Anytime I can make a holiday dessert ahead of time, helps me to keep my sanity. This is one of those holiday desserts that you can easily make and serve in a casserole or on a platter as a cake.
Each time I decide to make a tiramisu, I brew a large pot of coffee in the morning. First I pour myself a cup (of course), then I save any leftover coffee in the fridge or on the side. The amount of ladyfingers and coffee you will need will be determined by the size of the casserole dish or plate you wish to use.
For my recipe here, I only needed 16 ladyfingers cookies to fit on my rectangular serving tray. The 3/4 cup of coffee I used was perfect. But I always make extra coffee, just in case I decide to use more ladyfingers, because then I would need more liquid to dip the cookies.
And in case you didn't know, Italian desserts are always traditionally made with some kind of liqueur incorporated into them. So I decided to use my favorite Godiva chocolate liqueur, because I love it so much (especially when I pour some directly over vanilla ice cream, oh yeah).
I made this peppermint tiramisu over the weekend and served it to friends on Sunday. They were my official taste testers. The outcome? Those who love the taste of peppermint, loved it!
Peppermint tiramisu makes a festive dessert that is light and creamy inside and out with a soft cake-like filling surrounded by more luscious cream of subtle refreshing cool taste of peppermint.
It was really delicious!
Making this Italian dessert and serving it in a long platter like this one yields dividends. It becomes easier to slice as well as being able to keep portions in check.
Have a great weekend! Enjoy!
EASY Peppermint Tiramisu
- 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee or espresso, cooled
- 2 Tbsp. Godiva Chocolate Liqueur, or any chocolate liqueur
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- 3/4 tsp. peppermint extract - divided
- 1 (8.8-ounce) Mascarpone cheese
- 1+1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp. confectioners sugar
- 2 Tbsp. dark chocolate chips, grated
- 1 package ladyfingers cookies (I used 16 ladyfingers)
- 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder, for dusting
- 2 candy canes - broken, as garnish
Use one 15 x 7 serving platter. Open the package of ladyfingers and place the cookies side by side to measure how many you will need to make a single row for the platter. Count them, and double the amount of cookies you will need to make 2 layers, and set them aside. I used a total 16 ladyfingers, making each layer with 8 ladyfingers.
Mix coffee with chocolate liqueur, 2 tablespoon of sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract in a small dish. Set aside.
In a medium size bowl, beat mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, confectioners sugar, along with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract, until it forms soft peaks. Set aside.
Take each ladyfinger, dip into the coffee mixture generously rolling it 2 or 3 times (allow excess liquid to drip back into the coffee mixture) and lay each cookie side by side onto a serving platter in a single row.
Spread some of the cream mixture (about 1/3 of the mixture) over the first layer of ladyfingers.
Using a grater, grate some chocolate chips directly over the layer of cream.
Next, make the second layer, dipping each ladyfinger into the coffee mixture and place them on top of the cream, side by side. Top again with the remaining whipped cream mixture and spread evenly to cover the top and all sides.
Dust with cocoa powder on top, then sprinkle with grated chocolate, and garnish with some crushed candy canes.
Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.
Serves 8
