Tiramisu Cheesecake

Tiramisu translates to "pick me up" in Italian which is a reference to the espresso ingredient as it is a coffee-based dessert. Growing up in an Italian family, I enjoyed many versions of this delicious dessert and even prepared it in northern Italy while visiting family. My Tiramisu Cheesecake is a fun twist on this classic with a rich, creamy egg yolk-based cheesecake swirled with coffee cheesecake and a layer of espresso soaked biscuits through the middle. I top it with my quick homemade version of mascarpone cream and a heavy dusting of cocoa powder. It's a show-stopping dessert that will impress your guests. If you love Tiramisu, I can recommend my Tiramisu Blondies, and if you love cheesecake, try my New York Style Cheesecake as well!

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Rich cheesecake base - the base mixture for the cheesecake is enriched with egg yolk to mimic the zabaglione custard that is traditionally used to make the cream filling for classic tiramisu.
• Coffee cheesecake swirl - there's a coffee-infused cheesecake swirled through and it's made from the base mixture so you don't need to make two different batters.
• Rich creamy texture - this cheesecake is dense, rich and creamy.
• Espresso soaked biscuits - tiramisu traditionally uses Savoiardi biscuits (ladyfinger biscuits) dipped in espresso, but I've used Maria biscuits (or Arrowroot biscuits) as they are thinner are more suitable for this application. Soak them well in espresso before adding them in a layer over the cheesecake batter.
• Fresh cream - you can't have tiramisu without a light and airy creamy component and so I've topped this cheesecake with fresh whipped cream and a heavy dusting of cocoa powder.

INGREDIENTS FOR TIRAMISU CHEESECAKE

Here are some notes about the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

• Cream cheese - you will need brick cream cheese for this recipe. Do not use the whipped or spreadable kind as it can have a higher water content and thus a lower fat content.
• Granulated sugar - simple white sugar sweetens the base so the custard flavor stands out.
• Egg - 2 whole eggs will provide majority of the structure in this cheesecake.
• Egg yolk - 1 large egg yolk adds richness to create the custard-like flavor of the traditional tiramisu cream filling base which is a rich egg yolk "zabaglione".
• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is essential to flavor the cheesecake base and it complements the coffee. I like this Madagascar vanilla extract.

• Sour cream - use full fat sour cream for this recipe. You can also use full fat Greek yogurt.
• Coffee or espresso - brew up some strong coffee, make fresh espresso or make instant espresso using this espresso powder. I use espresso powder since it is very convenient and adds intense coffee flavor without diluting the batter.
• Maria biscuits or Arrowroot biscuits - traditional tiramisu uses Savoiardi ladyfinger biscuits, but they would be quite tall and large for this dessert. I opt for thin arrowroot-style biscuits which aren't too sweet and soak up the coffee nicely.
• Whipping cream - this forms the basis of the top layer.
• Cocoa powder - a tiramisu dessert isn't complete without lots of cocoa powder on top.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Make the crust. Place graham crackers or biscuits, brown sugar and cocoa powder in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it forms fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined. You can also crush the graham crackers in a resealable bag with the bottom of heavy pot or a rolling pan and then mix them together with the sugar and melted butter in a bowl. Tip the mixture out into your prepared baking pan and press it evenly over the base and about 1-inch up the sides of the pan.
• STEP 2). Bake the crust. Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden and feels dry.
• STEP 3). Make the filling. Beat the cream cheese. Beat soft cream cheese in a large bowl on medium speed until very smooth. Add sugar and beat until smooth and creamy, about 30-45 seconds. Do not over-beat because large bubbles will cause the cheesecake to crack during baking and cooling.
• STEP 4). Mix in remaining wet ingredients. Beat in whole eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition so that the batter is smooth before you add the next egg. Mix in egg yolk, then mix in sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary to ensure there are no lumps.
• STEP 5). Make the coffee cheesecake filling. Transfer 1½ cups of base cheesecake batter to a clean bowl. Combine espresso powder and hot water and stir until dissolved. Add this espresso to the cheesecake batter and stir to combine evenly.
• STEP 6). Assemble the cheesecake. Pour about half of the base cheesecake batter into the pre-baked crust, spreading it out evenly and popping any air bubbles that you see. Gently spoon half of the espresso batter on top and then very gently swirl it in with a small spoon. Don't swirl too much or it will fade into the batter and don't go too deep or you will disturb the crust. Dip the biscuits in hot espresso on both sides so they are soaked well and then place them over the cheesecake batter in an even layer. You can overlap a few or break some in half to cover the surface completely and fill any gaps. Pour over half of the remaining coffee batter then spoon on the base batter. Drop spoonfuls of the rest of the coffee batter over it and swirl just gently
• STEP 7). Carefully place cheesecake on a rimmed baking tray large enough to contain it and place it in the oven. Pour boiling water into the baking sheet to come about ½-inch up the sides of the springform pan and bake for 35-45 minutes until set around the edges but still very wobbly in the middle. Turn the oven off and leave it in for another 15-20 minutes without opening the oven. Don't try to check on it as all the heat will escape the oven. It is ready when the filling is set but the center is just slightly wobbly or jiggles when the pan is shaken. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. After 10 minutes of cooling, run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the sides and then remove sides of pan. Let cake cool completely.
• STEP 8). Make the cream topping. Place heavy whipping cream and sugar in a medium bowl and beat or whisk until it holds soft peaks. Add vanilla and mix it through, beating a few more seconds until it reaches slightly firmer (but not stiff) peaks so it is easier to pipe. Fill a piping bag and pipe it in dollops onto the cheesecake in concentric rings as shown in the video below. Use the back of a small spoon to smear the inward facing side of each dollop before you pipe the next ring. Dust heavily with cocoa powder before serving.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR TIRAMISU CHEESECAKE

• Soak the biscuits well in espresso. The more moisture that the biscuits pick up from the espresso, the less moisture it will pull from the cheesecake. This is opposite to classic tiramisu where you don't want to dip the ladyfingers for too long in the coffee because they will become mushy as it is a no-bake, cold dessert. This cheesecake is baked so we want to prevent it from drying out and in this case, soaking the biscuits sufficiently is desirable.
• Do not add too many biscuits to the middle layer. Just make a single layer with a few extra to fill in the gaps. Too many biscuits will absorb too much moisture from the cheesecake batter and may make it dry.
• Do not over-bake. Be sure to not over-bake the cheesecake or it will become more dry and less creamy.
• Let the cheesecake cool completely. The baked cheesecake must cool completely and then chill for at least 2 hours in order to set to a nice creamy texture.
• Do not over-whip the cream topping. Over-whipped cream will become stiff and grainy so whip on medium speed to have better control and stop once you've reached soft peaks that curl over a bit when you lift it up with the beaters.

RECIPE FAQ

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