Dessert

Italian Orange Cake with Blueberries

July 24, 2021 by Marisa 17 Comments

Italian Orange Cake with blueberries, is a wonderfully dense and moist cake baked in a rose shaped Bundt pan for a lovely sculpted look.

This Italian-style breakfast cake uses the juice and zest of fresh oranges with folded blueberries in the mix. It’s then brushed with an orange glaze and crowned with more sweet blueberries for a spectacular looking dessert!

You’ll find it perfect for Sunday brunches, potlucks and yet elegant enough for special occasions.

I happen to have a love affair with beautiful intricate shaped baking pans as seen in my previous recipe of this flavorful lemon-thyme cake baked in a loaf pan.

Regardless of how simple a cake recipe is, when baked in decorative pans, the end result is just so pleasing to the eye!

It needs nothing more than a light syrup or glaze. Or even at times unadorned, with a final dusting of powdered sugar to enhance the look of the cake.

In fact whenever I bake my lemon Ciambella or our family’s much sought after apple cake, that’s all it needs indeed!

However, at times it can be challenging to effortlessly release the cake from the intricately designed mould. So do ensure you have a good cake release product.

Here I used a baking spray from Wilton (not sponsored) which allowed me to release the cake effortlessly.

But know that there is a difference between cooking spray and baking spray. You’ll want a baking spray because these such sprays contain flour and adds that extra release protection we need in baking.

Another good alternative is to brush the inside of your pan with softened vegetable shortening or butter and then dust with flour. Use a kitchen brush if you have one, as this lets you get into those narrow crevices and hard to reach places.

So prep your Bundt pan and lets get baking!

Ingredients for a Bundt Cake with Blueberries

flour
sugar
eggs
vegetable oil
fresh orange juice and zest
milk
baking powder
salt
blueberries

How to Make an Italian Orange Cake

Here are a few things I prep ahead before mixing the wet ingredients!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour a 10 inch (3 litre) Bundt pan or an angel food pan and set aside.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Then set this aside.
In a measuring cup, stir together the freshly squeezed orange juice and milk. And set aside.

Now we’re ready for the wet ingredients. You can use the bowl of a stand mixer or hand held mixer.

Step 1: First beat together the oil and sugar until well combined.

Step 2: Next, beat in the eggs one at a time and stir in the orange zest.

Switch your mixer on stir mode or low speed for the next step.

Step 4: Using your stand mixer or hand held mixer, stir in the flour mixture alternately with the juice and milk mixture. Make 3 additions of flour and 2 of juice and milk mixture.

Step 5: Fold in the 2 cups of blueberries.

TIP: Toss the blueberries with a bit flour while shaking off any excess. This helps the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the bowl.

6- Use a ladle to spoon the cake batter evenly around the prepared pan. Evenly spooning the cake batter into the pan will allow better distribution of the blueberries. Then smooth out the top and give the pan a light tap on your counter to release any air pockets.

7- Bake the cake in the preheated oven at 350 degrees F (180C) for approximately 50-55 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and place the cake on a cooling rack.

Let cool for 20 minutes then loosen the edges of the cake and invert onto a serving platter.

And now you’re ready to glaze this pretty and delicious Italian orange cake. But first we have to make the glaze!

Simple Orange Glaze

Citrusy glazes are one of the easiest ways to enhance a cakes flavor. They’re quick, easy and ready in mere minutes!

Just follow the simple steps below.

Orange Glaze: Combine 1/3 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup of orange juice in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and boil a minute or so while stirring often.

You can also just as easily use the microwave on high for about 90 seconds. Keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t boil over. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and allow the glaze to cool a little.

Finally, brush the top and sides of the cake with the orange glaze.

TIP: Use a pastry brush to get into the crevices of the rose shaped bundt cake.

When you’re ready to serve the cake, fill the centre with the remaining 2 cups of blueberries and top with a light dusting of powdered sugar.

You’ll find it easy to make, eye catching gorgeous and so delicious!

And if blueberries are not your jam then you might just enjoy a Pear and Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake. It’s exquisitely moist, made with a pear and rosemary compote.

Happy Baking!

This post was originally published on June 25, 2015 and republished July 24, 2021 with new photos and content.

