Tiramisu is possibly my new favourite dessert. It has everything I love, cream, coffee, chocolate and cheese. My husband gave me a hand making these and we couldn't stop eating all the creamy & cake-y components while we were layering the glasses. 

This recipe makes 6 cocktail glasses worth of Tirimisu or one large trifle dish. 

I would normally use a glass casserole dish for a trifle but its not exactly pretty to photograph, and everyone knows that Tiramisu is phenomenal no matter how disheveled its been served into a dish. 


For the sponge layer I suggest using this gluten free sponge cake recipe or this gluten free vanilla cupcake recipe (with a little coffee syrup added it makes lovely latte cupcakes). 
If you have found gluten free trifle sponges anywhere I'd love to hear about them.

Tiramisu 

1 Gluten Free Sponge Cake or 8 Gluten Free Sponge Cupcakes 
1/2 cup Bickfords Iced Coffee Syrup 120ml (or strong cold coffee)
30ml Kaluha (optional) 

2 Large eggs separated 
30g Icing sugar (6 Tbsp)
250g Mascarpone cheese (1 container) 
200ml Thickened cream (whipped)

50g chocolate to decorate (or cocoa if preferred) 


Slice the cake or sponge fingers to approximately 1 cm thick. Soak these in the coffee/coffee syrup and Kaluha, if using. 

Separate the eggs into two bowls. Whisk the whites until stiff peaks form, set aside.

Add the icing sugar into the yolks and whisk until thickened and pale, this takes a few minutes.  Add in the mascarpone cheese and whipped cream, combine well. Now gently fold in the egg whites.

Start by placing a layer of the coffee soaked sponge in the bottom of your glass or dish. Then dollop over a layer of the cream, continue alternating until you have used all the cream. Make the top layer a cream one. 

Top with shaved chocolate or cocoa. I use a clean vegetable peeler to create mini curls. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, more is better.  

Please note that this recipe has raw eggs in it. I would eat it within two days of making. I don't think you will struggle ours didn't make it past the photo shoot. 

I often think of Tiramisu as a fancy Italian dessert but really its just a trifle. I wonder if Italians think of it much like I do my Great Nana's Sherry Trifle. Something really homey that is thrown together at Christmas or special occasions and gobbled down by everyone with gusto. 

I was given the job of making the trifle this year for Christmas. There was only 70 years of tradition to live up to, no pressure. It was wonderful. You know those moments where no one at the table speaks and everyone is eating wide eyed. I very much kicked my Dad off his podium as the top trifle making champion and it has been declared forever my Christmas duty. That's fine by me because it's much easier than roasting a turkey. 

If I could, I would suggest making this Tiramisu next year for Christmas, but my family would disown me and my Nan would quite probably turn in her grave.