Summer dessert doesn’t get any better than a fresh berry tiramisu with savoiardi ladyfingers soaked in berry juices and layered up with mascarpone cream and more berries. It’s a must for barbecues and patriotic holidays!
With a dessert as epic as tiramisu there are bound to be lots of spinoffs. Some of my faves? Nutella Tiramisu, it’s an absolute no brainer of a twist. Ditto my Easy Tiramisu in easy single serving glasses. And No-Bake Slab Tiramisu might be the easiest of all. But this Berry Tiramisu deserves a spot on that list, it practically screams summer and it’s perfect for Memorial Day and the 4th of July.
Let’s dig in
ingredients you’ll need for berry tiramisu
- lady fingers*
- heavy cream
- heavy cream is at least 36% fat and holds its shape a little better than whipping cream, which is a little lower in fat. If a recipe (like this one) specifically requires a more stable whipped cream or a richer texture, heavy cream is the better choice.
- mascarpone cheese
- mascarpone is a thick spreadable fresh cheese from Italy. You’ll find it in small tubs in the cheese section of your supermarket.
- confectioner’s sugar
- fresh berries
- I used strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries for a red white and blue theme, but you can use what you like.
- vanilla
- this flavors the berry juice for dipping the ladyfingers. Substitute almond extract if you like.
*You’re likely to find 2 types of lady fingers in your supermarket and either one will work for tiramisu. The only difference is in how long you soak them: crispy ladyfingers need a longer soak while soft ladyfingers will fall apart if you soak them more than a second or two.
- Crisp cookie-style lady fingers (savoiardi) which are traditional in Italian tiramisu. You’ll find these in the cookie aisle. This is what I used in my berry tiramisu.
- Soft sponge cake-like lady fingers, which you’ll find in the bakery section.
converting tiramisu to berry tiramisu
The trick is making this new fruity adaptation wonderful on its own, while preserving what’s special about the original dessert.
The ladyfingers and the luxe mascarpone cream remain the same in my recipe.
I don’t use zabaglione, which is made with raw eggs. Instead I substitute sweetened whipped cream.
Instead of coffee (and often liqueur) for dipping the ladyfingers we’re using berry juice with vanilla extract (this is a berry tiramisu, and coffee just won’t cut it.)
We’re sweetening the inner layer with fresh berries, and instead of a final dusting of cocoa powder there are more berries!
how to layer this red white and blueberry dessert
- Arrange a layer of soaked ladyfingers on the bottom of your pan. Break lady fingers apart if necessary to cover the entire surface.
- Spread a generous layer of mascarpone cream over the top.
- Add a layer of mixed berries. Slice larger berries like strawberries.
- Add another layer of soaked ladyfingers.
- Top with a final layer of mascarpone cream. Cover your berry tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6-8 hours (or overnight) before serving.
- Arrange mixed berries decoratively over the top, I made a starburst pattern for Memorial Day and 4th of July.
berry tiramisu faqs
Yes, to make a vegan version of this recipe substitute the cream and mascarpone with plant based options. Kite Hill makes a vegan mascarpone, and So Delicious CocoWhip can stand in for the whipped cream. If you can’t find vegan mascarpone use vegan cream cheese instead. Ladyfingers contain eggs, so you’ll need to use vegan ladyfingers (which are difficult to find commercially in the US.) You could make your own (recipe suggestion here) or substitute a vegan sponge cake or pound cake, cut in similar sized strips.
There are gluten free savoiardi ladyfingers on the market, here is one example.
Traditional tiramisu contains marsala wine. For this berry tiramisu you can use a berry liqueur like Chambord (French black raspberry liqueur,) or Crème de Cassis which is made with blackcurrants. I would add it to the raspberry soaking liquid, starting with 2-4 tablespoons, and more to taste.
Yes, you’ll need 2 thawed 8-ounce tubs. You’ll need a longer set time with whipped topping ~ I recommend overnight ~ because it doesn’t release moisture into the ladyfingers as readily as homemade whipped cream.
You can use brick style cream cheese.
In classic tiramisu the creamy texture comes from the mascarpone cheese and zabaglione (a mixture of egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala wine). In my recipe sweetened whipped cream replaces the zabaglione, making it lighter and easier to make.
You can add lemon zest and a few tablespoons of lemon juice to the whipped mascarpone cream.
A max of 2 hours. Store leftovers in the fridge.
You can make it up to a full day ahead. I recommend adding the final berry decoration on top shortly before serving for the freshest appearance.
Berry Tiramisu
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- food processor
- electric beaters
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh raspberries
- vanilla extract
- 2 cups cold heavy cream, you can substitute 2 8-ounce tubs of thawed Extra Creamy Cool Whip.
- 1/3 cup confectioners sugar
- 16 ounces mascarpone cheese, in a pinch you can substitute brick style cream cheese.
- 40 lady fingers, more or less, depending on their size. You will need enough for 2 layers in your pan.
- 12 medium strawberries. This is approximate, you may need more or less.
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries, approximately
Instructions
- Put 2 cups of raspberries, half cup water, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a food processor and process until smooth. Pour into a shallow bowl. If you like you can strain out the seeds first. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl use electric beaters to whip the mascarpone cheese, just to loosen it up.
- In a separate large bowl whip the cold cream along with the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract until it forms firm but not stiff peaks.
- Add the whipped cream to the mascarpone and whip briefly to combine. Be careful not to over whip. You can finish folding the two together with a spatula.
- Dip the ladyfingers into the raspberry sauce for several seconds on each side. Place one layer of soaked ladyfingers into the bottom of your dish. Break them apart if necessary to ensure you cover the entire surface.
- Dollop a little less than half the whipped cream mixture over the lady fingers and gently spread out evenly. Top with a layer of fresh mixed berries. I slice the strawberries, but leave the raspberries and blueberries whole.
- Top with another layer of dipped ladyfingers. Then dollop the rest of the whipped cream mixture over the top and spread out.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap (being careful not to touch the surface) and refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours or overnight. This allows the moisture to penetrate the ladyfingers and the cake to firm up. Note: if making the day before, don't decorate the top with the berries until closer to serving time for the freshest appearance.
- Decorate the top of your berry tiramisu with fresh berries. You can scatter them randomly, or do a starburst design like I did.
- Refrigerate any leftovers promptly. The leftovers will last 2 days.
Your photos always stop me in my tracks. This will be perfect for our cookout this weekend, can I use frozen fruit?
Hi Jan ~ you can definitely use frozen fruit for making the juice to soak the ladyfingers, and for use in the filling, but you’ll want fresh berries for the top.