Dreamy Raspberry Tiramisu

Raspberry tiramisu is a sweet and summery version of the classic, without eggs but creamy and full of tart and bright raspberry flavor.

I had never experienced tiramisu until well into adulthood. I honestly didn’t have a desire to try it because I knew it was a coffee based dessert and I am not a coffee drinker. It’s why I created my Spiced Chai Tiramisu, so I could have a similar dessert but made with tea, which I love. However, I’m also very much someone who LOVES berries and fruit. I will eat raspberries and blackberries until my stomach hurts. It only seemed fitting that I create a raspberry tiramisu.

Originally I had planned on making a mixed berry tiramisu but analysis paralysis struck me and I could decided on the “best” version of where the flavors would be. Should it be a strawberry filling with blueberry syrup and blackberry mascarpone or blackberry syrup and raspberry filling?? So I settled on raspberry, but truth be told the raspberries could EASILY be substituted for any other berry and following the same process. This recipe is easily adapted.

The great thing about tiramisu is you don’t have to turn on your oven, but you will need to chill for a while so plan ahead!

Baking Notes & Tips

This is not a traditional tiramisu in that there are no eggs in this. I wanted the filling to be really light for summer time. I know there are tiramisu purists out there from my research when I made my Chai tiramisu and I don’t claim this to be anything close to traditional. But, it is delicious.

The size of your pan matters but also doesn’t. I tested this in a square casserole dish, however many people use oval shaped, or metal cake pans. Whatever you have will work, you may need to cut some of your ladyfingers to make the layers of them fit properly though. The actual size of the ladyfingers will vary too depending on brand, etc so what worked for me perfectly might not be exactly the same for you unless you’re using the same pan and the same brand of ladyfingers.

When you are dipping the ladyfingers in the raspberry syrup, do not let them soak for too long. Depending on the brand, usually a quick 1-2 second dip is all you need. I have used brands that needed about 3-4 seconds per side as well though. I lay the ladyfinger in the syrup, let it sit for a moment, flip it over with a fork, and then lift it out. The ladyfingers will become soft while the tiramisu chills in the mascarpone filling, they should feel soaked but not soggy when you remove them from the syrup.

This raspberry tiramisu is best made the day BEFORE you want to serve or enjoy it. Letting it sit for 8-12 hours in the refrigerator is important for the texture, so keep that in mind when you plan this dessert.

Raspberry Tiramisu Key Ingredients

• Raspberries – Fresh or frozen, it doesn’t really matter as we will cook down the berries to make a raspberry syrup to soak the ladyfingers and add to the mascarpone. The top of the tiramisu is also dusted with ground freeze dried raspberries. If you can’t find freeze dried raspberries or don’t want to use them, you could also substitute this with a raspberry jam.
• Mascarpone – Mascarpone is like an Italian cream cheese. Personally I prefer it, it’s so luscious and creamy and perfect for adding flavors. There isn’t really a good substitute with the exact same flavor.
• Ladyfingers – Some people make their own, but I find it easiest to buy them. These are the ones I used for this recipe. Usually they can be found in the international aisle, the cookie aisle or sometimes the bakery.