Gluten-Free Tiramisu
Who doesn’t enjoy a good tiramisu? Everyone wants to enjoy a quality dessert but that can be challenging when you are gluten-intolerant.
I have a few friends who must avoid gluten in their diet, and that goes well in most cases, but now and then they want to enjoy a dessert that tastes like the real thing.
I’m not saying that all gluten-free foods have a weird taste, but sometimes gluten-free foods are not true representations of their original recipes.
When it comes to this dessert, I have tried several versions of gluten-free tiramisu, and the one I have today is the best.
Tiramisu in general is a dessert made with ladyfingers, mascarpone cheese, eggs, cacao, and a few other ingredients.
When you look at the ingredients, the only thing that is not suitable for those with gluten intolerance are the ladyfingers.
You can find gluten-free ladyfingers from different trusted brands, but in case you want to make your own, I have prepared that recipe for you.
Making your own ladyfingers is super easy and can be done in no time. These ladyfingers taste just like genuine ones, so everyone will be able to enjoy perfect tiramisu.
What Is Tiramisu?
Tiramisu is an Italian dessert which roughly translates to “pick me up” and falls somewhere between pudding and trifle.
It has layers of mascarpone-egg cream and ladyfingers soaked in coffee, and the entire dessert is topped with cocoa powder or shaved chocolate.
Tiramisu at home requires a bit of work, mostly making the egg-mascarpone cream, but making it at home means you can dial the flavors exactly as you like them and that is worth all the effort.
How To Make Homemade Ladyfingers
Homemade ladyfingers are the simplest GF cookies. They are light, airy, and crisp cookies with a sponge center, perfect for making tiramisu and even enjoying as a snack.
For these, I use certified gluten-free flour. I also made these with fine almond flour, but they are lighter with gluten-free flour.
If available, choose GF flour that already has xanthan gum inside, and if you are using flour without it, make sure to add ½ tsp of the xanthan gum into the mixture.
The xanthan gum will make your batter elastic so the ladyfingers will not fall apart.
Still, where this recipe shines is the specific technique that brings loads of air into the batter, making it easy to pipe out but allowing it to hold its shape during baking.
For the ladyfingers, you will need eggs and an extra egg white. Make sure you beat your egg whites until firm peaks form. You can add a bit of cream of tartar or lemon juice to stabilize the egg whites, but you can also do it without.
Gradually fold the egg whites into beaten egg yolks with sugar, adding as much air as possible. My special trick when it comes to flavor is to add almond extract instead of vanilla.
This way, the ladyfingers will taste a bit like amaretti cookies and give even more flavor to the tiramisu. Once the eggs are folded, gradually add flour and stir until just combined.
Do not overmix, or your batter will lose air and spread just like the pancake batter. How do I know? Well, I’ve been there!
Tips For The Perfect Tiramisu
Choose Your Flavoring
The tiramisu is traditionally made with Marsala wine. This is considered to be a key ingredient in tiramisu cream. There is some evidence that the original tiramisu has no alcohol, but nowadays it is added to every tiramisu.
If you want to make this without the alcohol, but still have some extra flavor, add rum extract. Or if you want to choose something instead of marsala wine, I find the coffee liqueur quite pleasing.
Cook The Eggs Over A Double Boiler
The egg cream or zabaglione is traditionally whipped with eggs, sugar, and sweet wine. In tiramisu, the zabaglione is folded into a mascarpone and cream mixture that makes the body of the dish.
The ideal way to cook eggs is over the double boiler because this will melt the sugar gradually and make the thick zabaglione, ideal for building the tiramisu.
Cool The Zabaglione Before Use
Make sure your zabaglione is completely cooled down before you add it to the mascarpone. If it is hot, it will melt mascarpone and deflate the whipping cream.
