Let’s take off on a summer romance with strawberry tiramisu! This delectable summer dessert, featuring fresh strawberries and decadent mascarpone cream, is sure to capture your heart.
A Summery Sweet Treat
Strawberry tiramisu is a fresh take on the classic Italian dessert. Instead of the usual coffee and cocoa, this version layers sweet strawberries with mascarpone and soft ladyfingers. It’s lighter, a bit more refreshing, and works really well, especially in the warmer months. The strawberries bring a natural sweetness and a bit of brightness, which balances out the richness of the mascarpone. As it sits, everything softens together—the ladyfingers soak up the juices, and the layers come together into something creamy without feeling too heavy.
It’s one of those desserts that looks like you put in more effort than you actually did. Easy to assemble, easy to serve, and it holds up well if you make it ahead. Perfect for having people over, or just when you want something simple but still feels a bit special.
We were invited to a pool party, and this felt like the perfect dessert to bring. It’s light, easy to serve, and just works for that kind of summer setting. It ended up being one of those things people kept asking about after the first bite. It’s a little different from the usual desserts, but in a good way—simple, fresh, and not too heavy. And honestly, even outside of sharing, it’s just a nice one to have on your own too.
This dessert turned out really light and creamy, and the kids loved it—they kept going back for more. The strawberries add a natural sweetness and a nice pop of colour, which makes it look good on the table too. I ended up making two versions—one without coffee or alcohol, and another with ladyfingers soaked in amaretto. Both worked really well, just depends what you’re in the mood for or who you’re serving.
A lot of tiramisu recipes use raw eggs, but I went with the double boiler method for the egg mixture. (Didn’t want any worries about potential salmonella risk). It’s a bit more reassuring and still gives you that same smooth, creamy texture.
Adding a little balsamic vinegar or a splash of lemon juice really brings out the flavour of the strawberries. It helps them soften and release their juices, which turns into a light syrup. That syrup is perfect for soaking the ladyfingers—it adds extra flavour. The bit of acidity from the vinegar or lemon also balances out the mascarpone, so the whole dessert doesn’t feel too heavy.
Strawberry tiramisu is one of those desserts that’s simple but really good. It works just as well for a summer get-together as it does for a quiet night at home. It’s easy to make, easy to share, and always goes over well.
I usually make mine in my Staub baking dish—it’s sturdy and looks lovely. But if you want to dress it up a bit, serving it in a glass dish or even individual glasses is a nice touch. You can see all the layers, and it makes it feel a little more put together without doing anything extra.
Ingredients:
🍓 3 cups fresh strawberries/about 500-600g (can use frozen if not in season) Keep a cup on the side to slice up and add in between layers.
🍓 20g of powdered sugar
🍓 1 tsp lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
🍓 1/2 tsp salt
🍓 1/2 cup sugar
🍓 4 egg yolks (you can use pasteurized eggs found at grocery stores)
🍓 4 egg whites
🍓 475-500g mascarpone cream (a tub)
🍓 A pack of ladyfingers (how many you need will depend on size of dish)
🍓 2 tsp vanilla
🍓 1 cup Whipping cream (optional) if you don’t want to use raw eggs
🍓 Amaretto (optional)
Instructions:
- Prepare the Strawberries:
- Wash and hull the strawberries.
- Slice a cup of strawberries into thin rounds and set them aside for layering.
- Strawberry Puree:
- Place the remaining strawberries in a blender, sprinkle them with powdered sugar, and drizzle with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar and blend until smooth.
- Egg Yolk Mixture (Option 1 – Using Raw Eggs):
- Separate eggs and in a glass bowl and whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture is pale and creamy.
- Transfer the egg mixture into a stand up mixer and add vanilla and whisk until it’s fluffy and pale.
- In the Thermomix, set to speed 4 for about 4-5 minutes.
- Egg Yolk Mixture (Option 2 – Double Boiler):
- Separate eggs and in a glass bowl or double boiler. Over a pot of simmering water, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture is pale and creamy.
- Set the temperature to low while whisking the mixture until it reaches 160°F.
- Transfer the egg mixture into a stand up mixer and add vanilla and whisk until it’s fluffy and pale.
- In the Thermomix, set to speed 4 for about 4-5 minutes.
- Mix egg yolk mixture with mascarpone cream:
- Mix in the mascarpone cream with the egg yolk mixture until full incorporated.
- Whipped Egg Whites:
- In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- If you don’t want to use raw eggs, use pasteurized eggs or whipped cream instead.
- In the Thermomix, insert the whisk and whip for 3 minutes at speed 4.
- Fold Egg Whites into Mascarpone:
- Gently fold the whipped egg whites (pasteurized eggs or whipped cream) into the mascarpone mixture until well combined.
- Assemble Tiramisu:
- Dip the ladyfingers briefly (about 1-2 seconds) into the strawberry puree. Arrange a layer of dipped ladyfingers at the bottom of your serving dish.
- Spread a layer of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers.
- Add a layer of sliced strawberries.
- Repeat the layers until your dish is filled, finishing with a layer of mascarpone mixture on top layered with more sliced strawberries.
- Should you find yourself with any remaining strawberry puree, it makes a lovely addition as a decorative topping for the final layer of mascarpone cream.
- Refrigerate:
- Cover the tiramisu and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flavours to meld and the dessert to set.
- Serve and Enjoy:
- Serve chilled and enjoy your homemade Strawberry Tiramisu!