quick & easy tiramisu cups

Need to prepare dessert in a hurry? Here’s a delicious idea. These Quick & Easy Tiramisu Cups are thrown together in thirty minutes.

And they’ll be the hit of the party. For real.

Here’s what you’ll need to make Quick & Easy Tiramisu Cups…

• Semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate – Try to choose a brand that is non-GMO so that it would not contain bio-engineered ingredients. I typically use Ghirardelli’s baking bars, which are readily available in most markets or online. When a recipe calls for chocolate to be melted, avoid using chips since they contain stabilizing ingredients that can alter the consistency.
• Shortening or butter – If you’re making chocolate curls.
• Mascarpone cheese – A soft, fresh, and creamy Italian cheese made from heavy cream rather than milk. It’s known for its rich, slightly sweet flavor and high fat content.
• Whipping cream – Or heavy cream.You can use either heavy cream or whipping cream, but keep in mind that heavy cream has a slightly higher fat content.
• Powdered sugar – Also referred to as confectioners sugar. Best used here to produce a very fine, smooth texture without any noticeable sugar crystals. 
• Pure vanilla extract – Avoid using imitation vanilla extract.
• Chocolate liqueur or coffee liqueur – For the chocolate liqueur, I would recommend Jacquin’s Creme de Cacao. For the coffee liqueur, I always use Kahlua Coffee Liqueur.
• Ladyfingers – Cubed. Not a traditional cookie, ladyfingers are actually biscuits made from a sponge cake batter. Their light & airy texture make them the perfect vessel for soaking up the brewed espresso. If I don’t make my own, I always choose imported ladyfingers to avoid the chemicals found in most domestic products.
• Brewed espresso or very strong coffee – Cooled.

You can simply chop or shred the chocolate for this, but if you are willing to give it a try …let’s make chocolate curls.

• Melt the chocolate with the shortening or butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally.
• Pour the melted chocolate onto an 11 x 17-inch rimmed baking sheet.
• Smooth with an offset spatula.
• Refrigerate until chocolate is set but not brittle, about ten minutes.
  
• Holding a sturdy metal spatula or a bench scraper at a 45° angle, scrape chocolate away from you to form curls.
• If chocolate is too brittle, let stand at room temperature for 1 to 2 minutes before trying again.
• If too soft, refrigerate briefly.
• Break each curl into 1-inch pieces.
• Curls can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Take a look at what you can create…

Another possibility…

I’ve recently discovered the most amazing gadget used to make your own chocolate curls. Basically, you melt your favorite chocolate then carefully pour it into a small tray that molds the chocolate into specific-shaped bars.

Once it is set, the bars are placed in the tube and with a quick turn of the wrist, you have freshly shaven chocolate curls.

They are so delicate and easy to make that I keep it “loaded” in the fridge for whenever we want to top something off with a bit of chocolate.

Let’s move on to your Quick & Easy Tiramisu Cups…

• In a large bowl, combine the mascarpone cheese, whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
• Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed just until soft peaks form.
• Gently fold in the liqueur.
  

• Divide half of the ladyfinger cubes among six 6-ounce glasses.
• For smaller servings, use eight glasses.
• Use whatever you have on hand …cocktail glasses, dessert bowls, parfait glasses.
• It’s best to use clear glass so that the distinct layers can shine through.
• Drizzle with half of the espresso.
• Top with half of the mascarpone mixture and half of the chocolate.
• Repeat layers.
  
• Cover and chill for 1 to 24 hours before serving.
  

After the parfait hangs out for awhile, even crunchy ladyfingers will soften. You’ll see.

You can even use cubed pound cake. Or angel food cake.

Your Quick & Easy Tiramisu Cups can be made a full twenty-four hours ahead.

Or not long before your guests arrive. Just be sure to give them a full hour to chill before serving.

If you have extra time on your hands, you may want to give our more authentic traditional tiramisu a try.

• One cup hot very-strong brewed coffee 
• One cup granulated sugar
• One teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whisk together the hot coffee and sugar. When the sugar has dissolved, add the vanilla extract. Mix well. Allow the coffee syrup to cool to room temp before using. Can be stored in the fridge for up to three weeks.

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More chocolate treats…