Easy Italian tiramisu recipe without eggs (in cups)

All you have to do in order to make these eggless tiramisu cups is to whip up the Mascarpone mixture and melt some chocolate with an equal amount of cream to make the chocolate sauce (chocolate sauce in not traditionally used in tiramisu but you'll see that it adds dimension).

After that, just assemble the dessert in individual portions by layering the ingredients in the cups.

The authentic tiramisu recipe is made by beating raw egg whites into meringue and raw egg yolks into a cream which is them mixed with the Mascarpone.

However, because working with raw eggs makes me uncomfortable, this easy recipe is made without eggs.

At first, I thought of pasteurizing them using a water bath, but this would make the recipe more time consuming. The best alternative was to replace them with whipped cream.

And it’s true! After the first spoonful of this dessert you feel lighter and carefree!

Ingredients

For this easy tiramisu recipe you'll need:

1. Mascarpone cheese: An Italian cream cheese, with a rich creamy texture because of high in fat content. You can read more in the article what is Mascarpone cheese from thespruceeats.com
2. White sugar: Icing or powdered sugar is used because it will melt easier than caster sugar. However, you can use caster sugar if that's what you have.
3. Vanilla extract. Use real vanilla bean extract for depth of flavor.
4. Marsala wine. Marsala is a fortified Italian wine. It's usually sweet but there's also a dry version. See the substitutions section for what to use if you don't have it.
5. Espresso coffee. Freshly brewed espresso gives tiramisu its distinctive taste.
6. Heavy cream. This recipe calls for heavy cream with at least 35% fat. It should be cold from the fridge in order to whip up better.
7. Chocolate. Chocolate is not normally used in traditional tiramisu recipes, but it adds an extra layer of flavor in the form of chocolate sauce. Feel free to omit it if you prefer a more authentic approach.
8. Lady fingers. Also known as savoiyardi cookies or sponge fingers, these biscuits are a made in a similar way as sponge cake but in the form of elongated cookies. You can find them in many stores or you can make them yourself. There's two versions of ladyfingers, a dry and a more moist (cakey) one. I prefer the later, but both will do. See the substitutions section for what you can use instead of ladyfingers.
9. Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting. Dutch processed cocoa powder works best for this recipe.

Instructions

Step1: Make the Mascarpone mixture. Using your hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the Mascarpone cheese with the powdered sugar, the vanilla, the coffee and the Marsala.

When everything is combined, gradually add the cream and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy and soft peaks form (I prefer soft peaks instead of stiff peaks, because the cream mixture will continue to thicken as it rests in the fridge).

Step 2: Make the chocolate sauce. Gently heat cream and the chocolate in a small saucepan until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Set aside.

Step 3: Build the Tiramisu cups. Break the ladyfingers in the middle. Combine the coffee and the liqueur in a plate and very briefly (almost instantly) dip them in coffee mixture. Place 3 pieces of cookies at the bottom of each cup/glass and top with 2 full tablespoons of the Mascarpone filling.

Drizzle some of the chocolate sauce on top of the cream and repeat with the rest of the soaked ladyfingers and then the cream.

Substitutions

As with all recipes, substituting one or more ingredients with something similar will have an impact (big or small) on the final outcome. This doesn't mean that your dessert will be bad, it just means that it will be different.

Instead of the Mascarpone cheese you can use your regular cream cheese, as long as it's full fat.

Instead of Marsala wine you can use another sweet fortified wine like Port or Vin Santo. A coffee liquor like Kahlua or Tia Maria will also do. Dark Rum, Cognac or Brandy are also possible choices.

If you don't have ladyfinger biscuits, you can use leftover cake, Brioche, Challah bread or this Greek Easter bread (tsoureki). For homemade ladyfingers this ladyfingers recipe from preppykitchen.com is very nice.

Instead of espresso coffee, you can use any other type of strong coffee you like, such as filter or instant coffee.

Storing

Tiramisu, when properly stored in the fridge will last for at least 4 days. If you want to eat it after this period, check for weird smells or any other changes in color and appearance. If anything feels off, avoid eating it.

For better keeping and to protect your mini tiramisu cups from other smells, cover them with plastic wrap.

Tips

Do you have any leftover chocolate eggs from Easter? Use them to make the chocolate sauce.

FAQ

Does all tiramisu have raw eggs?

The authentic Italian recipe is made with raw eggs. The yolks are combined with the Mascarpone and the egg whites are whipped into a meringue.

However, there are modern recipes that use tempered eggs (cooked with sugar in water bath) or recipes that replace the yolks with cream.

Is there always alcohol in tiramisu?

Yes, all traditional tiramisu recipes are made with some kind of alcohol, usually Marsala wine. If you're wondering if it's suitable for children, then the answer is that the amount of alcohol in a serving of tiramisu is very small and it shouldn't have any affect on children.

What is the difference between Italian and American tiramisu?

Authentic Italian Tiramisu is made with raw eggs whereas the American version is usually made either by tempering the eggs or by substituting heavy whipping cream.

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