Gather your ingredients. You'll need ladyfinger cookies (savoiardi), strong brewed coffee or espresso, egg yolks, sugar, mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, cocoa powder, and optionally, marsala wine or rum.
Brew a strong pot of coffee or espresso and allow it to cool to room temperature. If desired, you can add a splash of marsala wine or rum to the coffee for extra flavor.
In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler) and continue whisking until the mixture thickens and becomes frothy. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
In a separate bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese until smooth. Gently fold the whipped egg yolk mixture into the mascarpone until well combined.
In another bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until smooth and creamy.
Dip each ladyfinger cookie into the coffee mixture for a few seconds, ensuring it's soaked but not soggy. Arrange a layer of soaked ladyfingers in the bottom of a serving dish or individual glasses.
Spread a layer of the mascarpone cream over the soaked ladyfingers. Repeat the layers, alternating between soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cream, until you reach the top of the dish.
Cover the tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow the flavors to meld together and for the tiramisu to set. Before serving, dust the top with cocoa powder for decoration. Enjoy your classic tiramisu!