Strawberry Latte Tiramisu
This recipe was inspired by my favourite dessert coffee of summer: an iced strawberry latte from Lucero, here in Kitchener. The flavours were so unexpected and delightful together and I thought it could work in tiramisu.
This is the best tasting recipe I’ve ever developed and it’s worth the hassle.
Ingredients
Cookies:
300g ladyfinger cookies (recipe if you want to make your own)
Coffee soak:
300ml | 1-1/4 cups good espresso (see note)
90ml | 6 tbsp sweet Marsala wine (see note)
15ml | 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Strawberry filling:
600g strawberries (see note)
100g sugar
Pinch of salt
Cream cheese filling:
450–475g•16oz•2 cups mascarpone cheese (recipe here if you want make your own)
60ml | 1/4 cup sweet Marsala wine (see note)
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 US Large eggs, separated
100g sugar, divided
60ml | 1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (see note)
1/8 tsp salt
500ml | 2 cups whipping cream (see note)
Topping:
Cocoa powder
Special equipment
Mixer (stand or hand, you can use a whisk if you have strong arms and are stubborn)
13x9 pan
Offset spatula
Double boiler (or a heatproof bowl + pot)
Method
Prepare the coffee soak
Add the coffee, Marsala wine, and vanilla to a wide, flat bowl (5–6” wide). Cover and set aside.
Prepare the strawberry filling
For frozen strawberries
In a 3-quart saucepan, add the frozen strawberries, sugar, and water. Cover with a lid and set on medium heat. After 20 minutes the strawberries should be quite soft. Mash with a potato masher and set aside.
For fresh strawberries
Thinly slice the strawberries and toss with sugar and a pinch of salt. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
Make the mascarpone filling
The cream cheese filling is made by whipping 4 components in separate ways then adding them together. The easiest way to do this is to have one large bowl the filling will be made in and then re-use your mixing bowl.
Filling Step 1 – Whisk the mascarpone
In your large bowl, add the mascarpone, Marsala, vanilla, mix together with a whisk until smooth and set aside.
Filling Step 2 – Egg yolks
At your cooktop, set a double boiler on the stove on simmer.
Add the egg yolks and 15g (1 tbsp) sugar and whisk constantly, for 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. You need to whisk constantly to prevent the egg yolks from setting into a scrambled egg. If you have a thermometer remove the eggs at 165.
Blanching the egg yolks cooks them, giving them thickening powers. The added sugar prevents them from scrambling. Add the blanched egg yolks to the mascarpone and whisk together until combined.
If your egg yolks scramble it’s best to start again. If they’re not totally smooth you can run the mixture through a sieve.
Filling Step 3 – Italian Meringue
This is easier with a stand mixer, but you can do this with a hand mixer (or even by hand).
Wipe down your mixer bowl with a clean towel, insuring there are no traces of fat (the enemy of egg whites). Add your egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar. Turn your mixer on low to break up the egg whites until they are foaming, then turn the mixer off.
At your cooktop, add the remaining 85g sugar + 60ml | 1/4 cup water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until it reaches 240F.
There is a bit of a dance here – as your sugar approaches the target temperature, turn your mixer back on and beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Slowly stream the hot sugar syrup into the mixing bowl with the mixer running. You want the sugar to run down the side of the bowl, not get caught into whisk attachment (which may fling hot sugar at you).
Turn your mixer on high and beat until the egg whites are cool.
Alternative: A simpler alternative is to make a standard meringue, using the same amount of sugar, but since the eggs aren’t cooked you should use pasteurized eggs to reduce your risk of salmonella. Italian Meringue will cook the egg whites, making it more stable and safer.
Filling Step 4 – Fold the meringue into the cheese
Add 1/3 of the meringue into the mascarpone cheese mix (in your large bowl). Mix with a whisk until homogenous and light. Add the remaining meringue, using a spatula to fold it until combined.
You don’t need to clean your mixing bowl, you’re going to use it again!
Filling Step 5 – Make whipped cream and fold into the cheese
Add the whipping cream to your mixing bowl. Mix on high speed until stiff peaks. Cold whipping cream whips up better.
Add 1/3 of the whipped cream into the mascarpone cheese mix (in your large bowl), using a spatula to fold it in. Add the remaining whipped cream and fold to combine.
Assemble
Dip the cookies in coffee
Quickly dip the cookies in the coffee – 1 turn each – and move to your 13x9 pan. If you soak the cookies too long they will fall apart.
Create a single layer of cookies, it should take around 18 cookies (3 rows of 6). Trim cookies to fit of needed.
Add a layer of strawberries
Use half your strawberries here. For the cooked strawberry puree, use an offset spatula to smooth it out. For fresh, sliced strawberries lay half down then spoon some of the liquid around to be absorbed by the cookies.
Add a layer of cream cheese filling
Add half the mascarpone filling and smooth out with an offset spatula.
Repeat
Do that same layering again – cookies, strawberries, cream.
Cool overnight
Cover the top and place in the fridge overnight to setup. It needs this time and gets better over another day or two in the fridge as the flavours and textures meld together.
Top with cocoa and serve
Before serving, dust with cocoa. You can do this with a mesh sieve or with a dusting wand.
Slice into a 4x3 grid, ensuring your knife gets through all of the cookies.
Use a fish spatula to lift out each piece. A fish spatula works great here because it is thin and can bend easily. If you don’t have one, use a serving spoon to sacrifice the aesthetics of your first slice and then use a cake lifter.
The tiramisu should hold its shape, but it is also soft and wobbly, so I suggest serving in a bowl – but if you’re feeling brave a dessert plate works great too.
My strawberry layer isn’t very visible – I was taking this to a friends house for dinner, so I didn’t want to dishevel it too much for the sake of a photo. I promise the strawberries are in there.