Giada De Laurentiis’ ‘Fresh and Tangy’ Raspberry Tiramisu Is a Vibrant Twist on the Iconic Italian Dessert

There’s something about enjoying a piece of tiramisu after a meal. The robust flavors of the espresso and mascarpone cheese feature strongly in the creamy and classic Italian dessert.

Food Network personality Giada De Laurentiis now puts her spin on the treat, in a vibrant version starring fresh raspberries.

De Laurentiis’ traditional tiramisu recipe

The Giada at Home star’s classic tiramisu is, well, traditional, and includes six egg yolks, sugar, mascarpone cheese, espresso, dark rum, packaged ladyfinger cookies, and bittersweet chocolate.

For this recipe, you’ll need an electric mixer “with whisk attachment,” as well as a shallow baking dish.

The yolks and sugar are mixed and then the mascarpone cheese is added until the mixture is smooth. A tablespoon of espresso is added and stirred.

In the baking dish, the balance of the espresso is added along with the rum and each cookie is dipped into the espresso for a few seconds. Repeat with all the ladyfingers. The cheese is spread over the cookies with an additional layer of cookies, dipped in espresso, placed over the cheese. The rest of the mascarpone is spread on top and the dessert is chilled. If you want, De Laurentiis notes, you can dust the top with chocolate shavings.

Her Raspberry Tiramisu

While the classic dessert relies on the strong espresso and rich chocolate to inform its flavor profile, De Laurentiis’ Raspberry Tiramisu (full recipe here) leans on seedless raspberry jam, orange liqueur, and fresh raspberries for its sunnier bite. Like its classic cousin, this version uses mascarpone cheese.

De Laurentiis wrote on her Giadzy lifestyle and food blog about the inspiration behind this fresher tiramisu alternative.

“I once tried a delicious strawberry tiramisu in Rome, which is where I got the idea for this fresh, tangy version with raspberries,” she said. “It’s a no-cook dessert that’s really perfect for spring and summertime.”

Mix the mascarpone and liqueur in a bowl and set aside. A portion of whipped cream is beaten into peaks and then folded into the cheese mixture.

The bottom of a baking dish is lined with ladyfingers and then the Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef instructs to “spread half of the jam mixture over the ladyfingers.” Half of the mascarpone is spread over the jam then sprinkled with fresh raspberries. Repeat the process and then keep the dessert in the refrigerator at least three hours. To serve, dust with confectioner’s sugar.

Reviews for De Laurentiis’ Raspberry Tiramisu

While purists may say a tiramisu without espresso and chocolate is not a tiramisu, reviewers of the Rome-born chef’s fruity version gave it a thumbs up.

“Unique twist on the traditional, easy to make and perfect for summer,” said one.

Another fan expressed: “This is absolutely delicious and was a huge hit!”

Offering helpful feedback, another reviewer felt that while the liqueur was “boozy” and “took over” the recipe, overall, it was “yummy and light!”