Alcohol-Free Raspberry Tiramisu Without Coffee
A delicious summer dessert idea, this raspberry tiramisu is alcohol-free, contains fresh raspberries and no raw egg and is without coffee. A perfect no-bake dessert that the whole family can enjoy.
What Makes This Raspberry Tiramisu Great!
- Family Friendly – It’s a coffee-free tiramisu that is also alcohol-free. It doesn’t contain raw eggs either, which means it’ll suit the palates and diets of all family members.
- No-Bake Dessert – You won’t need to use the oven at all to make this recipe.
- Summer Dessert Idea – Raspberry Tiramisu makes a great summer dessert making the most of seasonal fruit.
Raspberry Tiramisu is a special occasion, make-ahead dessert that needs a little bit of prep time. Ideally, you make this no-bake dessert in the morning or the day before a party or occasion.
Perfect for summer, a fresh raspberry tiramisu is a great way to incorporate seasonal fruit. However, you can also use frozen raspberries, or other types of fresh fruit like strawberries, to create a different flavoured fruit tiramisu.
I wanted to make a tiramisu that was suitable for the whole family, so this tiramisu recipe is without coffee, and, is alcohol-free. I have also cooked the egg yolks in the mascarpone mixture too, so there are no raw eggs like you would find in a traditional tiramisu recipe.
You can serve up this coffee-free tiramisu as a special treat with some of my other Italian-inspired recipes, like a simple pesto pasta, or a delicious summer salad, making the perfect meal for those hot summer days.
If you love Tiramisu recipes, go try my Nutella Tiramisu next! And for more fruit desserts (and a good way to use up leftover egg whites from this recipe) check out this Tropical Pavlova.
Equipment Needed To Make Raspberry Tiramisu
- Whisk – You can use the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a hand-held whisk if you’d prefer. I recommend using an electric mixer if you have it, to prevent aching arm muscles, but you can use a hand whisk if that’s all you have at home.
- Medium-Sized Saucepan – I use this to create the delicious raspberry coulis and to heat the egg yolks.
- Fine Mesh Sieve – To remove the raspberry seeds and create a smooth coulis.
- Large Mixing Bowl and a Smaller One – To mix all of the ingredients in.
- Shallow Bowl or Dish With a Flatter Base – You will need something to soak the lady fingers in the raspberry sauce.
- Decorative Serving Dish – A beautiful dessert deserves to be served in a beautiful dish. Or, you can make individual portions using smaller serving glasses. I have used a Square 20x20cm (8x8inch) dish.
- Clingfilm/Plastic Wrap – To cover the raspberry tiramisu as it sets.
- Wooden Spoon or Large Rubber Spatula – To help spoon the creamy mascarpone into the dish and arrange the Tiramisu.
Ingredients Needed For Alcohol Free Tiramisu
- Raspberries – Fresh or frozen raspberries can be used in this recipe depending on the season. If using frozen raspberries, you can decorate with freeze-dried raspberries instead of defrosted ones to avoid a soggy texture. You can substitute these with Strawberries but they will take slightly longer to break down when creating the sauce.
- Orange Juice – This becomes part of the juice that the ladyfingers are soaked in. Fresh orange juice compliments the raspberry flavour well.
- Caster Sugar – Stick with white caster sugar if you can or use granulated sugar in its place if necessary.
- Savoiardi or Lady Fingers – You may also find these in the supermarket called Sponge Fingers.
- Egg Yolk – You can save and freeze the egg whites to use in another recipe, to save on waste.
- Vanilla Extract – This adds a pop of flavour to the cream.
- Double Cream – Sometimes called heavy cream or whipping cream.
- Mascarpone Cheese – This has a thick, creamy texture and a mild taste. It forms part of the cream layer in this tiramisu.
- Cocoa Powder for Dusting – Traditionally cocoa powder is used to dust the top of a tiramisu. You can also use milk or dark chocolate shavings if you’d prefer.
What is Tiramisu?
Tiramisu is a popular Italian dessert that is typically chilled and does not require baking. It features layers of Savoiardi, also known as ladyfingers, which are soaked in cold espresso and Marsala Wine. These soaked, soft ladyfingers are then layered between a mixture of mascarpone, eggs, and sugar, and a little more Marsala wine. Finally, the dessert is topped with a sprinkling of cocoa powder.
The origin of traditional Tiramisu is unknown, but it started appearing in cookbooks around the 1960s. Some believe it may have derived from an earlier recipe called ‘Tiremesù.’
I have created our own variation of the classic Tiramisu to make it suitable for the whole family. Unlike the original recipe, our version excludes coffee and wine and instead, we use plenty of raspberry flavour. Additionally, we heat the egg yolk along with the sugar and omit the raw egg white that is typically used in traditional Tiramisu recipes.
Step-By-Step Guide – How To Make Raspberry Tiramisu
Step 1: Prepare the raspberry sauce
- Place 150g of fresh raspberries, 20g of caster sugar, and orange juice into a pan.
- Gently heat the mixture until the raspberries break down and the liquid thickens slightly to create a raspberry syrup.
Step 2: Strain the raspberry sauce
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Strain the sauce through a sieve to remove the raspberry seeds.
- Pour the strained raspberry sauce into a bowl and mix in the water. Set it aside.
Step 3: Prepare the cream mixture
- In a separate pan, place the egg yolks and the remaining caster sugar.
- Heat the mixture over gentle heat while whisking until the sugar dissolves.
- Remove the pan from the heat and continue whisking until the mixture cools, thickens, and becomes creamy with a pale yellow colour. Be careful not to overcook the eggs.
