Tiramisu Cups

Have you ever tried serving tiramisu, only for the first slice to slide out of the pan in a messy heap? Making it in glasses skips that problem entirely. These tiramisu cups are single servings of the classic Italian dessert, layered in 9-ounce tasting glasses with espresso-dipped ladyfingers and mascarpone cream. I follow the traditional method, using raw egg yolks, sugar, mascarpone, and egg whites beaten to soft peaks, with no heavy cream or alcohol. Most restaurant tiramisu comes spiked with Kahlua or Marsala.

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Key Ingredients and Substitutions

The complete ingredient list and measurements are listed in the printable recipe below.

• Full-fat mascarpone: Use a full-fat brand, since the fat helps the cream set. Thin, watery mascarpone never firms up in the fridge, so the cream stays loose.
• Fresh or pasteurized eggs: Start with the freshest eggs you can find, since you’ll combine them raw with the mascarpone cream. In-shell pasteurized eggs let you use the traditional method without the raw-egg risk, and many grocery stores carry them right next to the regular cartons. The whites may take a few extra minutes to reach soft peaks, so run the mixer a little longer than usual. If raw eggs are a concern for anyone at your table, the USDA and FDA websites both have egg safety guidance worth reading before you start.
• Crisp savoiardi (ladyfingers): Look for the dry Italian kind sold in packages in the cookie aisle, not the soft, cake-style ladyfingers from the bakery section. Soft ladyfingers soak up espresso almost instantly and fall apart before they reach the glass.
• Cooled espresso: Brew it strong and let it cool completely to room temperature before dipping. Warm espresso soaks into the savoiardi faster, which is how soggy layers happen. Without an espresso machine, dissolve instant espresso powder in hot water and let it cool, or brew a very strong pot of coffee. Instant or brewed coffee gives a lighter, thinner coffee flavor than espresso, so make it stronger than you would for drinking.

How to Make Tiramisu Cups

Here are the quick, step-by-step instructions with visuals; you can find the full instructions, including the exact ingredients, in the recipe card below.

Pro-tip: Spoon the cream into a zip-top bag, snip off one corner, and pipe each layer. The sides of the glass stay clean, and the layers show through crisp and even.

Create the egg base. Let the eggs come to room temperature. Warmer yolks and whites trap more air as you beat, giving you more volume and a smoother cream. Beat the yolks with half the sugar using a hand mixer until the mixture turns frothy and you can no longer see any sugar grains.

Beat in the cream. Add the mascarpone and beat on low speed just until smooth. Low speed keeps the mascarpone fat from separating, which can make the cream grainy and prevent it from setting properly.

Make the egg whites. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy, then add the remaining sugar a spoonful at a time, beating until the whites form soft peaks that hold their shape but curl over at the tip when you lift the beaters. The whites are what give the finished cream its lift, and stopping at soft peaks keeps them loose enough to fold in smoothly. Adding the sugar gradually gives it time to dissolve, so the whites stay smooth instead of gritty.

Add in the egg whites. Fold the whites into the mascarpone mixture in two additions with a spatula and a light hand. The first addition loosens the base, and the second goes in gently enough to keep most of the air. A few small lumps of white are fine and smooth out as the cups chill. Stop folding once the yellow and white streaks disappear.

Dip and layer the cups. Spoon a thin layer of cream into the bottom of each glass first, so the ladyfingers have something to rest on. The ladyfingers are too long to lie flat in a 9-ounce glass, so break about a quarter to a third off each one before dipping, and set the broken ends aside. Dip each trimmed ladyfinger in the cooled espresso for about a second per side, then lift it out right away. It should feel damp on the outside and still firm in the center. The ladyfingers keep drawing liquid from the cream in the fridge, so the center softens slightly by the time you serve them. Lay the dipped ladyfingers over the cream for the bottom layer, then spoon more cream over them. Trim and dip a second layer the same way. Dip the saved pieces next to make the third layer, so nothing goes to waste. Finish with the rest of the cream, dividing it evenly so every glass ends at the same height.

Chill and dust. Cover the glasses and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. The chill sets the cream and gives the ladyfingers time to soften all the way through. Dust the tops with cocoa through a fine-mesh sieve just before serving, since cocoa added too early soaks up liquid from the cream and turns dark and patchy. Garnish each glass with three espresso beans. Italians often finish a Sunday family dinner with a traditional dessert like tiramisu, so serve these after a plate of pasta with our Sunday gravy.

Prefer Cooked Eggs? Use a Bain-Marie. If raw eggs aren’t an option, gently cook both egg mixtures in a bain-marie, which is a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Bring about 2 inches of water to a bare simmer, then set the bowl of yolks and sugar on top, keeping the bottom clear of the water. Beat constantly with a hand mixer until the mixture is frothy, the sugar has dissolved, and it reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the bowl from the heat and beat for a minute or two to let the yolks cool slightly. Adding the mascarpone to warm yolks melts the fat and splits the cream. For the whites, make a Swiss meringue. Set the bowl of whites and the remaining sugar over the same pot, and beat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160°F. Remove the bowl from the heat and beat until soft peaks form. From there, fold and layer exactly as you would for the raw version.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: Assemble the cups up to a day before serving, cover each glass, and keep them in the fridge. Hold off on the cocoa and espresso beans until right before they go to the table.

How to Store: Cover any leftovers and refrigerate for up to 2 days. The ladyfingers keep softening as they sit, and with raw eggs in the cream, it’s best not to keep them any longer. I don’t recommend freezing, since the cream turns watery as it thaws.

Frequently Asked Questions