Description
The iconic Italian dessert, made mini: rich, creamy, and perfectly portioned Individual Tiramisu Cups! Layers of espresso-soaked ladyfingers snuggled into luscious mascarpone cream strike the perfect balance of sweetness with a hint of coffee.
The ultimate easy, no-bake dessert for date nights, dinner parties, or whenever you’re craving a fancy little treat without the fuss!
Ingredients
Scale
for the mascarpone cream:
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 2 egg yolks, cold from the refrigerator
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- pinch kosher salt
- ¾ cup heavy cream, cold from the refrigerator
for tiramisu cups assembly:
- 16 ladyfinger cookies
- ¾ cup freshly brewed strong coffee or 6 shots espresso
- 1 overflowing tablespoon brandy (can substitute sweet marsala wine, dark rum, cognac, etc.)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- pinch kosher salt
- prepared mascarpone cream
- 1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1-2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
Instructions
- Prepare the mascarpone cream: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and salt. Use an electric mixer to whip 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is very pale and thickened to the consistency of honey—it should slowly ribbon off the beaters when lifted. Gently fold the mascarpone cheese into the egg mixture with a spatula until smooth and fully combined. Set aside.
- Finish the mascarpone cream: In a second mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream with an electric mixer until thickened. For soft and creamy tiramisu, whip to medium peaks; for firmer tiramisu, whip to firm peaks. Gently fold the mascarpone mixture from Step 1 into the whipped cream, being careful not to deflate it. Set aside.
- Prepare for tiramisu cups assembly: Gather 4 serving glasses (I like using a large coupe or martini glass, though a lowball glass or tumbler works great too) and set aside. If needed, break the ladyfinger cookies to fit the glasses. In a shallow bowl, mix the coffee/espresso, brandy, granulated sugar, and salt until the sugar dissolves. Set the cocoa powder in a fine mesh sieve and prepare the bittersweet chocolate with a microplane grater.
- Assemble the tiramisu cups: Quickly dip a ladyfinger into the coffee mixture—a fast flip on each side is perfect; over-saturating the ladyfingers leads to soggy tiramisu. Place the dipped ladyfingers in the bottom of a serving glass. Repeat until half the ladyfingers are used across all glasses. Add a generous spoonful (about ¼ cup) of mascarpone cream on top of the ladyfingers, then dust with cocoa powder and sprinkle with grated chocolate. Repeat with a second layer of dipped ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, cocoa powder, and chocolate.
- Chill: Cover the tiramisu cups with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. For the best flavor and texture, chill for 12-24 hours.
- Serve the tiramisu cups straight from the refrigerator. If desired, finish a fresh dusting of cocoa powder before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Ladyfinger cookies: You can often find ladyfingers in the international or specialty baking aisle at grocery stores that are well-stocked with Italian ingredients. I like using the Forno Bonomi and DeLallo brands, which I find at my local Italian market and online. If you’re feeling ambitious, homemade ladyfingers are also a fantastic option—here’s a great recipe to try.
- Egg yolks are essential for a rich and lusciously creamy mascarpone filling. If you prefer not to use raw egg yolks, simply whisk the yolk mixture (Step 1) over a double boiler until it reaches 145–150°F.
- Brandy and substitutions: Use your favorite liquor to customize the flavor! Traditional Italian tiramisu is usually made with sweet marsala wine. I always have a bottle of good-quality brandy on hand, so that’s what I typically use. Madeira wine, cognac, and dark rum also work beautifully. For an alcohol-free version, replace the liquor with 1 overflowing teaspoon of good-quality pure vanilla extract.
Storage:
- Tiramisu cups will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3-4 days. In fact, the flavors get better the longer it sits, so it’s an excellent make-ahead dessert!