An easy Tiramisu recipe served in individual glasses. These Mini Tiramisu are a delicious way to end an Italian meal, and they are also perfect for entertaining.
Easy Tiramisu
We are lucky to have three Italian restaurants on our street, which means that if I want to take a night off cooking (it happens at least once a week!), a pizza or pasta dinner is always only a few steps away. My kids love going to the pizzeria up the road and watching the pizzas come out of the wood-fired ovens, and they definitely love the bunny-shaped pizzas which the chef likes to make for his little customers.
My favourite way of ending an Italian meal is with a classic tiramisu. My kids have seen me indulge in a portion of tiramisu so often that they now love it as just as much as I do. Whoever said that kids don’t like the taste of coffee has never met my kids!
Mini Tiramisu
When I make tiramisu the traditional way in a large dish, I find that we rarely finish it in one sitting. Which is why I think making tiramisu in individual portions to be an easier way to store and serve them.
Mini Tiramisu also happen to look very elegant served in small glasses, and which makes them great for entertaining large crowds.
Over the years, I have made many desserts in these small glasses when entertaining, so they have definitely been a great investment for us.
Classic Tiramisu
To make a Classic Tiramisu in a large dish, simply double the recipe below to use in a 20 cm/8 inch square dish.
The number of ladyfinger biscuits may vary depending on how large your dish is, and also on the size of the biscuits themselves.
Tiramisu Recipe
I have played with many tiramisu recipes over the years, and this version is one which I find to be the quickest, easiest, and tastiest.
I don’t bother with egg whites in my tiramisu recipe. Most tiramisu recipes call for whisked egg whites for a light and airy cream filling, but I prefer to add actual cream to the mascarpone mixture. The result is a smooth and velvety cream filling which cuts through the bitterness of the coffee-soaked biscuits.
Speaking of biscuits, tiramisu is traditionally made using ladyfinger biscuits, which are also called boudoir biscuits or savoiardi biscuits. Most supermarkets readily stock these biscuits, and you can even find some versions made with spelt flour.
Tips for Making Tiramisu
- Tiramisu is one of those recipes which tastes better after it has had a chance to sit for a few hours, or even overnight. So if you need a dessert which you can make in advance, a tiramisu is a great choice!
- Due to the raw egg and cream content, the tiramisu should be kept in the fridge at all times and for not more than 2 days.
- I find that most brands of ladyfinger biscuits absorb the coffee very quickly. You only need to dip the edges of the biscuits very, very quickly in the coffee, just to dampen them. If the biscuits are soaked for too long in the coffee, not only will they disintegrate, but they will also make your tiramisu soggy.
- Another method is to use a pastry brush to lightly brush the coffee onto the biscuits. This happens to be a good method if you don’t want too much coffee taste in your tiramisu.
- For a more subtle coffee taste, make a weak coffee in the recipe below.
- For children and pregnant women, you could also use decaffeinated coffee in this recipe.
More Dessert Recipes for Entertaining
If you are looking for more dessert recipes for entertaining, you might also like:
Cheesecake Pots with Plum Compote
Mini Cheesecakes with Passionfruit and Raspberries
PrintEasy Tiramisu
- Resting Time: 1 hour
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 small glasses
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Italian
An easy Tiramisu recipe served in individual glasses. These Mini Tiramisu are a delicious way to end an Italian meal, and they are also perfect for entertaining.
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RateIngredients
- 200 ml (3/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons) strong espresso (see Kitchen Notes)
- 1–2 tablespoons Frangelico, brandy or other liqueur (optional)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200 ml (3/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons) double cream or heavy cream
- 250 g (8 oz) mascarpone
- approx. 18 ladyfinger biscuits (also called boudoir biscuits or savoiardi biscuits)
- cocoa powder, for dusting
Instructions
To make the coffee
- Prepare the espresso in a small measuring jug.
- If you are using alcohol, add it to the espresso.
- Pour the coffee mixture into a small, shallow bowl.
- Let the coffee cool while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
To make the cream filling
- Whisk together the egg yolk, sugar and vanilla.
- Add the cream and mascarpone.
- Whisk until the mixture has thickened with soft peaks. Due to the mascarpone, the mixture will not be completely smooth; it may look a little lumpy.
To assemble the Tiramisu
- If you are using small glasses like those shown in the photos, you will need approx. 3 ladyfinger biscuits per glass. This will vary depending on the size of your glass and the size of the ladyfinger biscuits.
- I prefer to make one glass of tiramisu at a time.
- Break each ladyfinger biscuit into 3 pieces.
- Dip the edges of each biscuit into the coffee. You want just enough coffee to dampen the edges of the biscuit, but not soak the biscuit all the way through.
- Arrange 3 pieces of soaked biscuits on the bottom of the glass.
- Dollop a tablespoon of the cream filling on top of the soaked biscuits. You can simply use a spoon for this task, or a piping bag for cleaner edges.
- Repeat the above steps until you have 3 layers of biscuits and 3 layers of cream filling.
- Repeat for the remaining 5 glasses.
- Refrigerate the tiramisu for at least 1 hour.
- Sprinkle with cocoa powder just before serving.
Kitchen Notes
HOW TO MAKE ESPRESSO
To make espresso for this recipe, you can:
* Brew your favourite coffee how you like (weak or strong)
* Use instant espresso powder
* Use 4-5 coffee capsules (I use strong ristretto espresso capsules)
* You can also use decaffeinated coffee
WHAT TYPE OF ALCOHOL TO USE
For an extra pick-me-up, add 1-2 tablespoons of your favourite liqueur to the espresso, such as:
* brandy
* Frangelico
* Bailey’s
* Kahlua
MAKE A CLASSIC TIRAMISU
To make a classic tiramisu in 20 cm/8 inch square dish, double the above recipe. You may need more or less ladyfinger biscuits, depending on the size of your dish and the size of your biscuits.
SERVING PREGNANT WOMEN & CHILDREN
This recipe contains raw egg. Please take the appropriate cautions when serving pregnant women and children. You can omit the egg yolk from the cream filling without too much effect on the taste and texture. You can also use decaffeinated coffee.
KEEP IN THE FRIDGE
Due to the raw egg and cream content in this recipe, I recommend keeping it in the fridge for no more than 2 days.
CONVERSIONS
To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients.
Omg these were so cute and delicious! I’ve made tiramisu many times before and these tasted great. Loved that everyone could have their own glass.
★★★★★
Can you freeze tiramisu? If so for how long
Hi Kirilie,
Unfortunately, a dessert like tiramisu would not freeze very well. It’s best made fresh and eaten on the same day or latest the next day.
Beautiful recipe! So easy to make and so delicious. We all loved them.
★★★★★
This is such a great recipe for tiramisu. I never liked the idea of eating raw egg and this recipe tasted really delicious.
★★★★★
These were delightful! Loved the small portions.
★★★★★
I’ve made your tiramisu over a dozen times and I get so many compliments each time! It is always delicious and easy to make. Thank you for your amazing recipes!
★★★★★
Absolutely the best tiramisu recipe. I’ve made this many times and it always impresses. I’ve used your recipe to make a large tiramisu and also individual serves. The latter definitely look more special but the large serving tastes just as wonderful!
★★★★★