This eggless strawberry tiramisu is all kinds of luscious! Sweet, macerated strawberries combine with a creamy filling and are all layered up with sponge finger biscuits (or ladyfingers). It’s a tiramisu with a fruity twist.
Why we love it!
- Sweet, strawberries and cream flavour.
- So incredibly easy to make.
- No bake.
- No eggs, no caffeine and alcohol-free options.
- Just 8 ingredients.
I have a bit of a thing for tiramisu, especially this egg-free version. It’s super creamy and rich but the fruit, while it adds sweetness, adds an irresistible tang to make this so morish. I’ve adapted my base recipe into a raspberry tiramisu, lemon tiramisu and a more classic coffee flavoured version.
You’re going to love the ease and amazing taste of this gorgeous dessert.
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Ingredients you’ll need
With just 8 ingredients this recipe for strawberry tiramisu is so easy to create.
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
- Strawberries: You’ll need fresh strawberries here – frozen strawberries will look terrible.
- Sugar: I use caster sugar (super fine sugar) in this tiramisu. It’s just granulated sugar that has been ground a little finer (but it’s not powdered). It just dissolves a little easier into the cream mixture. You can grind regular granulated sugar in a food processor to make it finer if you can’t find this.
- Lemon juice: A little lemon juice adds a lovely tang to the strawberries and the whole dessert.
- Cream: You’ll want thickened cream or heavy cream – it’s name will vary depending on where you live.
- Mascarpone cheese: Mascarpone cheese is an Italian cream cheese though it doesn’t taste “cheesy” at all. It tastes more like a rich cream.
- Vanilla extract: Please use pure vanilla extract and not essence – the latter is a synthetic flavouring.
- Savoiardi/ladyfinger biscuits: Savoiardi, also known as ladyfingers or sponge fingers are dry Italian biscuits traditionally used for making tiramisu. Try to get the larger ones (roughly 1 inch x 4.5inch) though the smaller version will work too. If you can’t find these in the store, you can try making them yourself. Marcellina in Cucina has the most beautiful homemade savoiardi biscuits recipe.
- Frangelico: Marsala wine is traditionally used in tiramisu but I love the flavour of Frangelico liqueur. You can use others too like frambois, limoncello, brandy or Amaretto. You can also make it child-friendly by swapping the alcohol for some strawberry or lemon cordial or dissolve some sugar in lemon juice and use that. You could also use milk, sweetened with a little sugar too to soak the biscuits.
- Freeze dried strawberry powder: A classic tiramisu is dusted with cocoa powder but I thought it fitting to dust this one with freeze dried strawberry powder in it’s place. It’s optional though and you can leave it out.
The “eggless” in the description of this recipe refers to the cream filling having no raw eggs or egg yolks as a traditional tiramisu would. There will likely be eggs in the ladyfingers.
How to make strawberry tiramisu (step-by-step)
Strawberry tiramisu is a simple no-bake dessert. It’s perfect for serving up at summer parties. The layers all come together very easily then you just need to be patient while it sets.
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
- The strawberries: Chop the strawberries quite small (actually smaller than shown in these photos is even better as it makes the final dessert much easier to cut through). Mix them in a bowl with lemon juice and sugar and let it sit for a while.
- The creamy mascarpone cheese filling: Start by whipping the cream with a hand mixer and set that aside. Now beat the mascarpone, sugar and vanilla together just until combined. Fold the cream in, ⅓ at a time. Now you’re ready to layer it up.
- The lady finger cookies: Pour the Frangelico (or whatever soaking liquid you’re using) into a wide bowl. Dip the lady fingers in one by one, then place them straight into the base of a 9 inch square baking pan. Line them up nice and tight.
- Layer up your strawberry tiramisu: Spread half the cream mixture onto your first layer of biscuits. Now scatter over most of the macerated strawberries leaving the syrup behind. Repeat the biscuit and cream layers again. Save adding the remaining strawberries until serving time.
Don’t throw the strawberry syrup away: The syrup from the macerating the strawberries turns into a strawberry sauce and it’s drinkably delicious! Keep the syrup to drizzle over your slices when you serve.
Tips and tricks
- Cold cream and mascarpone: Cream won’t whip properly if it’s not cold so make sure to use it straight from the fridge. Mascarpone can sometimes curdle at room temperature so keep that cold too.
