Earl Grey Tiramisu Italian Dessert (Printable)

Bergamot-infused mascarpone layers meet cocoa-dusted ladyfingers in this elegant Italian dessert twist.

# What You'll Need:

→ Tea Infusion

01 - 2 cups water
02 - 4 Earl Grey tea bags
03 - 2 tablespoons honey

→ Cream Mixture

04 - 4 large egg yolks
05 - ½ cup granulated sugar
06 - 14 ounces mascarpone cheese, cold
07 - 1 cup heavy cream, cold

→ Assembly

08 - 7 ounces ladyfinger biscuits (savoiardi)
09 - 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
10 - Zest of 1 lemon

# Steps:

01 - Bring 2 cups water to boil, steep Earl Grey tea bags for 5 minutes. Remove bags and stir in honey until dissolved. Cool completely to room temperature before using.
02 - Whisk egg yolks and sugar in heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Beat continuously for 3-4 minutes until mixture turns pale yellow and thickens slightly. Remove from heat immediately.
03 - Add cold mascarpone cheese to warm yolk mixture. Whisk vigorously until completely smooth and no lumps remain. Set aside.
04 - In separate chilled bowl, beat heavy cream with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture using spatula until fully incorporated and fluffy.
05 - Working quickly, dip each ladyfinger into cooled Earl Grey tea for 1-2 seconds per side. Do not oversaturate—biscuits should remain firm but moistened.
06 - Arrange dipped ladyfingers in single layer in 8-inch square dish. Spread half the mascarpone cream evenly over biscuits, smoothing top with offset spatula.
07 - Repeat with remaining dipped ladyfingers, then top with remaining mascarpone cream. Smooth surface completely.
08 - Cover dish tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate minimum 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow flavors to meld and texture to firm.
09 - Dust surface generously with cocoa powder using fine sieve. Garnish with lemon zest if desired. Cut into squares and serve chilled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The floral citrus notes of Earl Grey cut through the rich mascarpone in ways coffee never could
  • It is unexpectedly sophisticated yet still feels like the comfort dessert you know and love
02 -
  • Dipping ladyfingers too long in the tea will turn your tiramisu into a soggy mess, so work quickly and confidently
  • The cream mixture might look slightly curdled when you first add mascarpone to warm yolks but keep whisking and it will smooth out
03 -
  • If your ladyfingers seem especially dry, let them soak a split second longer but never more than three seconds total
  • Room temperature eggs will whip up faster and more reliably than cold ones straight from the fridge

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