Light and airy blueberry-soaked ladyfingers and luscious blueberry mascarpone cream filling are layered together in this blueberry-licious rendition of a classic Italian dessert!
Spring is in full swing, which means that berry season is ALSO in full swing! Hooray!!
Although I’m not the biggest fan of raw blueberries, I LOVE baking them into delicious desserts. It’s like their full flavor potential is finally realized when they’re fried up in fluffy flapjacks, or baked into moist blueberry muffins.
I don’t know about you, but this time of year, I’m often craving lighter, less rich desserts. So with blueberry season in session, I decided it was the perfect time to unveil this heavenly creation.
This Blueberry Tiramisu has so many MARVELOUS components wrapped into one divine dessert! It contains layers of soft, delicate ladyfingers soaked in fresh blueberry syrup, surrounded by creamy blueberry mascarpone filling. It’s definitely not your traditional Tiramisu. But hey, it’s just as exquisite, if not MORE so!
Since I discovered that the possibilities are literally endless when it comes to Tiramisu, I’ve been trying to do every flavor imaginable. I’ve done pumpkin, strawberry, lemon, raspberry, blackberry, eggnog and countless others! This Blueberry Tiramisu was definitely a nice addition to my Tiramisu repertoire.
What I love about Tiramisu is that it can be made ahead of time. It’s also super easy to throw together for something that looks absolutely stunning. For this recipe, I like to start with the VIP of the dessert–the blueberry syrup. It needs ample time to cool off completely, and it’s used for the lady finger soak, the mascarpone filling, AND the final drizzle.
To make the syrup, simply place the berries and some water into a medium saucepan. It doesn’t matter if you use fresh or frozen–they both work just fine! Cook the berries over medium-low heat, using a potato masher or a fork to smash the berries up. Once the mixture starts to simmer and every single berry is completely smashed, pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve over a bowl. Use a spatula to squeeze as much of the juice through the sieve as possible. Then return the juice to the pot, add some sugar and cook for a few minutes, or until the sugar is completely dissolved. To brighten up the flavor, add a splash or two of lemon juice!
The syrup needs to cool completely before you can move onto the rest of the recipe. To speed up the cooling process, pour it into shallow bowl and place it into the refrigerator. Stirring it from time to time will also make it cool faster.
Once your beautiful blueberry syrup has cooled completely, you can make the mascarpone filling. Just beat 2 cups of mascarpone cheese until smooth and creamy. Add some granulated sugar, vanilla, and a little almond extract. The almond extract is totally optional, but it really complements the flavor of the blueberries.
The next step is to incorporate the blueberry syrup. You’ll want to do this gradually to not only cut down on the rampant splatters, but also to ensure a smooth filling with no lumps. I like to add a 1/4 cup of syrup at a time. After the syrup has been added, it’s time to lighten things up by folding in some freshly-whipped cream.
Now it’s assembly time!
Grab a ladyfinger (not to be confused with an actual lady’s finger), and completely submerge it into the blueberry syrup. Place it into a square baking dish, then repeat with more ladyfingers until you have one even layer. Drizzle 1-2 Tablespoons of syrup over the ladyfingers to add extra blueberry flavor!
Next, spread half of the mascarpone filling evenly over the ladyfingers. Top the filling with another layer of blueberry syrup-soaked ladyfingers, then spread half of the remaining filling on top. Place the second half of the filling into a piping bag fitted with a round tip. If you don’t have a piping bag, a gallon ziplock bag with the bottom corner cut off will work just as well. Pipe the filling into even rows of six, or make your own creative pattern. You’re the arTIST!
The Tiramisu requires AT LEAST six hours in the refrigerator, however, I highly recommend refrigerating it overnight. The flavors develop so much the longer it’s allowed to sit. I’d even say that it’s better on the third day.
To close things off, allow me to present you with a fun little fact. The literal meaning of Tiramisu in Italian is “pick me up” or “cheer me up”.
Hmmm…seems quite fitting, doesn’t it?
Blueberry Tiramisu
Ingredients
Blueberry Syrup:
- 4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
- ½ cup water
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Mascarpone Filling:
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- 16 ounces mascarpone cheese (cold or room temp.)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¾ cup blueberry syrup (from recipe above)
For Assembly:
- 1 (7 oz) package Savoiardi ladyfingers (about 24)
Instructions
Make the Blueberry Syrup:
- Place blueberries 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 simmer, then lower temperature to medium-low and simmer for about 2 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 berries to squeeze out as much juice as possible. Discard solids.
- Return blueberry juices to the pan, then add the sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 2-3 minutes. 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, vanilla and almond extract. Beat on high until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the blueberry syrup, a 1/4 cup at a time, making sure to mix completely after each addition. 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 blueberry 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 blueberry 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 and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- To serve, cut a slice of Tiramisu and place it onto a plate. Drizzle with some of the remaining blueberry syrup.