Triple Chocolate Tiramisu

Zoha Malik

by Zoha Malik

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Rated 5.00 out of 5

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This Triple Chocolate Tiramisu is THE dessert for chocolate and coffee lovers! It is rich and creamy just like a Classic Italian Tiramisu, but has chocolate in three layers: a chocolate coffee soak for the ladyfingers, a chocolate mascarpone cream, and chocolate ganache. The result is unbelievably decadent, but still balanced and not overpowering, with both the chocolate and coffee shining together. This recipe is also very simple to make, requires no baking, and can be made ahead of time – making it great for hosting!

A square slice of triple chocolate tiramisu sits on a white plate, showing layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and creamy filling, topped with a dusting of cocoa powder. A gold fork rests nearby on the light-colored surface.

If you like the sounds of chocolate tiramisu but want a simpler, less chocolatey and eggless version, you will love my Easy Chocolate Tiramisu! And if you want even more decadent and chocolatey, check out my Hot Chocolate Tiramisu which is served with hot chocolate poured on top.

A close-up of a glass dish filled with triple chocolate tiramisu, showing layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and creamy chocolate mascarpone filling, topped with a dusting of cocoa powder; a portion has been scooped out.

Chocolate in 3 layers!

This tiramisu has chocolate in 3 layers, hence the “triple”. Technically, the cocoa powder dusting on top is a fourth layer, but “quadruple” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it…

  • Chocolate mascarpone cream: The mascarpone cream layer is very similar to that of a classic tiramisu, but has a cup of chocolate ganache mixed into it. The result is a yummy cream with a light chocolate flavor
  • Chocolate ganache: The chocolate ganache is also spread as its own layer in this tiramisu, so you’re hit with a rich, silky and decadent chocolate flavor in every bite!
  • Cocoa coffee soak: There’s also cocoa powder in the coffee soak. Not too much, just a sprinkle. It’s kind of like a mocha!
A glass dish of chocolate tiramisu with a large square piece removed, showing layers of cream and coffee-soaked ladyfingers. The dessert is topped with cocoa powder, and there are white ceramic trees and a small bowl of coffee beans in the background.

Ingredient recommendations

There are 3 important ingredients in this recipe that I want you to make the right pick for:

  1. Chocolate: I recommend using semi-sweet chocolate for this tiramisu for the perfect amount of sweetness – dark will lean too bitter, and milk will lean too sweet. You can always do a 50/50 mix of dark and milk chocolate (which is what I do!). And, as always, I recommend using good quality chocolate that comes in bars of callets, not chocolate chips (they just don’t melt right). My personal favorite brand of chocolate right now is Callebaut, a Belgian brand available on Amazon (it’s pricey, but much cheaper than other high end, imported brands)!
  2. Mascarpone cheese. I am a broken record at this point, but PLEASE use a good brand (I HIGHLY recommend Galbani) and make sure the mascarpone cheese is smooth and creamy, not grainy, to begin with. This makes the biggest impact on the texture of Tiramisu (I go into this in much more detail in my Classic Tiramisu recipe, with a comparison picture!)
  3. Ladyfingers. They can sometimes be tough to find at grocery stores, so lately I have been getting mine off on Amazon. This is the exact pack I order, and it’s great value! They last a long time in the freezer.

Step by step photos

Let’s quickly go over the steps with photos to help you visualize this recipe:

A glass bowl filled with smooth, glossy chocolate ganache, with a metal spoon resting in it, sits on a dark wooden, patterned countertop.

Start by making the ganache. Mix the chocolate and cream, microwave in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until the chocolate has fully melted.

A glass mixing bowl with creamy white mascarpone and a red spatula, set on a wooden surface.

For the mascarpone cream, start by whisking the mascarpone cheese until it’s creamy.

A glass mixing bowl filled with a pale yellow mascarpone mixture sits on a wooden surface. Some batter is splattered along the sides of the bowl.

In a separate bowl, add the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Place on a double boiler and whisk for 2 minutes until very pale in color. Don’t overmix, and don’t worry if the mixture looks slightly grainy!

A glass bowl filled with creamy, pale mascarpone cream sits on a wooden surface. A red spatula rests in the mixture, which has been partially stirred, leaving swirls and traces along the bowl’s sides.

Add the egg mixture to the mascarpone cheese, and whisk until combined and smooth. Avoid overmixing, as that can cause mascarpone to split.

A glass bowl on a wooden surface contains yellow mascarpone cream with chocolate ganache poured on top, partially mixing but not yet fully combined.

Now mix in 1 cup of the chocolate ganache, and whisk until just combined.

A glass bowl filled with creamy, light brown chocolate mascarpone cream is being mixed with a red spatula, resting on a wooden surface.

Separately, whip up heavy cream to medium peaks (not pictured – I forgot!), and fold it into the rest of the cream until just combined.