Print Recipe

No ratings yet

Italian Orange Cake with Blueberries

An Italian orange cake recipe with blueberries. This Italian-style breakfast and rose shaped cake is incredibly moist and delicious. It makes a spectacular looking dessert for just about any occasion.

Prep Time25 mins

Cook Time55 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Italian Orange Cake with Blueberries

Servings:

Calories: 385kcal

Equipment

Bundt Pan

Ingredients

For the Cake Batter

2½ cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt I used fine sea salt
1/2 cup orange juice freshly squeezed
1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1½ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 cups blueberries

Orange Glaze

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup orange juice freshly squeezed

Garnish

2 cups blueberries
Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

For The Cake

Grease and flour a 10 inch (3 litre) Bundt pan or an angel food pan and set aside
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and the salt. Set aside.
Stir together the milk and orange juice. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the oil and sugar until well combined.
Beat in the eggs one at a time till fully combined.
Stir in the orange zest.
With the mixer on stir mode, stir in the flour mixture alternately with the milk and juice mixture, making 3 additions of flour and 2 of liquids.
Toss 2 cups of blueberries with some flour while shaking off any excess. (this helps the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the pan.)
Fold in the floured blueberries into the cake batter.
Use a ladle to pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan in an even circular fashion. This will allow the blueberries to be evenly distributed.
Smooth out the top and give the pan a light tap on your counter to release any air pockets.
Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 50 to 55 minutes.
Test for doneness with a wooden skewer. If it comes out clean then it's ready.
When ready, remove the cake from the oven and place it on a cooling rack for 20 minutes.

Orange Glaze

Meanwhile, make the glaze by combining 1/3 cup of sugar with 1/3 cup of orange juice.
Heat in the microwave for about 1 ½ minutes while taking care it does not boil over and stir at 15 seconds intervals.
Loosen the cake around the edges of the pan and invert onto a serving platter.
Brush the cake with the orange glaze and allow to cool completely.
Once cooled, fill the centre of the orange cake with the remaining 2 cups of blueberries and dust with powdered sugar.
Slice, serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Lemon and Thyme Cake with Lemon Glaze

July 6, 2021 by Marisa 10 Comments

A deliciously moist lemon loaf cake with a lovely hint of thyme. This easy to make lemon cake is made with olive oil which imparts an exquisite depth of flavour to baked goods. And along with the yogurt, it renders the cake with a wonderfully light and moist crumb.

Dress it up with a luscious lemon glaze for an extra tangy bite and watch every slice disappear in a flash!

Lemon glazed desserts are by far my favourite kind of sweet treats. So much so that you’ll find quite a few more of these lemonlicious goodies, in one form or another, here on the blog.

From soft cake-like Lemon Ricotta Cookies topped with a lemon glaze to the ever popular Italian knot cookies we call Tarallucci al Limone.

Other zesty Italian cookies that take a deep dive into lemon glacées are Ciambelle Cookies and yes, even biscotti!

Glazes have a way of elevating simple sweets to flavoursome, toothsome desserts!

And all you need for a lemon glaze are two ingredients!

Icing sugar, otherwise known as powdered sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice. So simple!

And here today, this lemon concoction dazzles when adorned over a simple loaf cake!

Main Ingredients for a Lemon Thyme Cake

Sugar: I used granulated sugar and processed the sugar and thyme together in a food processor. This infuses the sugar with the thyme scent.
Thyme: A little goes a long way and enhances this loaf cake with its peppery-sweet taste.
Flour: The flour along with the baking powder and salt is sifted directly over the wet ingredients to break up any lumps while making mixing that much easier.
Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature and make sure to whisk them for 2 minutes alongside the thyme-sugar and olive oil to aerate the eggs.
Olive Oil: Gives a wonderful flavour to baked goods and reduces saturated fat.
Yogurt: It’s creamy texture helps to keep baked goods fresh and light.
Lemon zest and juice: Adds a bright and sweet taste to baked goods. It’s a bite of sunshine in every morsel.
Baking powder: Helps baked goods to rise and will lighten its texture.
Salt: Enhances the flavors of all ingredients used.

How To Make A Lemon Thyme Cake with Yogurt and Olive Oil

Step 1: In a bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, whisk together the sugar-thyme mixture, eggs, olive oil and lemon zest. For about 2 minutes.

