Fake strawberry tiramisu: a light, showy dessert for spring.
If you are looking for a dessert that is an explosion of freshness and color, fake strawberry tiramisu is the recipe for you.
It’s a dessert designed for special occasions: I find it particularly suitable as an after-dinner treat for Women’s Day or Mother’s Day, thanks to its elegance and the delicate flavor of seasonal strawberries.
Why “fake”?
The main difference compared to the classic version lies in the filling: I chose not to use mascarpone, replacing it with a delicious pastry cream.
The result is a lighter dessert, yet incredibly creamy and velvety.
The heart of this tiramisu is made up of lots of small pieces of fresh strawberries.
In my version I preferred to create a separate layer, but if you want an even more enveloping texture, you can mix them directly into the cream before filling.
To make the dessert even more cheerful and spring-like, I decided to add a touch of color to the topping.
Using colored crumbled sponge cake (or simply natural), you get a “mimosa” effect or a flowered meadow that immediately evokes nature awakening.
It’s a simple idea but with great visual impact that wins at first glance.
To achieve a perfect result without stress, I recommend preparing the sponge cake the day before.
Letting it rest overnight will make it much easier to cut and crumble for the final decoration, and you will only have to prepare the cream and assemble your masterpiece.
Fresh, colorful and without the heaviness of mascarpone: this fake strawberry tiramisu will become the centerpiece of your festive tables!
Calories about 400 per person
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8 servings
- Cooking methods: No-cook
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, Women's Day
Ingredients to make the Fake Strawberry Tiramisu
- 3 1/8 cups whole milk
- 3 eggs (medium)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 tsp liquid vanilla
- 1 egg (medium)
- 2 3/4 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder (optional)
- tsp vanillin
- tbsp all-purpose flour (approx. 50 g)
- cup strawberries (about 170 g)
- 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp lemon (juice)
- oz ladyfingers
- cup Alchermes liqueur
- as needed sponge cake (crumbled)
- food coloring (yellow)
Tools
- 1 Baking dish baking dish for desserts
Preparation of the Fake Strawberry Tiramisu
First, prepare the sponge cake: beat the egg with a mixer; once it is whipped and airy, add the sugar and mix by hand, taking care not to deflate the mixture.
Add the remaining ingredients little by little, always working by hand. Once the batter is ready, grease and flour a tall-sided pan with a very small diameter.
Transfer the batter to the pan and bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for about 15 minutes, but baking time will vary depending on the size of the pan.
Prepare the pastry cream by combining all the ingredients, whisking them and cooking over low heat on the stove, stirring often.
When cooked, you will obtain a thick cream: transfer it to a heatproof bowl and cover it with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream.
Let the cream cool, then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours.
If you’re in a hurry, you can put it in the freezer for 20 minutes and then move it to the fridge; this will speed up the process.
When ready to assemble the dessert, wash and cut the strawberries into pieces, season them with sugar and lemon and set aside.
Blend the sponge cake crumbs, add a pinch of yellow food coloring and set aside.
At this point take a ceramic or glass baking dish and assemble the dessert.
Dip the ladyfingers in the Alchermes and create the base of the dessert, then pipe the pastry cream to form the filling, add half of the reserved strawberries and then another layer of ladyfingers previously dipped in Alchermes.
Finish with the remaining cream…
…then dust the entire surface with the reserved crumbled sponge cake and decorate the top with the leftover strawberry pieces.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
The dessert will keep perfectly in the fridge for at least 2–3 days without problems.
