Guys, I may be the worst future-wife ever. I bake almost every weekend, cook nearly every night of the week, and it’s taken me almost 6 years to make my fiancé’s very favorite dessert, classic Italian tiramisu.
Well this year, I decided that day had come. I whipped this up yesterday morning to be ready for a special Valentine’s Day dessert, and it turned out so easy and delicious I couldn’t help but share it with you guys. Admittedly, I totally food blogger-ed it up with bourbon (it’s my ultimate secret weapon swoon ingredient) and mason jars, but hey, it’s still the classic coffee-soaked ladyfingers with mascarpone situation. Italian grandmas, don’t hate me!
I’m not going to lie – tiramisu is totally not one of my favorite desserts. It took me a few dates to break this to Brad, but eventually, I came clean. I’m just not a coffee-in-my-dessert person, and I typically prefer something warm, either of the decadently chocolate-y or fruit-streusel-y variety. (I’m making up all sorts of words here, but you feel me, right?) I didn’t grow up eating tiramisu, so I didn’t have that sort of old-school Italian connection to it, and it just didn’t seem that exciting to me.
But that’s the funny thing about food, right? Over time, our tastes change. I started to appreciate tiramisu both for what it is – a no frills, classic dessert – and for how happy it makes my boo. Just like how over time Brad has developed my love for sushi, hummus, and almond milk (that last one was a big victory), in return, I have learned to appreciate chicken wings, Scotch whisky, and, yes, tiramisu. While I don’t think Brad will ever get behind tofu and I can’t promise I’ll ever love oysters, part of the fun of eating and drinking together nearly every day for years is letting the other person show you what you’ve been missing! And I am certainly glad I’ve learned to appreciate these awesome boozy bourbon tiramisu parfaits.
This tiramisu is very classic, with a raw egg mascarpone custard and all. I added some bourbon to the coffee dip liquid to add that incredible sweet, boozy flavor and I’m so glad I did – it adds that extra something special for sure. These parfaits make the tiramisu cute and more photograph-friendly, but honestly, if pictures weren’t involved, I’d probably just make it in an 8×8-inch glass dish and call it a day! But if you’re feeling cute and/or making these for company, mason jars are always a good idea.
Whether you’re a lifelong tiramisu lover or not, I highly recommend whipping up this bourbon-laced version! It just might make a tiramisu lover out of you, too. 🙂
- 3 egg yolks
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup mascarpone
- 1 ¼ cups brewed coffee, cooled
- ¼ cup bourbon
- 16-20 ladyfingers (depending on the vessel you’re using)
- Whipped cream, if desired, for topping
- 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa, for topping
- In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixture until smooth and thick. Gently fold in the mascarpone and set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the coffee and the bourbon. Quickly dip each ladyfinger on both sides in the mixture and add to the mason jars. Make sure not to soak or fully immerse the cookies, as the tiramisu will become very soggy. Just a quick dip on each side is good!
- Layer the cookies with a spoonful of the mascarpone custard mixture, then keep adding on layers until all the ladyfingers and custard are gone. If you’re assembling this in a large baking dish instead of small jars, do two layers, using half of the cookies, then half of the mascarpone mixture, then repeating. Refrigerate for at least one hour, and up to one day, before serving! (The longer the better, in my opinion.)
- Right before serving, top with whipped cream, if desired, and a dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder. Enjoy!
- I divided these among three sixteen-ounce Ball jars because that is what I had on hand. Next time, I’d either divide them into two Ball jars to share or four smaller jars or containers for a more individual serving. Alternatively, as I mention above, you could also just layer this in an 8x8-inch glass baking dish. If you do this, you might be able to fit more ladyfingers – just use enough for two solid layers!
- If you love bourbon, you might want to increase the amount as the flavor is very subtle as-is. I’d recommend a ratio of one cup coffee to ½ cup bourbon.
- Finally, if you’re freaked out about raw egg yolks, feel free to buy pasteurized eggs for this recipe!
Leftover mascarpone? You MUST make these!
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