Strawberry Tiramisu

This easy Strawberry Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert remade with fresh strawberries, mascarpone whipped cream, herbal tea and orange liqueur. 

My easy strawberry tiramisu recipe is the perfect solution when you want a no bake dessert that is still impressive. Tiramisu in Italian literally means “pick me up” or “cheer me up”. And it’s hard not to be cheered up by the combination of fresh strawberries and whipped cream!

Traditional tiramisu uses raw egg yolks and sugar beaten and then combined with raw whipped egg whites and mascarpone. But considering this is far from a traditional tiramisu, I decided to forego the raw eggs. The delicate yet rich combination of sweetened mascarpone whipped cream does not suffer for being eggless, trust me. You are going to love this non-traditional spin on a classic tiramisu recipe!

More strawberry cakes from Foodtastic Mom

• French Strawberry Cake
• Strawberry Tres Leches Cake
• Strawberry Spoon Cake

Why this recipe works

Ever since my recipe for French Strawberry Cake went viral in 2016, I’ve enjoyed creating classic desserts with a strawberry or fruity twist. This tiramisu looks a little fancy, but it’s easy, no-bake and quick to make! You just have to plan ahead to make sure it has time to chill in the fridge.

It’s hard to beat the combo of fresh strawberries and whipped cream. That’s essentially what this dessert is. But dressed up and called tiramisu – this strawberry dessert is sure to cheer you up!

Ingredients for strawberry tiramisu

• Sliced Strawberries – Use fresh, medium sized strawberries when they are at their most fresh, ripe and ruby red.
• Herbal Tea – You can use your favorite brand and flavor of tea. I used Stash brand Orange Spice because the flavor pairs really well with the Grand Marnier. You could even add some fresh orange zest to your soaking mixture.
• Grand Marnier – This is an optional ingredient but it really adds a sophisticated air to this dessert. Of course skip it if you will be serving the tiramisu to minors.
• Mascarpone Cheese – A traditional Italian cheese, sweet and a little softer than cream cheese. But feel free to use cream cheese instead. Be sure to take the mascarpone (or cream cheese) out of the fridge about 30 mins before you plan to use it, so it has time to soften a bit.
• Heavy Whipping Cream – Essential for creating the whipped cream filling.
• Sugar – Just 1/3 cup of granulated sugar is enough to sweeten the filling for this entire dish of tiramisu.
• Strawberry Jam – Helps to enhance the strawberry flavor of this dessert.
• Vanilla Extract – Vanilla adds more depth of flavor to the whipped cream filling.
• Nutmeg – Also optional but I really liked how this warm and fragrant spice helped to harmonize all the flavors of the strawberry tiramisu,
• Edible flowers – These are also completely optional but they’re a great option to decorate your tiramisu.
• Variations – Instead of strawberries, you could make this tiramisu with any type of berries like blackberries, raspberries and blueberries. Or a mix of all three. If you aren’t using alcohol in the tea soaking mixture, try a splash of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice instead. You could even sprinkle the top of the tiramisu with strawberry powder (made with ground up freeze dried strawberries) similar to my recipe for Strawberry Tres Leches Cake. Or sprinkle the top with some white chocolate curls or some shaved dark chocolate. There are lots of ways to personalize this recipe!

Instructions for strawberry tiramisu

Remove the stem and slice the strawberries into three or four slices each, stem end to tip (vertically). Heat water in the microwave and brew the tea. Add the Grand Marnier to the tea and pour into a shallow dish. Set aside to cool a bit.

Use an electric mixer to whip together the mascarpone, heavy cream, sugar, strawberry jam, vanilla and nutmeg. Make sure the bowl is large so as to contain any splattering! Start the mixer on low speed. As it begins coming together and gets thicker, increase the speed. Beat until stiff peaks form and the texture is thickened like whipped cream.

Quickly dip both sides of each lady finger in the tea and Grand Marnier mixture. Don’t over soak the ladyfingers or your tiramisu will be soggy! Layer half the dipped cookies into the bottom of the dish. Top with half the whipped cream mixture. Then half the sliced strawberries. Repeat the layers.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least four hrs or overnight.

FAQ’s

Does all tiramisu have alcohol in it?

Traditionally a tiramisu does contain alcohol, usually a sweet Marsala wine paired with the espresso soaking mixture. It’s a small amount of alcohol so if you don’t drink or don’t like the flavor, you can always leave it out.

Why is my tiramisu soggy?

Ladyfingers are a crisp cookie, similar to biscotti. According to Ina Garten, it’s the dipping stage that makes or breaks a tiramisu. The cookies need to be dipped quickly into the soaking mixture. Too much liquid absorbed by the cookies will make for a soggy dessert.

Can you over whip mascarpone?

Yes, you can over whip this soft Italian cheese, which is similar to cream cheese. If you whip it for too long it will curdle. Help prevent this by allowing the mascarpone to come to room temperature before using it.

Storage directions

Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap. Or place the remaining slices of tiramisu in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days. Do not freeze this dessert.

Serving suggestions

Serve this dessert as the grande finale to a lighter meal with an Italian flair. Here’s some recipe suggestions to go with my strawberry tiramisu –

• Chicken Piccata
• Fish Puttanesca
• Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan

Kitchen tips and tools

• Use a baking dish to make this recipe – either 8×8 or a small rectangle approximately 7×9 in size
• If you don’t own a stand mixer, use a hand held electric mixture for making the mascarpone cream filling. I do not recommend trying to whip the cream filling by hand with a whisk.
• My favorite paring knife for slicing strawberries
• Easily remove strawberry stems with this strawberry huller

 

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