- No Bake
This summer mixed berry tiramisu is a no bake recipe that doesn't require a stove or an oven. It's easy, delicious AND pretty. The result is a decadent but refreshing dessert that suits summer to a T.
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What is Tiramisu?
Traditional tiramisu is an Italian dessert made of layers of sponge biscuits (aka Lady Fingers) dipped in marsala and espresso and a mascarpone egg custard, all dusted with cocoa powder on top. It’s decadent and delicious and yet light at the same time. The word “tiramisu” translates to “little pick me up” and it never fails to do so – at least for me! Tiramisu also lends itself very well to variations (as shown in my Grand Marnier® Tiramisu). If you’re not a fan of espresso flavored desserts, you can swap out that flavor very easily. This Mixed Berry Tiramisu is a perfect example of swapping the espresso for a berry flavor and the addition of mixed berries makes it such a pretty dish.
What Berries to Use
You can truly use any mixture of berries that you have on hand, but the most common berries in the summertime are strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. The berries will need to macerate in sugar before being added to the tiramisu and some berries can stand up to that better than others. Strawberries soften slightly and shed some of their delicious juice. Raspberries on the other hand, become mushy and don’t hold their shape after sitting with sugar for a while. Whichever berries you use, pay attention to which ones can handle the macerating time and which should be tossed in at the last minute.
Substitute for Mascarpone Cheese
Mascarpone cheese is an Italian cow’s milk double or triple cream cheese. It’s an integral part of tiramisu, but sometimes it can be hard to find. If you are looking for a substitute, you can use cream cheese. The difference is that mascarpone cheese has at least twice as much fat as cream cheese and as a result is super silky smooth. Cream cheese is also a little tangier than mascarpone, which is almost sweet. If you do need to substitute cream cheese, just use the equivalent quantity and understand that there will be some variation in texture and flavor.
Liquor for Tiramisu
The delicate lady fingers are always soaked in a liquor of some sort when making tiramisu. In this recipe, that liquid is a mixture of berry juice and Cassis – or blackcurrant liquor. You could substitute Chambord, a cherry liquor, if you prefer, or if you’d like to make it with no alcohol, try a little pomegranate, raspberry or cherry juice.
Building the Tiramisu
Once you have all your components – the lady fingers, the liquid to soak them in, the whipped mascarpone cream and the macerated berries – all you have to do is layer them in a square cake pan. The only trick is to not soak the lady fingers for too long – just dip them into the liquid, which they will absorb quickly, and layer them in the dish. If you have to break them to make them fit, don’t worry about it. No-one will know. Spread two layers of the lady fingers, the mascarpone cheese and the berries, scattering the berries as decoratively as you like on top.
Making Tiramisu Ahead of Time
This Mixed Berry Tiramisu is a perfect make ahead dessert. In fact, it’s best if left for at least 2 hours before serving to let the layers settle together, and overnight is perfect. That makes this a very friendly dessert for entertaining, because there are no last minute tasks, like whipping cream or putting things together. Keep the dessert in the refrigerator, but do take it out to rest on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes before serving to take the chill off.
Mixed Berry Tiramisu
Nutrition InfoPrint Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 m
- Macerating Time: 2 h
- Total Time: 2 h 20 m
- Servings:
9
Ingredients
- 1 pound strawberries quartered
- 6 ounces blueberries
- 5 tablespoons sugar divided
- Juice from ½ lemon
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese softened
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup cassis liqueur or raspberry liqueur
- 6 ounces raspberries
- 20 to 22 soft lady fingers
Instructions
- Toss the quartered strawberries and blueberries with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Refrigerate and let the berries macerate in the juice for 2 hours or longer.
- Using an electric mixer, whip the mascarpone cheese until smooth. Add the heavy cream, the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and the vanilla extract and whip until the mixture thickens.
- Strain the juice from the strawberries and blueberries into a bowl and add the cassis liqueur to the reserved juice. Add raspberries to the bowl of berries and toss together gently.
- Dip each lady finger into the cassis liquid and turn over to lightly coat both sides. (Work quickly and don’t soak the lady fingers for too long – otherwise they will start to fall apart.) Layer half of the lady fingers into the bottom of an 8 x 8-inch casserole dish. (It’s ok if you need to break the last lady fingers to make them fit the pan.) Spread half of the mascarpone cream over the lady fingers and top with half of the macerated berries. Dip the remaining lady fingers in the cassis liquid and layer over the berries. Top with another layer of the mascarpone cream and the remaining berries.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours to overnight before serving. Cut into squares and serve chilled or if refrigerated longer than 2 hours, let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes or so before serving.
Enjoy,
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Nutrition Facts
Mixed Berry Tiramisu
Amount Per Serving
Calories 424Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 17g85%
Cholesterol 134mg45%
Sodium 66mg3%
Potassium 182mg5%
Carbohydrates 34g11%
Fiber 3g12%
Sugar 14g16%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 1094IU22%
Vitamin C 37mg45%
Calcium 87mg9%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Products Featured In This Recipe
GadgetsFlour Duster
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Appliances9-Speed Digital Hand Mixer with Turbo Beater
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Comments (8)Post a Reply
Just curious if you could recommend a non-alcoholic liquid to dip the ladyfingers into instead of cassis or Rasberry liquor? Thanks.
Reply
You could use black currant or cherry syrup or fruit juice.
Reply
I made this for my book club last night…absolutely delicious! I used all strawberries and dipped the ladyfingers in strawberry cream liqueur. Thank you so much for this wonderful and easy recipe!Reply
Are there lower sugar substitutions you can recommend?
Reply
You could Stevia. Use the amount according to the package directions that equals 5 tablespoons.
Reply
Just a quick question….could I double this recipe and assemble in a 13×9 glass dish?
Reply
Yes, a 13×9-inch dish will work when doubling the recipe.
Reply
Thank you for this answer, This sounds so delicious.. I have friends who are in recovery and the non-a,lcoholic option is perfect.
Reply