Step 2: Whisk in the lemon juice and the yogurt till well combined.

Alternately, you can use a hand held mixer.

Step 3: Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix till combined.

Step 4: Pour the cake batter into your prepared loaf pan.

Gently tap the loaf pan on the counter to release any air bubbles.

Step 5: Bake the lemon cake in a preheated oven for approximately 50 to 55 minutes.

Test for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer in the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean then it’s ready.

Step 6: Allow the lemon and thyme cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert onto a cooling rack.

And now we’re ready to glaze this simple lemon and olive oil cake.

Glaze Tips:

If you want to have that brilliantly white snow capped look adorning your lemon loaf cake, you’ll need to allow it to cool completely after it’s released from the pan.

Glazing a still warm cake will give the glaze a translucent runny appearance. Which is ok if that’s the appearance you’re looking for.

Finally, let the glaze set and dry out before slicing into the sweet loaf. This should take a couple of hours.

Waiting a couple of hours not only allows the cake to soak up some of the glaze but it’ll also be easier to slice into. A wet glaze is a messy glaze!

The final step, and this is optional. I poke about a dozen or so holes over the cake with long wooden skewers. And then I drizzle the lemon glaze over the cake.

This allows some of the glaze to seep into the loaf and absorb some of the glacé. You’ll end up with an extra moist crumb in every bite.

But do allow it to set for a couple of hours as this firms up the glacé and makes slicing so much easier!

This lemon loaf stays fresh for quite a few days which is great if planning ahead.

Keep it stored at room temperature in a seal proof container. Or slice, wrap and freeze in individual portions for a quick grab-and-go treat.

Happy Baking!

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Lemon and Thyme Cake

A deliciously moist lemon loaf cake with a hint of thyme. This easy lemon cake recipe is made without butter and topped with a luscious lemon glaze for an extra tangy bite.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time55 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Lemon Thyme Cake

Servings:

Calories: 262kcal

Ingredients

Lemon Thyme Cake

1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon thyme
2 large eggs
lemon zest from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup yoghurt
1½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Lemon Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice approximately

Instructions

Lemon Thyme Cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Grease and flour a loaf pan or use your favourite non-stick baking spray.
Place the sugar and thyme leaves in a food processor and pulse for a few seconds to combine. This infuses the sugar with the thyme scent.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, whisk together the sugar-thyme mixture, eggs, olive oil and lemon zest. (For about 2 minutes)
Add in the lemon juice, yoghurt and whisk till combined.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt directly into the mixing bowl.
Stir together, either with a wooden spoon or the "stir mode" of your stand mixer.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Give the pan a little tap on the kitchen counter to remove any air bubbles.
Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 50 to 55 minutes. Or until a wooden skewer inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool slightly in the loaf pan for about 10 minutes.
Then, invert the cake directly onto a cooling rack positioned over a tray. (the tray will catch any drippings from the glaze)
Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the lemon glaze.

Lemon Glaze

Prepare the lemon glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a medium sized bowl.
With a long wooden skewer, poke holes on top of the loaf cake. About a dozen or so, as this will allow the cake to soak up some of the glaze.
Slowly drizzle the lemon glaze over the cake.
Allow the glaze to set and then garnish the top of the loaf cake with thyme leaves and small lemon wedges.
Slice, serve and enjoy alongside fresh berries if desired.

Nutrition

Almond Biscotti with Pineapple and Coconut

June 18, 2021 by Marisa 47 Comments

An incredibly easy recipe for Almond Biscotti with Pineapple and Coconut.

These popular twice baked cookies are topped with a drizzle of melted white chocolate and a generous sprinkle of sweetened shredded coconut. Just because we all need a little indulgence once in a while!

This almond cookie recipe was inspired by a tropical themed party my daughter held years back when celebrating a milestone birthday.

She had opted out of a traditional birthday cake and instead requested mini vanilla cupcakes with a buttercream frosting and chocolate cream cheese cake pops, dipped in yellow candy melts.

I had also made dozens of the these light and crumbly biscotti, studded with sweetened flaked coconut, diced crystallized pineapple and chopped roasted almonds. Truly wonderful flavors of the tropics in every bite!

This recipe was posted way back in January of 2016 and just recently, I decided to refresh and update the photos and add new content.

They’re wonderfully easy to make and no stand mixer is required.

