Raspberry And Cream Tiramisu Recipe

We are all familiar with traditional Italian tiramisu — a soft and creamy concoction involving ladyfingers soaked in espresso and then layered with mascarpone cream. This raspberry and cream variation, made by the recipe developer Milena Manolova, is a unique twist on the classic. The raspberries add a sweet and tart berry flavor, making it the perfect option for a summery, fruity dessert. Instead of espresso, the ladyfingers are soaked in raspberry syrup, which deepens the raspberry flavor, and the layer of fresh raspberries in the center adds bright juiciness and a burst of color. The combination of whipped cream and mascarpone gives the dessert a light, creamy, and smooth texture.

With its eye-catching and vibrant looks, this dessert is perfect to make for a special summer gathering. Despite its appearance, this recipe is surprisingly easy to prepare. With only a few ingredients, minimal cooking, and simple assembly, this raspberry and cream tiramisu can be made quickly and in advance, as it needs time to set. If you love experimenting with different flavor combinations, love raspberries, and are looking for a quick and easy no-bake dessert, this might be the recipe for you.

Ingredients for the raspberry syrup are granulated sugar, water, and frozen raspberries. The ingredients for the mascarpone filling are heavy cream, mascarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and raspberry jam. To assemble the cake, you need fresh raspberries, ladyfingers, and freeze-dried raspberry powder. 

Add the sugar, water, and frozen raspberries to a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a low boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for about 8 minutes, until the sugar is melted, the raspberries are broken down, and the mixture is syrupy.

Strain the syrup through a sieve.

Set the syrup aside.

In a bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

In another bowl, add the mascarpone and powdered sugar and beat for about a minute, until creamy.

Add the vanilla extract to the mascarpone and beat a few more seconds, just until incorporated.

Gently fold the heavy cream into the mascarpone in two batches.

Mix in the raspberry jam.

Cut the raspberries in half.

Dip each ladyfinger in the raspberry syrup for no longer than 5 seconds on each side. If you leave them for too long, they will get too soft and fall apart.

Arrange half the ladyfingers in a 9x9-inch dish.

Spread half of the mascarpone evenly on top of the ladyfingers.

Place the halved fresh raspberries on top of the mascarpone in an even layer.

Dip the remaining ladyfingers in the raspberry syrup and arrange them on top of the fresh raspberries.

Top the ladyfingers with the remaining mascarpone and smooth over the top.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to set for at least 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, remove the wrap and sift raspberry powder over the top.

Though this is a simple recipe, there are a few errors to avoid while making raspberry and cream tiramisu. For starters, since the raspberries are the star of the show, make sure they are fresh, firm, and juicy, not mushy or spoiled. To prevent the ladyfingers from becoming too soggy, dip them in the syrup for only a few seconds. Make sure you don't overwhip the heavy cream, as it may quickly become butter. To avoid this, once the cream starts to thicken, switch from using the stand mixer to whipping by hand with a whisk so you have more control over how thick the cream becomes.

As you make the raspberry syrup, start at a medium-high temperature to bring it to a low boil, and then adjust the temperature to ensure that it stays at a low boil or high simmer until it's done. You don't want to burn the sugar (or make caramel), but if you keep the heat too low the mixture won't turn syrupy and the raspberries won't properly infuse the liquid. You can make the raspberry syrup a day or two in advance and keep it covered in the fridge to save you time when assembling the tiramisu. If you're making raspberry powder from freeze-dried raspberries, make sure to use it right away. If you leave the powder to sit, even in an air-tight container, it will become clumpy and hard to sieve.

Traditionally, tiramisu was made using eggs rather than cream. The eggs were separated, and the yolks and whites were each beaten with sugar till fluffy and then combined, to make a creamy mousse-like uncooked custard. Though we replace the eggs with cream in this recipe, there are a couple of ways to make this raspberry and cream tiramisu recipe using eggs. One way is to use only egg yolks. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and fluffy. Then mix in the mascarpone, beat the heavy cream separately, and then fold it into the mascarpone mixture. Some people like to beat the egg yolks over a saucepan with simmering water (also called a double boiler), which gently cooks the eggs to make sure they are safe to eat. The temperature for reaching the safety mark is 160 F for at least 15 seconds.

The other way is to use the whole egg, as in the traditional version. Beat the egg yolks with half the sugar until pale ribbons form. Then beat the egg whites with the other half of the sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold them into the mascarpone mixture. With this option, you could but don't have to use heavy cream, the egg whites add the fluffy creamy texture.