The first fruit picking of the year has just arrived: strawberries! These ruby heralds of early summer (yes, summer!) are such delights – bright, juicy and packed with amazing flavor – a sure favorite for just about everyone. Our PYO season here at Weaver’s Orchard stretches from late May until early November, and while it’s only just begun, pickers of all ages (from our littlest helpers in wagons and front packs to our PYO veterans) have come out to our orchard for good times full of fruit-stained fingertips, the aroma of sun-warmed berries, and strawberry buckets of possibilities.
There are so many ways to enjoy fresh strawberries and here’s a new recipe to try that’s a modern twist on a classic Italian dessert: strawberry tiramisu! This creamy dessert is
delicious, sophisticated, and can be made very quickly with sliced shortcake from our farm market bakery. The addition of strawberries and homemade strawberry syrup, which replace the traditional strong notes of espresso and liquor-soaked ladyfingers, make this an impressive dessert that is also super-kid friendly!
So pull on your rubber boots and a good sun hat and march on out to our PYO fields for quiet, cool mornings, and peaceful afternoons among the hum of honeybees. Whether you hand-pick in the fields or hand-pick from the berry quarts that fill our fruit room counters, you can’t beat fresh, homegrown strawberries in peak season, perfect for tasty recipes like this strawberry tiramisu or just great on their own. Come on out soon, and make sure you don’t miss this scrumptious strawberry season!
View Pick Your Own Availability here!
Strawberry Tiramisù
- Prep Time: 40 Minutes
- Chill Time: 2-4 Hours
- Cook Time: 18-20 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 Hour Active, 2-4 Hours Inactive
- Yield: 1 deep-dish 8×11 inch pan, serves 12-15 1x
Ingredients
Strawberry Syrup:
- 1 cup strawberries, chopped
- 2 tbsp. water
- 1/3 cup sugar
Weaver’s Sour Cream Shortcake* or
1 recipe Home Made Ladyfingers:
- 6 eggs, separated
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup flour, sifted
- 1/8 tsp. sea salt
Cream Filling:
- 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- Dash of salt
- 4 egg yolks (*I suggest pasteurizing your eggs ahead of time)
- 16oz. mascarpone cheese
- 3 cups strawberries, sliced
- Cocoa powder (for dusting)
- Chocolate shavings (for dusting)
Instructions
Strawberry Syrup:
1. Wash and chop 1 cup strawberries and add them with water and sugar to a small saucepan on medium high heat. Bring to boil and stir occasionally for about 8-10 minutes, or until the water turns a deep red and begins to thicken.
2. Remove from heat and pour syrup through a strainer and into a container to remove seeds and flesh. Set aside to cool.
Ladyfingers:
1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line two cookies sheets with parchment paper or butter and flour. Separate eggs and add yolks to a mixing bowl. Combine egg yolks and only 1/3 cup of the sugar and vanilla and beat for several minutes until you get a consistency that is thick and pale yellow. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites and salt until they hold stiff peaks (remember to wash your mixer attachments in-between uses). Once finished, gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture a few spoonful’s at a time, incorporating lightly so as to not overmix.
2. Next, use a piping bag without a tip or just a spoon to pipe/spoon 4 inch ladyfingers onto the pan. These cookies will not spread, so you can crowd them together a little on the pan to fit about 12 cookies to a pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and fluffy. Transfer ladyfingers to a cooling rack and store tightly after cooled if not using right away.
Cream Filling:
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks with just ¼ cup of the sugar until thick.
2. Whip the heavy cream, vanilla, salt and reminding ¼ cup sugar together in a separate bowl on high for a few minutes until soft peaks form. Mix in the mascarpone cheese until well blended.
3. Finally, add the egg mixture into the cream mixture a spoonful at a time, stirring until rich and silky. Assemble tiramisù or cover filling and refrigerate until ready to use.
Assembly:
1. Dust an 8×11 inch glass pan with cocoa powder. Next, dip ladyfingers, one at a time, into the strawberry syrup before lining the pan with one layer of cookie. Next, add half of the cream filling on top of the ladyfingers, smoothing evenly. Arrange sliced strawberries to cover the entire surface of the pan before repeating the steps for the ladyfinger and cream layers.
2. Once there are alternating layers of ladyfingers and cream (with a layer of strawberries in the middle), the tiramisù is assembled, but just need the final dustings. Add a layer of dusted cocoa powder before wrapping pan and refrigerating for 2-4 hours (note: you can refrigerate up to 24 hours if desired). After the tiramisù has chilled and firmed up and you are ready to serve, remove from the fridge and dust once more with cocoa power and grate fresh chocolate shavings to the top of the dessert. Cut into squares about 3×3 inches and enjoy with a cup of strong espresso or your favorite coffee. Ta-da! Buon’appetito!
Keywords: Dessert, Berries, Strawberries