The strawberry and ricotta tiramisu is the perfect spoon dessert for those who want a spring-like, fresh and lighter variation of the classic mascarpone cake. In this recipe, the richness of the heavy cream blends with the delicacy of the ricotta, creating a velvety cream that welcomes the natural sweetness of the strawberries. The technique of macerating the strawberries with lemon is the fundamental technical step: it not only softens the fruit, but creates a fragrant syrup that you’ll use to soak the Pavesini, making them the right consistency without weighing them down. It’s a homemade dessert ideal to conclude a family lunch, capable of conquering with its colorful layers and its citrus aroma. Follow my steps for a firm cream and a perfect balance of flavors!
If you love desserts made with Pavesini try the cold Pavesini paradise cake with coffee, the Pavesini cake with vanilla and chocolate, the Pavesini cake with red berries or the rolled tiramisu.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients for preparing the creamy dessert with ricotta and strawberries
- 3 1/3 cups (about 18 oz) strawberries
- 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3.5 oz (about 100 g) Pavesini
- 2 cups (about 17 fl oz / 500 ml) heavy cream
- 2 cups (about 17.6 oz / 500 g) ricotta
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Tools
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- Whisks
- Baking dish
Steps to prepare the strawberry and ricotta tiramisu
First, take care of the strawberries: wash them thoroughly, dry them and cut them into regular pieces. Place the fruit in a bowl and season with three tablespoons of sugar and the juice of one strained lemon. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. This technical resting time is essential so that the sugar extracts the juice from the strawberries, creating that red and fragrant liquid that will become the soak for your cookies, ensuring an intense strawberry flavor in every layer.
Now move on to preparing the filling: whip the cream, making sure it is very cold from the fridge, together with the remaining three tablespoons of sugar. In a separate bowl, work the ricotta lightly with a fork to soften it, then add it to the whipped cream. Gently fold with bottom-to-top movements so as not to deflate the mixture. Once you obtain a firm and homogeneous cream, use a strainer to collect all the juice the strawberries produced during maceration, keeping it aside for the next phase.
Start assembling the dessert: in a baking dish, alternate Pavesini quickly dipped in the strawberry juice, a layer of ricotta cream and a generous handful of strawberry pieces. Continue creating several layers until the ingredients are used up, preferably finishing with a thin layer of cream and some pieces of strawberry for decoration. The use of Pavesini, thinner than ladyfingers, allows the dessert to set quickly while maintaining a light and pleasant texture on the palate.
Once the dish is complete, place the tiramisu in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours before serving. This technical step is essential: the cold will allow the cream to stabilize and the cookies to absorb the moisture from the soak and the cream evenly, making the dessert easy to portion and incredibly harmonious in taste. Serve your strawberry tiramisu well chilled to highlight all its fruity freshness.
Tips for a perfect result
Well-drained ricotta: If the ricotta has whey, let it drain in a sieve for an hour before use. This will prevent the cream of your flavorful dessert from becoming too runny.
Very cold cream: For impeccable whipping, put the bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10 minutes before you start working the heavy cream.
Quick soak: Pavesini are very porous; dip them in the strawberry syrup only for an instant, otherwise they risk falling apart and compromising the structure of the dessert.
Fun variations
Mint touch: Add a few chopped fresh mint leaves to the strawberries while they macerate for a balsamic and refreshing note.
Pistachio crunch: Sprinkle the surface with chopped pistachios before serving; the green of the pistachio creates a beautiful color contrast with the red strawberries.
Limoncello cream: If the dessert is intended only for adults, add a teaspoon of limoncello to the strawberry soak to enhance the lemony aroma.
Storage
In the refrigerator: The tiramisu keeps perfectly for 2 days covered with plastic wrap. In fact, it is often even better the next day because the flavors have had time to meld.
No freezer: The presence of ricotta and fresh strawberries makes freezing not recommended, because upon thawing the dessert would lose its creamy consistency and become watery.
Individual portions: You can prepare this flavorful dessert in handy single-serve glasses, ideal for a buffet or a formal dinner.
Now it’s your turn!
The strawberry and ricotta tiramisu is the perfect sweet treat to welcome the beautiful season. It is light, colorful and incredibly fragrant.
Do you like the idea of using ricotta to make the cream lighter or do you remain faithful to traditional mascarpone? Let me know in the comments if the strawberry syrup soaked your Pavesini perfectly and if this flavorful recipe will become your spring weekend must-have!
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use frozen strawberries?
For this specific preparation it is strongly recommended to use fresh strawberries, because frozen ones would release too much water, making the tiramisu excessively soft and less fragrant.
Which ricotta should I choose?
A fresh cow’s ricotta is ideal for its delicacy. If you prefer a more pronounced flavor, you can try sheep ricotta, taking care to sieve it well to make it very smooth.
Why didn’t my cream thicken?
It could be due to cream that was not whipped to stiff peaks or from having mixed the ricotta too vigorously. Always remember to combine the two mixtures very gently.
