Strawberry Tiramisu Recipe

Prep and macerate

Reserve 1/2 cup of the quartered strawberries for garnish. Place the remaining strawberries (about 1.5 cups) in a bowl with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and the lemon juice. Stir gently, cover, and let macerate at room temperature for 20–30 minutes to draw out juices.

Make purée

After macerating, transfer the macerated strawberries and any released juices to a blender or food processor. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Purée until smooth. If desired for a very smooth texture, press the purée through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds. Set aside about 1/3 cup of the purée for dipping the ladyfingers and reserve the rest for layering and glazing.

Whisk yolks and sugar

In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together the 4 egg yolks and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar until smooth and slightly paler, about 1–2 minutes.

Optional gentle cook (for safety)

To cook the yolks (recommended if serving to pregnant or immunocompromised guests), set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler). Whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer and thickens slightly, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Combine with mascarpone

In a separate bowl, briefly beat the mascarpone to loosen it. Gently fold the cooled egg yolk mixture into the mascarpone along with the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt until smooth and lump-free.

Whip cream and fold

In a chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold about one-third of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until uniform and still light. Do not overmix or the cream will deflate.

Prepare dipping liquid

In a shallow dish combine the reserved 1/3 cup strawberry purée with the optional 3 tablespoons strawberry liqueur or syrup (omit liqueur if serving children). Stir to combine.

Dip ladyfingers

Working quickly, dip each ladyfinger into the purée mixture for 1–1.5 seconds per side—enough to moisten but not soak through. Arrange a single layer of dipped ladyfingers in the bottom of a 9x9-inch (or similar) dish, trimming biscuits to fit if necessary.

First layer

Spread half of the mascarpone cream evenly over the ladyfingers. Spoon half of the remaining strawberry purée (from the bowl reserved earlier) in small dollops over the cream, then gently swirl with a spatula to create ribbons. Scatter about half of the macerated strawberry pieces (with some juices) over the layer.

Second layer

Place a second layer of dipped ladyfingers over the cream and fruit. Spread the remaining mascarpone cream evenly on top. Dollop the remaining purée over the top layer and lightly swirl. Arrange the reserved 1/2 cup sliced strawberries (from the garnish reserve) over the surface.

Chill

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Chilling allows the flavors to meld and the ladyfingers to soften to a tiramisu-like texture.

Finish and serve

Just before serving, dust the top lightly with powdered sugar and arrange any extra sliced strawberries for garnish. Cut into squares and serve chilled. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.