Layers of strawberry-infused ladyfingers and sweet strawberry mascarpone cream filling come together to make a refreshingly fruity version of a classic Italian dessert!
As the summer comes to a close, I can’t help but feel like the pressure is on to squeeze in as many berry recipes as possible before fall starts. Because technically, autumn doesn’t OFFICIALLY begin until September 22nd, so I still got a little time left!
So this week, I decided to combine my favorite Italian dessert with the fruity freshness of ruby red strawberries!
This Strawberry Tiramisu is the perfect summer spin on an Italian classic. With fluffy ladyfingers soaked in homemade strawberry syrup and lusciously creamy strawberry-infused mascarpone cream filling, this dessert contains double the strawberry sweetness!
As elegant as this Strawberry Tiramisu looks, it’s actually quite easy to make. Although some recipes require the use of egg yolks and finicky double boilers, this tiramisu involves fewer ingredients and less equipment, which means less dishes to wash. Yay!
To start things off, you’ll make up the strawberry syrup. Simply place 3 cups of freshly-sliced strawberries into a saucepan over medium heat along with a half cup of water. The water will prevent the strawberries from sticking and burning in the pan. As the strawberries cook, you’ll use a potato masher (or a fork) to mash the berries as much as possible, so that you get all of their juices out. After a few minutes of simmering on the stove, you’ll pour the mixture into a fine mesh sieve to remove all of the strawberry solids from the juices. Pour the juices back into the pan along with some sugar and lemon juice. Bring this mixture to a boil, then simmer for about 5 minutes. The strawberry juice then needs to chill in the refrigerator until it’s at least room temperature, about an hour.
Once your strawberry juice has completely cooled, you can get started on the filling. Place some heavy cream into the chilled bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to another bowl and return the bowl to the mixer. Replace the whisk attachment with the paddle attachment, and beat some mascarpone cheese with some sugar, 3/4 cup of the strawberry syrup and a splash of vanilla. If you’re not familiar with mascarpone cheese, it’s similar to cream cheese but the flavor is much milder and rather velvety in texture. Mascarpone cheese is one of the key ingredients that makes up traditional tiramisu. You can usually find it in the fancy cheese section of your grocery store.
After you fold the freshly-whipped cream into the mascarpone cheese mixture, it’s time to assemble your tiramisu!
One at a time, take your ladyfingers and dip them in the strawberry syrup, then place them side-by-side along the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Depending on the size of your ladyfingers, you might have to cut them. I suggest cutting them AFTER they’ve been dipped in the syrup since they soften and become easier to cut without breaking.
After you’ve got the first layer of ladyfingers down, spread half of the mascarpone cream filling evenly over the ladyfingers. Place another layer of syrup-soaked ladyfingers on top of the filling, then spread HALF of the remaining filling evenly on top. The second half of the remaining filling goes into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off) and piped into even rows along the top. This step is totally optional, but it definitely adds an impressive look to your tiramisu. Once it’s fully assembled, the tiramisu needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. If you can wait overnight, even better!
Although tiramisu is traditionally served with a dusting of cocoa powder on top, I opted for powdered sugar. I recommend doing this step RIGHT before serving because the powdered sugar melts into the filling after a few minutes. You want people to see that nice snowy look of powdered sugar just before taking their first bite!
And if you’re wondering, YES, this Strawberry Tiramisu freezes incredibly well! So if you have any leftover (which rarely ever happens with this dessert), you can simply slice the rest into individual squares, wrap them in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat a piece, just take one out, unwrap it, place it on a plate, and allow it to thaw out at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Strawberry Tiramisu
Ingredients
Strawberry Syrup:
- 1 pound sliced strawberries, preferably fresh
- ½ cup water
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Mascarpone Filling:
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- 16 ounces mascarpone cheese
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup strawberry syrup (from recipe above)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For Assembly:
- 1 (7 oz) package Savoiardi ladyfingers (about 24)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
Make the Strawberry Syrup:
- Place strawberries and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Using a potato masher or a fork, crush the berries. Bring the berries to a boil, then lower temperature to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat and pour berries into a fine-mesh strainer set over a glass measuring cup. Using the back of a ladle or spoon, press on the berry solids to squeeze out as much juice as possible. Discard solids.
- Return strawberry juices to the pan, then add the sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and chill in refrigerator to cool completely.
Make the Filling:
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Transfer whipped cream to a separate bowl, return bowl to the mixer, and replace whisk attachment with paddle attachment.
- To the mixer, add the mascarpone cheese, sugar, 3/4 cup of the strawberry syrup, and vanilla. Beat on high until combined. Add about a cup of the whipped cream and continue beating until incorporated. Gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream.
Assemble Tiramisu:
- One at a time, dip the ladyfingers in the strawberry syrup until soaked but not soggy; arrange in an even layer along the bottom of an 8-inch square dish. (Line the ladyfingers up in two straight rows of six.*) Spread half of the the mascarpone filling on top of the ladyfingers. Place another layer of strawberry syrup-soaked ladyfingers on top of the filling.
- Spread half of the remaining filling on top of the ladyfingers. Transfer remaining filling to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip (or a gallon ziplock bag with the corner cut off), and pipe the filling evenly over the tiramisu.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- Just before serving, place powdered sugar in a fine mesh sieve and shake a light dusting over the surface. Cut into squares, serve, and enjoy!