A white bowl filled with glossy, dark chocolate coffee liquid sits on a wooden surface, with a metal spoon resting inside the bowl.

Make the soak by mixing hot strong coffee and cocoa powder, and let it cool down.

A glass baking dish with a single layer of ladyfinger cookies arranged neatly on the bottom, some slightly overlapping, on a wooden cutting board.

To assemble, soak each ladyfinger in the cocoa coffee (1-2 seconds) and layer neatly on the bottom of your serving dish.

A glass baking dish filled with smooth, light brown batter sits on a wooden countertop, ready to be baked. Some splatters are visible on the counter in the background.

Add half of the chocolate mascarpone cream and spread it evenly.

A glass baking dish filled with a smooth, glossy layer of chocolate ganache topping sits on a wooden surface, with a few chocolate smudges visible on the counter nearby.

Pour over half of the ganache and spread it evenly.

Repeat the process for the second layer of the tiramisu. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight. Dust with cocoa powder right before serving, and enjoy!

A close-up of a slice of triple chocolate tiramisu dessert on a white plate, showing layers of chocolate cream, soaked ladyfingers, and cocoa powder dusted on top.

My favorite Tiramisu dish

I’ve shared this several times before, but this rectangular glass casserole dish is PERFECT for Tiramisu. It is made of glass so you can see the layers, has straight edges for the perfect slices, and even comes with a lid!

A few tips to achieve perfection

I want you to get this recipe *absolutely perfect* on the first attempt, so here are three tips:

Soaking ladyfingers

It’s hard to give an exact time for how long to soak ladyfingers, but I generally aim for 1-2 seconds. The truth it, it will vary depending on how hot the coffee soak is, and how thick the ladyfingers are. So I recommend doing a test: soak a ladyfinger in the coffee for 2 seconds (1s per side), then put it aside and wait for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, cut it in half. If the ladyfinger is too soft to lift or disintegrating, it has absorbed too much liquid and you need to reduce the soaking time. If the center is still dry (not penetrated), soak for longer. Ideally it should become soft but still be able to hold shape, with just the very center looking unsoaked.

Layering the ganache

If the ganache is too warm when you add it to the tiramisu during assembly, it will start mixing in with the mascarpone cream. Not the end of the world, but I know we want neat layers! So to make this easier, you can actually chill the tiramisu dish for 10 minutes after spreading the mascarpone layer so it becomes firmer. Make sure the ganache is runny but not hot, then gently pour it on top, and spread it by tilting the pan in every direction.

Cocoa powder dusting

The top layer of the tiramisu is ganache, which becomes firm in the fridge. If you dust cocoa powder on that, it will just sit on top, instead of slowly soaking in, and make slicing messy. I recommend using a blow dryer on a low setting to slightly warm up the ganache layer on top of the tiramisu until it looks shiny, then dusting with cocoa powder. This will help the cocoa powder stick to the tiramisu better!

A slice of triple chocolate tiramisu with visible creamy and layers, dusted with cocoa powder, sits on a white wavy-edged plate with a fork nearby. Another slice is in the background.
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A close-up of a slice of chocolate tiramisu on a white plate, showing layers of coffee-soaked ladyfinger biscuits and creamy chocolate mascarpone filling, topped with a dusting of cocoa powder.

Triple Chocolate Tiramisu Recipe

by Zoha Malik

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 stars from 7 reviews

A rich and creamy tiramisu with chocolate in three layers, with a perfectly balanced flavor that lets the chocolate and coffee shine

Yield:8-10 servings

Prep Time:
25 mins
Chilling Time:
6 hrs
Total Time:
25 mins

Ingredients

Ganache:

  • 300g semi-sweet chocolate (or mix dark chocolate and milk chocolate in equal parts)
  • 1 1/4 cup heavy cream (300g)

Chocolate mascarpone cream:

  • 12 oz mascarpone cheese (340g), cold from the fridge; I recommend Galbani
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup heavy cream, chilled (240g)

Cocoa coffee soak:

  • 1 ½ cup strong black coffee, room temperature (360g)*
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder

Assembly:

Instructions

Ganache:

  1. Add the chopped chocolate and heavy cream to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 20 second increments, stirring gently in between, until the chocolate melts and a smooth ganache forms. Set aside to cool down

Chocolate Mascarpone Cream: 

