Strawberry tiramisu, made with sweetened mascarpone cheese, milk and amaretto soaked ladyfingers, fluffy whipped cream, and homemade strawberry jam. This delicious layered strawberry dessert is light, creamy, custardy, and so yummy for warm summer days.
You might also love this strawberry vanilla bean galette, strawberry shortcake layer cake, and no bake strawberry orange cheesecake.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy to Make. There’s no baking involved when making tiramisu, so while I develop all my recipes for high altitude, today’s recipe will work at any altitude. You’ll only need to make a simple sabayon or custard, whip some cream with mascarpone cheese, make some strawberry jam (or use store bought jam), and then layer everything together.
Great Leftover. One of the best things about strawberry tiramisu is how good it is leftover. You can make it the day before you plan to serve it, to let all the flavors mingle and allow the custard to set up.
Soft, Cold and Creamy. I love cold desserts in the summer, and this one doesn’t disappoint. The ladyfingers soak up all the glorious mascarpone cream filling for a soft, custard-like texture, not unlike a strawberry trifle.
Customizable. I added some amaretto liqueur to the milk for soaking the ladyfingers, but you can certainly leave out the alcohol completely. And instead of strawberry tiramisu, you can make a version of this with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, peaches or apricots, which would all be fantastic.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
- Strawberries. You can use either fresh or frozen strawberries for making the jam or compote. But you’ll want fresh, ripe strawberries for decorating the top.
- Granulated Sugar. Adds sweetness to the strawberry jam, as well as to the custard filling.
- Lemon Juice. Adds a touch of sourness to the strawberries to balance all the sweet flavors.
- Egg Yolks. Add richness and body to the custard.
- Milk. Use whole milk, for a richer, more flavorful custard. You’ll also be dipping the ladyfingers in milk before assembling the tiramisu.
- Mascarpone Cheese. The delicate sweetness of mascarpone cheese is a classic flavor in tiramisu. In a pinch, you can also use full-fat, block style cream cheese, which works just as well.
- Vanilla. Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste adds flavor.
- Heavy Whipping Cream. The whipped cream lightens the mascarpone cheese and custard for a fluffy, creamy filling that you’ll love.
- Ladyfingers. Look on the cookie aisle for packages of ladyfingers. You’ll need 2 packages (24 per package) for an 8×11 pan, or 3 packages for a 9×13 pan.
- Amaretto. This is optional, but I added a little liqueur to the milk for dipping the ladyfingers.
Instructions
Make the Strawberry Jam
- Wash, hull and chop the strawberries. Combine the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid thickens a little and becomes syrupy, and the mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups.
- Refrigerate the strawberry jam until well chilled. This can be made several days in advance, and refrigerated until needed.
Make the Filling
- In a saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and milk. Over medium heat, cook the mixture for about 8-10 minutes until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. It should have the consistency of a thin, pourable custard.
- Pour the custard into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap resting right against the surface of the custard, and chill in the refrigerator until completely cooled. (You can speed this up by chilling it in the freezer for 30-60 minutes.)
- Place the mascarpone cheese or cream cheese in a bowl, and use an electric mixer to beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add the vanilla and the cooled custard to the mascarpone, and beat for 1-2 minutes until smooth.
- Pour the cold heavy whipping cream into a separate bowl. Use your electric mixer to whip the cream for several minutes until soft, thick, fluffy peaks form.
- Add the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture and fold together with a spatula until combined.
Assembly
- Set out your pan and decide how you’re going to arrange the ladyfingers. With two packages of ladyfingers, I had 48 ladyfingers. In an 8×11 pan, I was able to fit about 14 ladyfingers per layer, with the ones on the end cut in thirds to fit, so I assembled three layers, leaving me a few ladyfingers leftover. This size pan will make a very full layered dessert. If you use a 9×13 inch pan, your layers won’t be quite so high.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the milk, amaretto (if using) and vanilla extract. Start by dipping the ladyfingers in the milk mixture, then arranging them in the bottom of the pan. When you dip them in the milk, just very, very quickly dunk them in and then immediately lift them out. You do not want to hold them in the milk to let them soak up too much, or the ladyfingers will turn to mush, and your dessert will end up too soggy. If you’re worried about letting them soak up too much milk, you can also arrange the dry ladyfingers in the pan, dip a pastry brush in the milk, and very lightly brush the milk onto the ladyfingers.
