Easy Tiramisu

A Super Easy Tiramisu Recipe

If the ‘90s are in again, then we’re breaking out our easy tiramisu recipe back to celebrate! Remember the scene from Sleepless in Seattle when Tom Hanks is thinking about dating again and Rob Reiner’s primary advice revolves around the fact that to get a girl, he’s going to have to learn about tiramisu? That’s how iconic tiramisu was in the ‘90s! And while shoulder pads and taupe can stay firmly in 1992, it’s time for us to make some room for tiramisu in our hearts once again, because this creamy, coffee-flavored dessert is seriously delicious! Best of all, our go-to tiramisu recipe is super super easy; no expensive or hard-to-find ingredients, no fussy steps. Just a simple, no-bake dessert that needs to chill for at least four hours, so it’s also the ideal make-ahead dessert recipe! 

What Is Tiramisu? 

Tiramisu is a creamy, coffee-laced Italian dessert that was likely invented sometime in the early 19th century in Treviso. Tiramisu means simply “pick me up”, so that coffee element must be strong and plentiful! There are always ladyfingers (a thin, crisp cookie that you can buy at the grocery store) in tiramisu, layered with creamy things—usually mascarpone and lots of whipped cream. Many recipes include booze, and vary greatly according to personal preference. Some folks add coffee liqueur, to double down on the coffee flavor. 

Classic Tiramisu Ingredients

• Heavy cream: You’ll whip this into fluffy whipped cream, so no subs here.
• Mascarpone cheese: A bit tangy, mascarpone cheese is a little bit like Italian cream cheese. Look for it near the ricotta and cream cheese.
• Pure Maple syrup: Just a little maple syrup adds the perfect rich sweetness to this airy, elegant dessert.
• Cinnamon: Spice is so nice, and cinnamon adds a lovely warmth to the whipped cream mixture.
• Vanilla: With such simple ingredients, it’s really nice to use the best quality you can get your hands on. Real vanilla extract will really shine in this recipe.
• Coffee: Espresso is the classic ingredient, and if you have espresso handy it’s great to use. We don’t want to pull enough espresso shots to make 16 ounces of espresso, so we usually just use regular strong-brewed coffee. If you’re feeding tiramisu to kids, it’s fine to use decaf.
• Ladyfingers: You can buy these in most grocery stores, be sure to get the crisp kind.
• Cocoa powder: A little dusting of cocoa powder and cinnamon over the top of the finished tiramisu makes the dessert look really stunning and the bitterness of the cocoa cuts through the creamy sweetness.
• NO eggs + NO booze: We like to keep things kid-friendly, and truly easy, so we’ve opted to skip the alcohol entirely (often tiramisu includes dark rum or marsala wine). We’re also skipping the eggs in favor of more whipped cream (we know that raw egg whites can make some people nervous) and the recipe tastes just as good without them.

How To Make Easy Tiramisu

1. Make whipped cream: You can do this in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, using a hand mixer, or with good old elbow grease. Just be sure you see those classic stiff peaks.
2. Sweeten the mascarpone with maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla.
3. Gently fold the mascarpone into the whipped cream. 
4. Assemble the tiramisu: One by one, dip the ladyfingers in coffee and lay them in a layer on the bottom of your pan. Spread the whipped cream on top, and start a new layer of coffee-dipped cookies. Repeat, and try to end with a layer of the whipped cream mixture.
5. Chill: Cover the tiramisu with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least four hours, but you can leave it as long as overnight. It really is the ultimate make ahead dessert. 

Serving Ideas

Tiramisu goes with most any dinner, because it’s so light and airy. There’s always room for a few bites! We especially love to serve it with Italian food, of course. Try it with: 

• Stuffed Mini Peppers or Stuffed Mushrooms to start.
• Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats and an Antipasto Salad
• Pasta dinners, like Easy Stuffed Pasta Shells, Baked Ziti, or Spaghetti and Meatballs.
• Or hearty Italian Chicken Cacciatore.
• In the summer, you could pair it with Summer Tortellini Pasta Salad and Meatball Sub Sandwiches!

You’re So Fancy! 

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