Just two bowls! One for stirring the dry ingredients and the other for whisking the wet ingredients.

You’ll be working with a firm cookie dough but still sticky so do flour your hands and work surface.

Also make sure your cookie sheet is ready and nearby to quickly transfer the rolled logs effortlessly. And don’t worry if it’s a less then perfect log because it will spread anyhow during the first baking.

Let’s get started!

How to Make Almond Biscotti with Pineapple and Coconut

Step 1: Place the flour, baking powder, salt, chopped almonds, shredded coconut and pineapple pieces in a large bowl. Stir to combine.

You can use a very sturdy whisk but a wooden spoon works better.

Step 2: Place the sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla and almond extracts in a separate large bowl. Whisk till combined.

Step 3: Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until thoroughly combined.

Step 4: Transfer the dough onto a work surface and divide the dough into 2 equal portions.

Have ready nearby a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Step 5: Roll and shape the dough into 12 inch logs on a lightly floured work surface. Carefully transfer the logs on the prepared baking sheet.

Step 6: Brush the top and sides of the logs with the beaten egg white and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

When ready, after the first bake, the cookie logs should feel firm to the touch.

Allow the logs to cool for 15 minutes before slicing and baking a second time.

Step 7: Slice the logs into 1/2 inch pieces and return the sliced biscotti to the baking sheet, standing upright for even baking. (Check below on how to slice biscotti)

Return to the oven and bake an additional 15 minutes.

These twice baked cookies are wonderful all on their own. But for a little extra indulgence, I like to drizzle the tops with melted white chocolate and a generous sprinkle of sweetened flaked coconut.

They have all the makings of a delicious and over the top cookie with the flavours of the tropics!

How To Slice Biscotti

I am often asked how to get ends that don’t break off while slicing. Here are my tips and tricks!

Allow the cookie logs to cool 15 minutes before slicing. They’re much more pliable to a sharp knife while still warm.
Point the tip of the sharp knife down and slice in one fluid motion. This always works best for me. And because these tropical biscotti are not the rock hard variety I don’t use a serrated knife.
Also, because the pineapple pieces stick to the knife, I wipe the knife with a damp cloth between each slice. This way you’re assured clean and even neat slices.

How Long Do Biscotti Keep?

Although they will keep well in an airtight container for up to two weeks they will disappear oh so quickly!

Happy Baking!

Print Recipe

No ratings yet

Tropical Biscotti

A crisp and light biscotti with the sweet flavors of the tropics.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Restine time15 mins

Course: Biscotti

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Almond Biscotti with Pineapple and Coconut

Servings: pieces

Calories: 159kcal

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
2/3 cup chopped crystallized pineapple
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 beaten egg white For brushing logs before baking

Topping

1/2 cup pure white chocolate chips melted
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325*
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt with the chopped almonds, coconut and pineapple pieces.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, granulated sugar, eggs and both extracts.
Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until thoroughly combined.
Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide equally in half.
With lightly floured hands and work surface, roll each half into a log about 12 inches long .
Transfer the logs to the prepared cookie sheet and brush the top and sides with the beaten egg white.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the logs are golden brown and firm to the touch.
Let the logs cool for 15 minutes.
Transfer the logs one at a time onto a cutting board and slice diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces.
Return the sliced biscotti to the baking tray, laying them upright.
Place the tray back into the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Let the biscotti cool completely before topping with the melted chocolate and coconut.

Melting Chocolate For Topping

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl while stirring at 15 second intervals so that it doesn't scorch.
Either brush or drizzle the melted chocolate over top of biscotti and sprinkle with shredded coconut.
For easier drizzling, you can thin out the chocolate with a neutral tasting vegetable oil. About a teaspoon at a time til you achieve a consistency you like.

Nutrition

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

May 14, 2021 by Marisa 28 Comments

Soft and cake-like Lemon Ricotta Cookies made with a quick lemon infused sugar. These fragrantly bright Italian cookies are dipped in a lemon glaze for a delightful all around citrus scent.

They’re incredibly easy to make and you can top them with sprinkles of your choice to suit just about any holiday or other special occasion.

These cookies made with ricotta are extremely popular in Italian households. Especially around the holidays with each family having their own unique way of decorating these lemon flavoured cookies.