  1. Whisk the mascarpone cheese on medium speed for 30-60 seconds until creamy. Scrape the bowl and set aside
  2. In a separate heat-proof bowl, add the egg yolks, sugar, salt and vanilla. Boil 1-2″ of water in a saucepan and reduce heat to the lowest setting. Place the bowl with egg yolks and sugar on top of the saucepan such that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. This is a double boiler. Whisk on medium-high speed for exactly 2 minutes, then remove from heat. The mixture will be light and fluffy. Do not overmix or overheat as it can become grainy
  3. Pour the egg yolk and sugar mixture onto the mascarpone cheese. Whisk on medium speed just until combined, scraping the bowl halfway (do not overmix as the mixture can become grainy)
  4. Add 1 cup of the ganache from step 1 above (240g). Whisk on low speed until just combined; do not overmix
  5. In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream until it reaches medium stiff peaks (just starts to hold shape)
  6. Add the whipped cream to the chocolate mascarpone mixture in 2-3 additions, folding gently with a rubber spatula and taking care not to knock out the air. You will have a creamy, slightly fluffy mixture

Cocoa coffee soak:

  1. Make the coffee however you normally do (see notes on strength), and whisk in the cocoa powder. Pour into a wide bottomed bowl / plate and let it cool down to lukewarm temperature

Assembly and serving:

  1. Dip each ladyfinger quickly into the coffee (I do a quick dip on each side, see tips in blog post above) and add a layer of soaked ladyfingers in the bottom of a 8×9.5″ rectangular dish*
  2. Spread on half of the chocolate mascarpone cream evenly. If the cream feels soft / runny, refrigerate for 10 minutes
  3. The ganache should be runny but not hot. If it’s too thick, microwave for 10 seconds until it reaches the desired consistency. Pour half of the ganache on top of the mascarpone layer, and tilt the pan in every direction gently to help spread it out evenly. You can also use a spatula with gentle pressure to avoid mixing the ganache with the mascarpone layer
  4. Repeat with another layer of soaked ladyfingers. Top with the remaining chocolate mascarpone cream and spread on the rest of the ganache on top
  5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or ideally overnight
  6. When ready to serve, use a hair-dryer on low heat to slightly warm up the ganache layer on top until it becomes shiny. Then sift the cocoa powder evenly on top of the tiramisu. Cut into slices and serve!

Video Tutorial

Notes

  • Coffee: The strength of coffee depends on how much you like its flavor (some people use espresso), but my general guidance is to make the coffee twice as strong as you usually would. It can be brewed coffee, French press coffee, or instant coffee mixed in hot water. I make it in a French press with 1 1/2 cup water and 4 tbsp ground coffee
  • Dipping ladyfingers: Ladyfingers absorb liquid quickly, so I recommend a quick dip on each side. However, if you want the coffee to fully penetrate the ladyfingers, you can do 1-2 seconds per side – just note that this can make the tiramisu more soggy. If in doubt, test with 1 ladyfinger first. Dip it, let it sit for 5 minutes, then check how soft it is

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Comments

  1. Laviva

    Hi Zoha,

    Can this recipe made without eggs?

  2. Ayesha A

    Girl I have tried this recipe and it tastes incredible! 😍 Your recipes have always worked perfectly for any last minute dessert prep! 🙂

    1. Zoha Malik

      Made my day :’)

  3. Maria Ghani

    Are eggs uncooked in this recipe?

    1. Zoha Malik

      No, they get cooked using the double boiler!

  4. Sana

    Hey Zoha!
    I tried this recipe today with my own alterations and I already knew it was going to be my fav recipe of all time. What an outstanding idea of amplifying the tiramisu dessert with chocolate. Simply mind blowing recipe for a chocolate lover ❤️

    1. Zoha

      Thank you so much Sana, I am so glad you tried it and made it your own! <3

  5. Easy baker

    Made it for a party and was a smashing hit. It does have a few steps but in the end, not a difficult recipe. Instructions are very detailed and perfect.

    1. Zoha

      I am so glad you liked it!

      1. Maria Ghani

        Thank you for sharing your recipe. Looks delicious. I have a question. The eggs remain uncooked?

        1. Zoha Malik

          Hi Maria! They are cooked when we use the double boiler 🙂

  6. Sam

    Can i make this in advance? How long in advance?

    1. Zoha

      Hi Sam! 1-2 days in advance should be fine 🙂

  7. JOCELYN SISON

    Thank you for giving me your recipe! I must try it later!

    1. Zoha

      I hope you love it!

  8. Mohammed Anwar Mughal

    I couldn’t see any recipe. too many ads

    1. Zoha Malik

      The recipe is in the brown recipe card. If you click “jump to recipe” at the top of the page, you will get to the recipe card

      1. Amoooni

        My goodness!! I wish could share the pic here. It turns out to be the most flawless tiramisu i have ever made. Thank you for the treasury recipe

        1. Zoha Malik

          OMG that is a huge compliment, thank you :’)

          1. Amoooni

            Im a huge fan of you and ur recipes. 🤍 you are amazing Zoya. My kids admire u just the way i do. 🤍

          2. Zoha Malik

            That is so kind of you, Amooni. Thank you, and love to them!

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