Gluten-Free Tiramisu Recipe
Preparation time: 45 minutes + inactive time
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Servings: 9
Ingredients:
For the ladyfingers:
- 3 eggs plus 1 egg white
- ½ cup caster sugar, divided
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 cup GF flour
- ½ tsp xanthan gum, if your flour does not contain it
- 1 pinch of salt
For the tiramisu:
- 6 egg yolks
- ¾ cup caster sugar
- 1 tbsp rum extract
- 12 oz mascarpone
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Cocoa powder, for dusting
- 1 cup of freshly brewed coffee
Instructions:
1. Make the ladyfingers; separate eggs. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt, until soft peaks form. Gradually start adding sugar and beat the egg whites until firm peaks form.
2. Beat remaining sugar with egg yolks and almond extract, until they are fluffy and pale in color.
3. Gradually fold the egg whites into the egg yolks, folding in the air as much as possible.
4. Fold in flour, until just combined. Try not to push out the air.
5. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag. Pipe out around ½-inch thick and 3 ½-inch long ladyfingers.
7. Bake the ladyfingers for 15-15 minutes or until they begin to turn golden around the edges. Cool them completely before use.
8. Make the tiramisu; place egg yolks and sugar in a heat-proof bowl. Set the bowl over a sauce pot with simmering water. Cook the egg yolks for 10 minutes, stirring with a whisk.
9. Remove the egg yolk mixture from the heat and place it aside to cool.
10. Whip the mascarpone.
11. Whip the heavy cream.
12. Gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the mascarpone.
13. Once combined, fold in whipped heavy cream.
14. Assemble; dip the ladyfingers in coffee, just a quick dip.
15. Arrange a layer of ladyfingers in a 9-inch square pan. Spread over ½ of the mascarpone cheese.
16. Top the mascarpone with another layer of ladyfingers and cover it all with the remaining mascarpone mixture.
17. Chill the tiramisu overnight in the fridge.
18. Dust the tiramisu with cocoa powder just before slicing. You can dust them before chilling but note that the cocoa will change to a darker color.
Gluten-Free Tiramisu
Delicious gluten-free tiramisu that tastes just like the real thing!
Ingredients
For the ladyfingers:
- 3 eggs plus 1 egg white
- ½ cup caster sugar, divided
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 cup GF flour
- ½ tsp xanthan gum, if your flour does not contain it
- 1 pinch of salt
For the tiramisu:
- 6 egg yolks
- ¾ cup caster sugar
- 1 tbsp rum extract
- 12 oz mascarpone
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Cocoa powder, for dusting
- 1 cup of freshly brewed coffee
Instructions
- Make the ladyfingers; separate eggs. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt, until soft peaks form. Gradually start adding sugar and beat the egg whites until firm peaks form.
- Beat remaining sugar with egg yolks and almond extract, until they are fluffy and pale in color.
- Gradually fold the egg whites into the egg yolks, folding in the air as much as possible.
- Fold in flour, until just combined. Try not to push out the air.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Spoon the mixture into the piping bag. Pipe out around ½-inch thick and 3 ½-inch long ladyfingers.
- Bake the ladyfingers for 15-15 minutes or until they begin to turn golden around the edges. Cool them completely before use.
- Make the tiramisu; place egg yolks and sugar in a heat-proof bowl. Set the bowl over a sauce pot with simmering water. Cook the egg yolks for 10 minutes, stirring with a whisk.
- Remove the egg yolk mixture from the heat and place it aside to cool.
- Whip mascarpone. Whip the heavy cream.
- Gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the mascarpone. Once combined, fold in whipped heavy cream.
- Assemble; dip the ladyfingers in coffee, just a quick dip.
- Arrange a layer of ladyfingers in a 9-inch square pan. Spread over ½ of the mascarpone cheese. Top the mascarpone with another layer of ladyfingers and cover it all with the remaining mascarpone mixture. Chill the tiramisu overnight in the fridge.
- Dust the tiramisu with cocoa powder just before slicing and slicing. You can dust them before chilling but note that cocoa will change color to darker.