Tiramisu is one of the best-loved desserts in Italian cuisine. And it’s made with coffee which, for some people, can be a problem, due to health problems, personal taste or simply because the dessert will also be consumed by children. Luckily, there is an easy solution: coffee-free tiramisu is a recipe also suitable for children and those who can’t or don’t want to consume caffeine, but refuse to give up the delicious taste of this spoon dessert.
Alternatives to coffee in tiramisu
So what could you use in place of coffee? There are various alternatives to espresso that can be used when making tiramisu to soak the ladyfingers (or biscuits, depending on which version you prefer):
- Soluble orzo (barley) or caffè d’orzo (a coffee substitute made with barley).
- Milk, perhaps mixed with soluble cocoa (like Nesquik, a children’s favourite).
- When making a fruit tiramisu, you could replace the coffee with orange and lemon juice.
- If you feel like trying something completely new, you could take your tiramisu to the next level by using aromatic matcha tea (the same ingredient we used to make matcha milk cappuccino, which will also turn your dessert an original shade of green.
How to make coffee-free tiramisu
In our version of this spoon dessert, we have chosen to replace the coffee with an ingredient that has a similar taste: barley coffee. It’s time to find out how to make coffee-free tiramisu with a recipe sure to become a favourite with everyone, young and old alike.
Ingredients
- 500 gr mascarpone.
- 400 gr ladyfingers.
- 150 gr sugar.
- 6 eggs.
- Barley coffee.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder.
Preparation
- Put the mascarpone in a bowl with the sugar and mix.
- Add the eggs: first the yolks and then the whites, whisked until stiff.
- In a serving dish, alternate layers of ladyfingers dipped in barley coffee with layers of the mascarpone cream.
- Add a generous sprinkling of unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Finally, leave the tiramisu to set in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
The absence of caffeine in this tiramisu also makes it perfect for savouring in the evening, with no fear of it affecting your ability to get to sleep! Instead, if you don’t mind classic espresso, you have to try this other delicious after-dinner treat too: discover 3 ways of making coffee semifreddo, each one tastier than the one before!