They’re inspired by Canadian Living Magazine’s Ricotta Cookies from a holiday issue. I’ve made a few switch ups which will definitely appeal to all lemon lovers.

To achieve an all around citrus taste in the cookie dough, I added lemon zest and made a quick lemon sugar by pulsing together the lemon zest with the granulated sugar in my mini food processor. It’s the same technique I use when baking batches of Ciambelle Cookies as well!

Alternately, if you don’t have a food processor you can skip this step. And simply beat together the butter and sugar with the lemon zest.

I also omitted the baking soda altogether and increased the baking powder from 1/4 teaspoon to a full teaspoon. This yielded a plumper cookie which did not spread out much and does not flatten out. They resembled these perfect little round soft and fluffy pillows.

Also for uniformly round cookies I used a 1 1/2 inch round cookie scoop but you can just as easily measure the dough out with a rounded tablespoon.

I opted out of the cream cheese icing and decided to make a luscious lemon glaze.

They’re extremely soft to the bite, much more so than my Tarallucci al Limone. And they also have a very cake-like texture full of lemon flavour which are sure to appeal to all you die hard cookie fans!

How To Make Lemon Ricotta Cookies

1. Pulse together the lemon zest and sugar together in a food processor for about 1 minute. This technique infuses the sugar granules with the citrus scent.

2. Place the lemon sugar and the softened butter in a large mixing bowl.

3. With an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy.

4. Add in the egg, ricotta cheese and vanilla extract

4. Beat together until well combined.

5. Add in the sifted dry ingredients consisting of flour, salt and baking powder. And stir the dry ingredients into the ricotta mixture.

6. Scoop out approximately 1 tablespoon of cookie dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet while spacing the cookies 2 inches apart. (use a 1.5 inch small scoop or a tablespoon)

7. Bake in a preheated oven for about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven when pale yellow in colour with golden bottoms. Then simply transfer the cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before glazing.

Lemon Glaze For Cookies

This is a simple dairy free lemon glaze consisting of powdered sugar, also known as icing or confectioner’s sugar. And with both the juice and zest of a lemon.

You may need an extra lemon for juicing if your first one does not give out enough juice.

Simply add the powdered sugar, juice and zest in a medium bowl. Use a whisk to thoroughly combine the ingredients until smooth in appearance with no lumps.

You can customize the thickness of the lemon icing or glaze to your taste. Adding less lemon juice to the icing sugar will result in a thicker glaze. Or, if you prefer a thinner glaze try adding a little more lemon juice.

Do keep in mind though that these cookies absorb quite a bit of the icing, especially a day after. So if you want that white glazed appearance make sure the icing is not overly thin.

Can You Freeze Lemon Ricotta Cookies?

I had full intentions to test out whether these ricotta cookies would freeze well because I’m all for baking ahead during the holidays.

However, they lasted 1 full day in my freezer because greedy hands quickly devoured the cookies! They’re that delicious!

Here is what I recommend!

If baking and freezing ahead do freeze the cookies without the lemon glaze.
Thaw and then glaze the cookies the same day you plan to serve them for best appearance.

How to store Italian Ricotta Cookies

Store the cookies in an air tight container and keep in a cool dark place.
They’ll be at their freshest for about 5 days
Or freeze unglazed cookies and then defrost and glaze them on the day you plan to serve them.

Bake them today and tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

This recipe was originally posted Nov 13, 2017 and republished May 14, 2021 with updated content and photos.

Print Recipe

4 from 4 votes

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

These classic Italian Ricotta Cookies are extremely soft and cake-like in texture. They're dipped in a lemon glaze and topped with golden non-pareils.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time14 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Servings:

Calories: 115kcal

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

For The Cookie Dough

1 cup granulated sugar
zest from 1 lemon
1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
1 large egg
8 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt I used fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
sprinkles or nonpareils for decorating