- Don’t beat the mascarpone: You don’t need to beat the mascarpone for too long – it will begin to get grainy and may even curdle.
- Cut the strawberries finely: The tiramisu is easier to slice if the strawberries are chopped quite small – maybe 5mm (⅕ inch) or just slightly larger.
- Don’t oversoak the ladyfingers: The ladyfinger biscuits will soften in the cream mixture so you don’t need to soak them thoroughly. Just quickly drop them into the liquid and turn them then take them straight out again.
FAQs
Tiramisu should not be wet or soggy, just soft and creamy.
You may have soaked your biscuits too long in the liqueur (or other liquid). The biscuits just need to dropped in, flipped and then transferred to the pan. Also make sure you don’t add the strawberry macerating liquid until serving time.
You technically can freeze this strawberry tiramisu however, as cream can sometimes change texture once it’s been frozen it may be best to eat it as a frozen dessert after that. It’ll be a bit like strawberry shortcake ice cream.
It’s best to set the tiramisu for at least 6 hours. Overnight, while not necessary, is best as it gives the ladyfinger biscuits time to soften and makes the tiramisu more easy to slice.
Yes and no. Tiramisu is most definitely Italian, however, strawberry tiramisu is just my fruity summer take on that classic dessert.
Yield and storage
This no egg strawberry tiramisu can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container or covered well with plastic wrap for up to 3 days though it’s best the day after making. The macerated strawberries can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in a jar with a tight fitting lid in the refrigerator.
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Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 500 g fresh strawberries, chopped small (1.1lb) (notes 5)
- 1 ½ tablespoons caster sugar (superfine sugar) (notes 1)
- 300 ml thickened cream (heavy / whipping cream), cold (1 ¼ cups)
- ⅓ cup caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 500 g mascarpone, cold
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 28 Savoiardi/ladyfinger biscuits (notes 2-4)
- ½ cup Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) (notes 5&6)
- 1 tablespoon freeze dried strawberry powder, optional
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
- electric mixer
- 9 inch square baking pan or baking dish
Instructions
- Dice up the strawberries and place into a bowl. Add the 1 ½ tablespoons sugar and squeeze in a teaspoon of lemon juice mix well. Set aside to macerate for at least 1 hour, giving them a stir every now and then.
- In a medium bowl, beat the cold cream with an electric beater to soft peak stage.
- In a separate bowl, beat the mascarpone, ⅓ cup of sugar and vanilla, until just combined (don’t overbeat).
- Fold ⅓ of the whipped cream into the mascarpone gently so as not to knock out the air and repeat two more timesuntil all incorporated.
- Quickly dip each biscuit into the liqueur (don’t soak) and lay them side by side in a 9 inch square tin – roughly 14 in the first layer – press down lightly to make them all level and trim some if you need to.
- Top the cookies with half the mascarpone cream mixture, spreading it over evenly with an offset spatula.
- Scatter over ⅔ of the macerated strawberries.
- Repeat the biscuit layer, then pipe or spread the remaining mascarpone mixture over the top of the curd.
- Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight before serving.
- Right before serving, dust the freeze dried strawberry powder over the top then add the remaining macerated strawberries. Serve the strawberry syrup on the side.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Check yours before measuring.
- Lady fingers/ Savoiardi: The number of Savoiardi’s you’ll need will depend on their size. I use ones that are just over an inch wide and I fit two layers of 14 into a 9 inch tin.
- Lady fingers/ Savoiardi: Savoiardis are an sweet, dry Italian biscuit about 1 inch wide by 4 long with a crusty sugar coating on one side. You’ll find them often in the biscuit / cookie aisle on the top shelf or in the international section.
- If you can’t find Savoiardi, use a sponge cake, cut into fingers and dried, uncovered overnight on a wire rack.
- Brandy, Limoncello (lemon liqueur), Marsala all work well in place of the Frangelico.
- For a non-alcoholic version, use milk with a touch of sugar or strawberry cordial.
- Eggless: The “eggless” in the description of this recipe refers to the cream filling have no raw eggs or egg yolks as a traditional tiramisu with. There will likely be eggs in the ladyfingers.
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