Here's How Long You Should Chill Tiramisu Before Serving

Tiramisu, with its coffee-soaked, spongey ladyfinger cookies delicately placed between tiers of sweet, creamy mascarpone filling and topped with a dusting of cocoa, is a dream dessert. But if you make any of these 12 tiramisu mistakes, this layered Italian treat could turn into a nightmare, particularly if it's not chilled long enough. The softer ingredients in the cake — the cheese, cream, and eggs — could become runny, and you might end up with more of a sweet soup than a firm, stacked tower. In order to avoid this, you should chill your tiramisu for at least six hours. 

While letting your layered dessert sit in the fridge for this period of time allows the mascarpone filling to firm up and hold its shape, it has the opposite effect on the ladyfingers — they soften as they absorb the liquids they're immersed in, whether it's solely coffee or espresso, or you kicked it up a notch by mixing in a coffee-flavored liqueur, dark rum, or Marsala wine. 

Another bonus to patiently waiting for your classic tiramisu to achieve perfection in the fridge is that the longer it sits, the more the flavors deepen. For example, the cocoa powder infuses itself into the cream. So, six hours will do the trick, but you can also let it chill for up to 24 hours before serving it, which helps the flavors develop even more. You can store tiramisu in the refrigerator for up to four days, just be sure to place it in an air-tight container or cover it with plastic wrap first. 

If (for whatever reason) you can't finish this trifle-like dessert in four days, or if you want to make it beforehand to save for a later date, you can freeze your tiramisu. The steps here are simple: The correct way to freeze cake and preserve freshness is to first wrap it in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and finally, put it in an air-tight, freezer-safe container to keep moisture out and prevent freezer burn. You'll also want to brush off as much cocoa powder from the top as possible before freezing, otherwise it will just soak into the cream. 

If you're making it for later, refrain from dusting your tiramisu with cocoa until you're ready to serve it, and put it in the freezer immediately after assembling it. It's important to note that tiramisu containing fruit, such as matcha strawberry tiramisu, shouldn't be frozen because the fruit contains water, which affects the texture when it's thawed. Tiramisu will keep in the freezer for up to three months. Before you serve it, allow it to thaw in the fridge (never at room temperature) overnight. Finally, sprinkle it with a fresh layer of cocoa powder and indulge.