For The Lemon Glaze

2 1/2 cups icing sugar
zest from 1 lemon
4 to 5 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 3 cookies sheets with parchment paper as this will make for easy release of the cookies and set aside.
Pulse the granulated sugar with the lemon zest in a food processor for about 1 minute so as to infuse the sugar with the lemon scent.
Place the lemon sugar and the softened butter in a large bowl and beat until fluffy.
Beat in the egg, ricotta cheese and the vanilla until well combined.
In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and stir this into the ricotta mixture.
Using a small cookie scoop of about 1 1/2 inch in size, scoop out the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart so that they have room to expand. Or simply measure out a heaping tablespoon if you don't have a cookie scoop.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 to 14 minutes or until the bottoms are golden in color.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and in the meantime prepare the lemon glaze.
FOR THE LEMON GLAZE
Place the icing sugar and lemon zest in a medium sized bowl and whisk in the lemon juice 1 tablespoon at a time, until a desired consistency is achieved.
Dunk the top of the ricotta cookies into the lemon glaze and place on a wire rack with a tray underneath to catch any drippings.
Sprinkle with nonpareils of your choice and then allow the lemon glaze to set before serving.

Nutrition

Tiramisu Recipe

April 28, 2021 by Marisa 2 Comments

A classic and easy Tiramisu Recipe that is simple, elegant and packed full of yummy goodness.

Just follow the step-by-step instructions to bring Italy’s famous and beloved dessert to your own kitchen table. And do plan ahead as the flavours deliciously infuse and taste better and better, day after day!

What Is Tiramisu

Tiramisu, which easily translates to “pick me up” is a popular Italian coffee-infused dessert. And aptly named too because of its caffeine kick.

It’s made with espresso-soaked ladyfingers and layered with sweetened whipped cream and mascarpone filling.

These luscious cream filled layers are then dusted with cocoa powder and topped with grated bittersweet chocolate.

It was originally prepared in round shaped cake pans. Only later has this ever-popular Italian dessert been made in rectangular or square, shallow cake molds because these accommodate the elongated shape of the Savoiardi cookies much better.

Today, it has evolved into some pretty unique ways of presenting this luscious no-bake dessert as one is not confined to cake molds alone.

Sparkling fluted champagne or parfait glasses make elegant individual servings as do shorter glasses or small glass bowls. And these see-through glass serving wares showcase the layers of the spongy coffee-soaked ladyfingers with creamy cheese filling.

Tiramisu Ingredients

Coffee – Strong freshly brewed coffee is best. And cooled.
Savoriardi Cookies – Otherwise known as ladyfingers. They’re elongated, dry and crunchy cookies perfect for dunking in coffee.
35% Cream – For whipping up and creating luscious layers.
Mascarpone – An Italian soft creamy cheese and a must have when making Tiramisu.
Sugar – To sweeten the whipped cream and for pasteurizing the eggs.
Egg yolks – The base of an Italian custard.
Coffee Liqueur – Or, substitute with brandy and even Rum.
Vanilla Extract – Adds a lovely warm scent to the egg custard.
Cocoa Powder – An essential ingredient which adds a deep chocolate flavour.
Bittersweet Chocolate – A delicious addition and kicks up the flavours of this coffee-infused dessert.
Chocolate Curls – For garnishing. And also adds a yummy crunch, in contrast to the creamy layers.

How To Make Tiramisu

First, brew some fresh coffee and stir in your favourite coffee liqueur. Set this aside to cool while preparing the creamy mascarpone mixture.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in the upper part of a double boiler or a heat proof bowl.
Add in the vanilla extract and whisk till well incorporated.

Fill the bottom part of the double boiler with about 2 inches of water and bring to a slow simmer. (not shown in photo)
Place the upper part of the double boiler, (your bowl with the whisked egg yolk mixture) over the simmering water while making sure it doesn’t touch the water. Continuously whisk for 5 minutes. The egg mixture will be thick and creamy and fall off in ribbons when lifting the whisk.
Remove the top of the double boiler from the heat and continue whisking off the heat till cooled slightly. For about a minute.
Stir the mascarpone cheese into the egg mixture and set aside while you whip the cream.

In a large mixing bowl, whip the cream and sugar together. Start on low speed and gradually increase to medium high and beat till stiff peaks form.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture with a rubber spatula till combined.

Putting The Tiramisu Layers Together

Quickly dip the ladyfingers on each side into the cooled coffee mixture. Take care not to over saturate the cookies.
Line the ladyfingers side by side in a serving dish. My shallow dish is a 8.25 x 8.25 in size but a 9 inch square serving bowl will also do.
Cut the ladyfinger cookies as needed before dipping them in coffee. Otherwise you’ll have one soggy mess.
Cover the ladyfingers with half of the mascarpone filling. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth out the filling.

