No-Bake Pan Tiramisù with Cooked Mascarpone Cream

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A make-ahead 8x8 pan tiramisù built the way a good Italian-American trattoria does it: espresso-soaked ladyfingers, a cloud-light mascarpone mousse, and a heavy dust of bitter cocoa. The yolks are cooked to 160°F over a water bath into a proper zabaglione, so the cream is food-safe and silky instead of raw and loose. Includes exact ladyfinger dip timing so the layers stay defined and never turn to mush, plus a fully egg-free option.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups strong brewed espresso or very strong coffee, cooled to room temperature
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons dark rum, Marsala, or coffee liqueur (optional)

• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup dry Marsala (or whole milk, for alcohol-free)
• 1 pinch fine sea salt
• 16 ounces mascarpone cheese, cool but not fridge-cold
• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 7 ounces crisp Italian savoiardi ladyfingers (about 24–30)
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process
• 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, for shaving (optional)
• 1/4 cup chocolate-covered espresso beans

Instructions

1. Brew the espresso or coffee and stir in the 2 tablespoons sugar until dissolved. Pour into a wide shallow bowl or pie plate (wide matters — you want to lay a whole ladyfinger flat) and let it cool completely to room temperature, about 20 minutes, then stir in the rum or Marsala if using. Warm coffee will disintegrate the cookies, so do not rush this.
2. Set up a double boiler: bring 1 inch of water to a bare simmer in a medium saucepan. In a heatproof metal or glass bowl that rests on the rim without touching the water, whisk the 4 egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup Marsala, and pinch of salt until smooth and pale.
3. Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly and vigorously for 6 to 9 minutes. The mixture will foam, then thicken to the consistency of loose pudding and roughly triple in volume. Cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F (71°C) — this is the food-safety point. If the bowl ever feels hot enough to steam heavily or you see any grainy bits forming, lift it off the heat for 15 seconds and keep whisking.
4. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. Set the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water and whisk occasionally until the zabaglione is cool to the touch, about 5 minutes. It must be no warmer than room temperature before it meets the mascarpone or the cream will break.
5. Put the mascarpone in a large bowl and stir it with a flexible spatula for about 20 seconds just to loosen it. Add about one-third of the cooled zabaglione and stir until smooth, then fold in the rest in two additions. Stop as soon as it is homogeneous — overworking mascarpone makes it grainy.
6. In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream with a mixer on medium-high to soft, droopy peaks, about 2 minutes. Fold it into the mascarpone mixture in three additions until no streaks remain. You should have a thick, spoonable mousse that holds a soft ridge.
7. Spread a thin smear of cream (about 1/2 cup) across the bottom of an 8x8-inch or 9x9-inch baking dish. Now the dip: hold a ladyfinger flat in the coffee for 1 second per side (2 seconds total) for crisp savoiardi, or a fast half-second per side for softer supermarket ladyfingers. Lift immediately — the cookie should still feel firm in the center. Lay it in the dish and continue, breaking cookies to fill gaps, until the bottom is fully covered in a single tight layer.
8. Spread half of the remaining mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers in an even layer, nudging it into the corners. Dust with 1 tablespoon of the cocoa through a fine sieve — this middle layer of cocoa is what makes the flavor read as espresso rather than sweet cream.
9. Dip and layer a second course of ladyfingers exactly as before, then spread the remaining cream on top and smooth it with an offset spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, keeping it just off the surface, and refrigerate at least 6 hours and ideally 12 to 24. The ladyfingers need this time to hydrate into cake.
10. Just before serving, dust the top evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons cocoa through a fine sieve, shave over some bittersweet chocolate if you like, and scatter chocolate-covered espresso beans over the surface or around each plate. Cut into 9 squares with a thin knife wiped clean between cuts, and serve cold.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

Frozen Chocolate–Caramel Peanut Nougat Bars

Blueberry Peach Buckle with Almond Streusel

Creole Cream Cheese Cheesecake with Salted Caramel and Dark Chocolate

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem