mascarpone, rum, vanilla, and cocoa flavours to develop while reducing the amount of work required on the day of the event.

Final Thoughts

This Cherie’s Tiramisu recipe combines bold espresso, delicate ladyfingers, rich mascarpone, whipped cream, rum, vanilla, and cocoa in a beautifully layered Italian dessert. The creamy filling remains light because the whipped cream and egg whites are folded carefully into the mascarpone mixture.

Find more recipes from Cook the Books here!