Generously dust the top of the mascarpone with cocoa powder. (I used a dutch processed cocoa powder)
Sprinkle bittersweet chocolate evenly over the cocoa powder.

Repeat with the remaining ingredients in the same order.
Top the Tiramisu with dark chocolate curls. (optional)
Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours to 24 hours before serving.

What Liquor Is In A Tiramisu Recipe?

My favourite coffee liquors for this layered dessert are Tia Maria or Kuhluá, but any coffee flavoured liquor will greatly enhance that caffeine kick.

Other liquors are frequently substituted as well depending on ones personal taste. Such as Marsala, brandy, rum, Disaranno or even Grand Marnier.

All will intensify the flavours of a classic Tiramisu recipe.

Can You Freeze Tiramisu?

This Tiramisu recipe is a perfect make ahead dessert and keeps well in the fridge for two or three days before serving. But it also freezes well if you’re not planning on serving it right away.

Simply wrap it well and remove from the freezer the night before serving.

Other No-Bake Desserts You’ll Enjoy

Ricotta Mousse With Strawberries Romanoff: Another easy-to-make dessert with a ricotta, mascarpone mousse topped with boozy strawberries.

Cherry Granola Greek Yogurt Parfait: Delightfully simple to make and a perfect breakfast alternative with homemade granola.

Print Recipe

No ratings yet

Tiramisu Recipe

A classic Tiramisu Recipe that's so simple to make. This popular Italian coffee flavoured dessert is made with ladyfingers, a creamy mascarpone filling and topped with chocolate curls.

Prep Time45 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Tiramisu Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 706kcal

Equipment

8.25 or 9 inch square deep dish pan

Ingredients

For The Coffee Mixture

1 cup espresso coffee freshly brewed
5 tablespoons coffee liquor I used Tia Maria

For the Custard

4 egg yolks from large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Mascarpone Cream Filling

475 grams Mascarpone cheese
1 ¼ cups 35% cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Assembling The Tiramisu

24 ladyfinger cookies
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 ounces grated bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup dark chocolate curls for topping optional

Instructions

Coffee Mixture

Pour freshly brewed coffee and liquor in a medium size shallow bowl. (The bowl should be big enough to dip the ladyfingers into)
Stir and set aside.

Custard Mixture

Pour 2 inches of water in the bottom part of a double boiler and bring the water to a low simmer.
In the top of a double boiler and off the heat, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla extract.
Once the water has come to a slow simmer, place the top of the double boiler (which holds your egg mixture) over the simmering water.
Whisk continuously for 5 minutes. At this point the custard will thicken and fall off in ribbons when lifted with the whisk.
Remove from the heat and continue whisking for about 1 minutes till the mixture cools slightly.
Stir the mascarpone into the slightly cooled egg mixture.
Set aside while you whip up the cream.
Place the cream and sugar in a large bowl.
Beat the cream and sugar together till stiff peaks form, starting on low speed and gradually increasing the speed to medium high.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until well combined and set aside.

Assembling The Tiramisu

One at time, dip a lady finger into the cooled coffee mixture (1 second on each side) and place into your shallow dish, lining them up side by side.
You may need to cut some ladyfingers to fit your dish as I did.
Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers while covering up to the edge of the bowl.
Sift a generous tablespoon of cocoa powder over the mascarpone mixture.
Sprinkle half the grated chocolate over the cocoa powder.
Repeat with a 2nd layer of ladyfingers, mascarpone mixture, cocoa and grated chocolate.
Top the Tiramisu with chocolate curls.
Cover with cling wrap and chill for a minimum of 4 hours and up to 24 hours before serving.
The longer it sets in the fridge the firmer the Tiramisu will be when serving and the more infused the flavours become.
Slice into individual portions and serve.

Notes

Double Boiler Substitution

A double boiler is also known as a "bain marie" which is the french term for a double boiler. But if you don't have one, no worries.

You can simply use a heat proof mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water. That's what I do.

The heat proof bowl can be a glass or steel bowl.

Just make sure that the pot resting over the simmering water does not touch the water. There should be enough space between the two.

What we're looking for in this technique is a gentle indirect heat so that the egg mixture does not curdle or scorch.

Nutrition