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Tiramisu in a glass dessert cup sitting on a plate.
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5 from 1 vote

Easy Tiramisu (Individual Cups)

A light, creamy tiramisu in individual cups made with mascarpone, whipped cream, coffee and ladyfingers. Simple to make, elegant to serve.
Prep Time20 minutes
Chilling2 hours
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Servings (change as needed): 6 -8
Author: Cheryl Avrich

Ingredients

  • 1 cup mascarpone cheese, chilled, Note 1 (8 ounces)
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar, or more for more sweetness (also called icing sugar, confectioner's sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream (30-35%)
  • 8 -10 ladyfinger biscuits, Note 2 (called Savoiardi biscuits)
  • 1 cup strong brewed coffee or espresso coffee, (shortcut: use store-bought or instant coffee; decaf is fine)
  • Optional: add 1 Tbsp or more kalua (coffee liqueur), Marsala wine, dark rum, or Amaretto.

Garnish

  • unsweetened cocoa powder (~ 1-2 teaspoons)
  • optional: crushed toasted nuts, chocolate curls, grated chocolate, sprinkle of cinnamon

Instructions

  • MAKE MASCARPONE MIXTURE: In a medium-large bowl (you will be folding in whipped cream later), stir mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and combined. Taste and add more sugar if needed.
  • WHIP CREAM: In a separate bowl. using an electric mixer, whip cream until soft peaks form. The peaks should hold up when lifted, but not be too stiff. Don't overwhip or tiramisu will be dense.
  • FOLD: Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture just until combined. Don't overmix.
  • ASSEMBLE CUPS: You will be doing two layers in the cups. Break ladyfingers into pieces to fit the cups you are using. One at a time, dip a ladyfinger piece into cooled coffee (add 1 tbsp kalua if you like) for just 2-3 seconds - enough to moisten and absorb coffee but stay slightly firm. Place at the bottom of the cup. Repeat for all cups. Spoon a layer of the mascarpone-cream mixture on top of coffee-soaked ladyfingers in each cup. Then repeat with another layer of moistened ladyfingers and cream mixture, ending with cream.
  • COVER AND CHILL: Cover each cup with plastic wrap and place in fridge. Chill for minimum 2 hours or overnight.
  • GARNISH AND SERVE: Remove plastic wrap. Place 1-2 teaspoons of cocoa powder in a mini mesh sieve. Tap lightly over each cup to cover with chocolate completely for a classic finish. Note 3 for other garnishes and variations. Serve individual tiramisu cups immediately.

Notes

  1. Mascarpone substitute: Mix 1 cup/8 oz full-fat cream cheese, 1/4 cup/59 ml whipping cream, and 2 tablespoons soft butter. Texture will be a little denser.
  2. Lady fingers substitute: Use stale sponge cake or pound cake cut into strips, vanilla wafers, plain shortbread, or Biscoff cookies. The flavor will be slightly altered, and be careful when soaking, as they can turn mushy
  3. Variations and garnish: 
    • Traditional tiramisu recipe version: If you want to try a more authentic egg-based method (not with raw eggs), try this classic tiramisu recipe.
    • Chocolate lovers: Add a layer of Nutella (flavor twist) or melted dark chocolate between the ladyfingers and cream for a decadent variation. (Melt chocolate in microwave with a little cream). Or top with chocolate curls.
    • Berry tiramisu: Layer in sliced strawberries, blueberries and/or raspberries for a lighter twist.
    • Holiday spin: Try Baileys instead of Kahlua or dust the top with cocoa and cinnamon.
    • Mini tiramisu cups: Use smaller 4-6 ounce cups.
    • Garnish: Top the tiramisu cups with chocolate curls, finely chopped toasted nuts, or piped whipped cream rosettes
  4. Make ahead:
    • 2-24 hours before: Cover cups with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Garnish before serving.
    • Leftovers will last about 2 days. Still delicious by day 3 or 4, but the texture will be denser. 
    • To freeze: Cover the cups well with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge for a couple of hours (not at room temperature) before serving. Then dust with cocoa powder. The texture may change slightly.
 
Nutrition values are estimates (for 1 of 6 cups) and will depend on the size of cups you are using. They will be lower if using smaller cups.
Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1190IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1mg