- Once ready, transfer the mixture to a separate bowl to prevent further cooking.
Step 4: Whisk the cream and combine with the egg yolk mixture
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the double cream until it becomes thick with medium peaks.
- Add the mascarpone and vanilla extract to the whipped cream and whisk again until well combined.
- Add the cooled egg yolk mixture to the cream and fold it through gently. Whisk a little more until everything is well combined and the mixture is thick and creamy. Avoid over-whisking, as it may cause the cream to separate.
Step 5: Layer the tiramisu
- Begin by dipping the sponge fingers into the raspberry sauce and create a layer on the bottom of your serving dish. Allow each finger to soak up some of the sauce, but avoid leaving them in it for too long to prevent them from becoming too soggy.
- Top the dipped sponge fingers with a layer of the cream mixture.
- Add a layer of fresh raspberries on top of the cream layer.
- Repeat the process to create a second layer of dipped sponge fingers, cream mixture, and raspberries.
Step 6: Chill and set the tiramisu
- Finish the raspberry tiramisu with a final layer of cream.
- Cover the dish with clingfilm and place it in the fridge to chill and set for at least 3 hours.
Step 7: Serve the tiramisu
- Once you are ready to serve, dust the top of the raspberry tiramisu with cocoa powder.
- Garnish with the remaining fresh raspberries before serving.
FAQ
In a classic Tiramisu recipe, you would usually find Marsala wine. However, this fruit tiramisu recipe is alcohol-free.
Tiramisu is at it’s best after it has been chilled for a sufficient period of time. Raspberry Tiramisu eaten the next day is best since everything has had time to set and the sponge fingers have softened with their absorbed liquid.
You may find these sponge-like biscuits being called Sponge Fingers, Boudoir Biscuits, Savoy Biscuits, Funeral Biscuits or even Baby Biscuits.
Pro Tips and Guidance
- Don’t over-whisk the ingredients – If you whisk the cream and mascarpone for too long they will curdle. Only whisk until the mixture becomes thick and creamy and then stop.
- Ladyfingers Range in Absorbency – Depending on the brand Ladyfingers or Savoiardi can be soft or crunchy, which will affect how efficiently they absorb the Raspberries. It’s worth timing yourself and checking the middle of the biscuit the first few times to check that the liquid has soaked through sufficiently.
- Ideally, chill it overnight – Alcohol-free Tiramisu is best when chilled overnight, but be sure to at least chill it for 3 hours minimum.
- Leave the decoration off until you serve it – This will prevent the raspberry topping from seeping into the cream and making it soggy.
Storage
- Storage: Homemade Tiramisu should be covered and stored in the fridge. It is best to consume it in 1-2 days, but will last up to 4 days. You may find that after a couple of days, it becomes a little more soggy but it will still taste just as good.
- Freezing: Raspberry Tiramisu does not freeze well, so I don’t recommend this as a storage option.
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An authentic Italian Bread hailing from Naples, filled to the brim with hard Italian Cheeses and Salami. Take your Easter celebrations to the next level with this recipe served for Breakfast or Lunch
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An Italian inspired salad filled with parmesan cheese, walnuts and spicy rocket leaves. All drizzled with a homemade balsamic glaze.
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Alcohol-Free Raspberry Tiramisu Without Coffee
Ingredients
- 450 g Fresh Raspberries
- 150 ml Orange Juice
- 100 ml Hot Water
- 80 g Caster Sugar
- 40 Sponge Fingers, approximately, depending on the size
- 3 Egg Yolks
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 150 ml Double Cream
- 250 g Mascarpone
- Cocoa Powder for Dusting, optional
Instructions
- Place 150g of the fresh raspberries, 20g of the caster sugar, and orange juice into a pan and gently heat until the raspberries break down and the liquid thickens slightly.
- Remove from the heat and strain the sauce through a sieve to remove the seeds.
- Pour the raspberry sauce into a bowl and mix in the water, set aside.
- In a separate pan, place the egg yolks and the rest of the caster sugar and heat over a gentle heat while whisking, until the sugar dissolves.
- Remove from the heat and whisk until cooled, thick and creamy. Do not overcook the eggs, otherwise the mixture will become too stiff. Once ready, place the mixture into a separate bowl to prevent the eggs from cooking further in the hot pan.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the double cream until it becomes thick with medium peaks.
- Add the mascarpone and vanilla extract and whisk again until combined.
- Add the egg yolk mixture to the cream and fold through, whisk a little more until everything comes together and is thick and creamy. Do not over-whisk at this point, otherwise the cream will separate.
- Begin dipping the sponge fingers into the raspberry sauce and create a layer on the bottom of your serving dish, allow each finger to soak up some of the juice, but be careful not to leave them sitting in it for too long, otherwise they will become too soggy.
- Top the dipped sponge fingers with a layer of the cream mixture.
- Top the cream with a layer of fresh raspberries and repeat the process again with another layer of each.
- Finish the tiramisu with a layer of cream, cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge to chill and set for at least 3 hours.
- Once you are ready to serve, dust with the cocoa powder and top with the rest of the raspberries.
Video
Recipe Notes
- Don’t over-whisk the ingredients otherwise, they will curdle.
- Be careful to not overcook the eggs, otherwise, the mixture will be too stiff to mix into the cream. Keep them looking runny, thickened slightly, pale and creamy.
- The sponge fingers will vary in absorbency some may need a little longer to soak up the raspberry juice than others.
- Ideally, chill the tiramisu overnight for the best results.
- Leave the decoration off of the top until you’re ready to serve it, otherwise the tiramisu may become soggy.
