I gave myself a pat on the back when I first made this gluten free Almost Traditional Tiramisu. Why? Because I put it in a category with treats like croissants and Baklava. You almost never see a gluten free version of them to buy in a grocery store, restaurant or bakery. And they can be intimidating to make at home.
When I came across Schar’s gluten free Ladyfingers, inspiration struck. I poured over every recipe and article I could find about what makes them “authentic.” And I found a lot of different opinions on the matter! Unfortunately, I don’t have an Italian grandma who passed down a recipe to me. Therefore, I used mostly traditional ingredients and techniques that I learned through my research and figured it was most accurate to name it “Almost Traditional Tiramisu.”
The Espresso Mixture
Combine freshly brewed espresso (or a dark brew coffee in a pinch) with sugar. Stir it until it dissolves. Add in your choice of brandy, cognac, marsala or rum. There are many strong feelings about whether to add any of these flavorings or not. You definitely don’t need to add any of them. To me the liquors act like a condiment. A little vanilla extract in a cookie, salt and pepper on veggies. It adds flavor but isn’t essential.
Raw Eggs
Traditional Tiramisu is made with raw eggs. There is a risk that comes along with eating raw foods, therefore it is important to use your judgment based on your own comfort and health about whether this recipe is for you or not. I only make this recipe with the freshest eggs I can get and then use a technique to warm them up with hopes of killing some of the bacteria that could be found in eggs. There isn’t a guarantee that all harmful bacteria will be killed with this method, but it makes me feel better to give it a shot.
Simple Syrup
Most of the sweetness in this gluten free Almost Traditional Tiramisu comes from the simple syrup that is made by heating a combination of sugar and water. Once it boils, give it a stir to dissolve the sugar. Once you begin whipping the eggs, pop the syrup back in the microwave and heat it to as close to 250 degrees as you can get. Test the temp with a candy thermometer.
Egg Yolks
Separate the eggs with the yolks in a larger mixing bowl. Whip the yolks until they become pale and frothy. Slowly drizzle half of the very hot simple syrup into the yolks. Continue to whip until the syrup is incorporated and allow the bowl to cool to room temp if it has heated up from adding the simple syrup.
Whip in the mascarpone with the egg yolks until well combined. Set aside for a moment while you work on the egg whites.
Egg Whites
With clean beaters, whip the egg whites until they are frothy. Gradually drizzle the reheated simple syrup in with the egg whites while whipping until all of the syrup is incorporated. The whites should be shiny and hold a peak when complete.
Bring it Together & Assemble
Fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture. Then begin to assemble the tiramisu by quickly dipping the ladyfingers into the espresso mixture and placing them into a serving dish in a single layer. Spread one third of the creamy egg mixture on top of the soaked cookies. Then repeat until the cookies and creamy layers are used up.
Chill, Dust & Serve
Cover and chill the Almost Traditional Tiramisu in the fridge for several hours until it is set or overnight. Dust with unsweetened cocoa powder when you are ready to serve.
More Gluten Free Desserts
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Cake
- Banana Cream Pie
- Lava Cake
- Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake
- S’mores Cupcakes
- Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Frosting
- Oatmeal Browned Butter Cream Pies
Almost Traditional Tiramisu
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups espresso or dark roast coffee freshly brewed
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp marsala, cognac, brandy or rum *optional
- 4 eggs divided
- 16 oz mascarpone
- ¾ cup sugar
- 6 tbsp water
- 1 pkg Schar Ladyfingers gluten free
- 1-2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- 8 inch wide serving dish that is at least 3 inches tall for 3 layers or a 12 inch serving dish that is 2 inches deep for 2 layers. You may also use individual serving dishes if you’d like.
- Brew espresso or very strong dark coffee. Dissolve 2 tbsp sugar in the espresso while it is still hot then add in the brandy and let cool to room temp.
- Divide the egg yolks into a large mixing bowl and whites into a medium mixing bowl. If you can use a stand mixer for one and a hand mixer for the other, I have found that this helps with the process.
- Heat the sugar and water in a microwaveable bowl until it boils for about 1 minute. Remove and stir until the sugar is dissolved. If you have a candy thermometer, check to be sure that the syrup is close but not above 250 degrees. Reheat if it cools too much prior to adding to the eggs.
- The goal here is to heat the egg yolk and whites with the syrup while whipping them separately. This will help to kill some, if not all, of the potentially harmful bacteria that can sometimes be found in raw eggs. This is not a guarantee that it will be completely pasteurized. Use your own judgment as to whether you are comfortable with the risks associated with eating raw foods.
- Begin whipping the egg yolks. When they become pale yellow, slowly pour in half of the hot sugar syrup while continuing to whip at the highest speed. Continue whipping until the mixture is light and fluffy and the bowl has become cool to the touch. Add in the mascarpone cheese and whip until fully combined.
- With clean beaters, whip the egg whites in a separate bowl until they turn white and fluffy. Slowly add the remainder of the hot sugar syrup while continuing to whip at the highest speed. Continue to whip until the mixture has cooled. It will be a little shiny and will hold stiff peaks and won’t fall out of the bowl when tipped when it has reached the right stage of whipping.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the bowl with the egg yolk and mascarpone mixture until they are completely combined.
- Now begin assembling the tiramisu. Quickly dip the bottom of the ladyfingers into the cooled espresso mixture one at a time placing them in a single layer on the bottom of the serving dish.
- Gently spread a layer of the cream mixture on top of the cookies. Proceed with another layer of the espresso dipped lady fingers and top with another layer of cream until all ingredients have been used.
- Cover the dish and refrigerate until set. A minimum of 3 hours or overnight if possible. When you are ready to serve, dust with unsweetened cocoa powder. Consume within 2-3 days.