- Once the pan is filled with the first layer of ladyfingers, spread 1/3 of the mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers. Dollop 1/2 of the strawberry jam over the mascarpone cream, and gently swirl it in.
- Repeat with another layer of ladyfingers, 1/3 of the mascarpone cream and 1/2 of the strawberry jam. Finish with the last layer of ladyfingers and the last of the mascarpone cream.
- Refrigerate the tiramisu for 4 hours. Before serving, decorate the top with fresh sliced strawberries.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use cream cheese instead of mascarpone cheese?
Absolutely. While it’s not as traditional as mascarpone cheese, cream cheese works well in this recipe and will taste delicious.
How long can strawberry tiramisu be refrigerated?
Cover the leftover tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Will store bought strawberry jam work in this recipe?
Yes. You’ll need 1 1/2 cups of jam. I’d recommend a good quality jam, like Bonne Maman, for the best flavor, not a generic jam that tastes like corn syrup.
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Strawberry Tiramisu
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Electric Mixer (Stand or Hand-Held)
- Medium-Sized Saucepan
- 8×11 or 9×13 Baking Dish
Ingredients
Strawberry Jam
- 1 lb strawberries
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Filling
- 6 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- â…” cup whole milk
- 1 lb mascarpone cheese or full fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 ¼ cups cold heavy whipping cream
Ladyfingers
- 2 pkg ladyfingers (a 7-oz package should contain about 24 ladyfingers, for 48 total; if using a 9×13 inch pan, you'll need 3 packages of ladyfingers)
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 3 tbsp amaretto liqueur (optional)
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
Decoration
- fresh strawberries
Instructions
Make the Strawberry Jam
- Wash, hull and chop the strawberries. Combine the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid thickens a little and becomes syrupy, and the mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups.
- Refrigerate the strawberry jam until well chilled. This can be made several days in advance, and refrigerated until needed.
Make the Filling
- In a saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and milk. Over medium heat, cook the mixture for about 8-10 minutes until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. It should have the consistency of a thin, pourable custard.
- Pour the custard into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap resting right against the surface of the custard, and chill in the refrigerator until completely cooled. (You can speed this up by chilling it in the freezer for 30-60 minutes.)
- Place the mascarpone cheese or cream cheese in a bowl, and use an electric mixer to beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add the vanilla and the cooled custard to the mascarpone, and beat for 1-2 minutes until smooth.
- Pour the cold heavy whipping cream into a separate bowl. Use your electric mixer to whip the cream for several minutes until soft, thick, fluffy peaks form.
- Add the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture and fold together with a spatula until combined.
Assembly
- Set out your pan and decide how you're going to arrange the ladyfingers. With two packages of ladyfingers, I had 48 ladyfingers. In an 8×11 pan, I was able to fit about 14 ladyfingers per layer, with the ones on the end cut in thirds to fit, so I assembled three layers, leaving me a few ladyfingers leftover. This size pan will make a very full layered dessert. If you use a 9×13 inch pan, your layers won't be quite so high.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the milk, amaretto (if using) and vanilla extract. Start by dipping the ladyfingers in the milk mixture, then arranging them in the bottom of the pan. When you dip them in the milk, just very, very quickly dunk them in and then immediately lift them out. You do not want to hold them in the milk to let them soak up too much, or the ladyfingers will turn to mush, and your dessert will end up too soggy. If you're worried about letting them soak up too much milk, you can also arrange the dry ladyfingers in the pan, dip a pastry brush in the milk, and very lightly brush the milk onto the ladyfingers.
- Once the pan is filled with the first layer of ladyfingers, spread 1/3 of the mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers. Dollop 1/2 of the strawberry jam over the mascarpone cream, and gently swirl it in.
- Repeat with another layer of ladyfingers, 1/3 of the mascarpone cream and 1/2 of the strawberry jam. Finish with the last layer of ladyfingers and the last of the mascarpone cream.
- Refrigerate the tiramisu for 4 hours. Before serving, decorate the top with fresh sliced strawberries.
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