Mini Tiramisu Cups with Warninks Advocaat

Mini tiramisu cups are a stylish and mess-free way to present this classic Italian dessert. A splash of Warninks turns this quick and easy recipe into advocaat tiramisu, which is a great way to elevate this dessert for Christmas and other times a showstopping celebration dessert is called for.

THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY WARNINKS. ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

It’s no secret that I have a penchant for including my favourite tipples in bakes and puddings and these mini tiramisu cups are my latest venture in this direction. With the addition of Warninks advocaat, I’ve transformed the classic Italian dessert into a boozy and coffee-laden treat.

I’ve recently discovered the taste sensation that comes about when coffee and advocaat combine. And I urge you to do the same too by making these mini tiramisu cups that come laced with advocaat liqueur.

This advocaat tiramisu could easily be called Christmas tiramisu because of the inclusion of advocaat liqueur. However, it should not be reserved just for this season. Warninks advocaat is a well-known, much-loved liqueur and everybody seems to enjoy this classic Italian dessert. Combine the two and you wind up with these mini tiramisu cups that are worthy of gracing your table throughout the year, whenever you are hosting a gathering of family or friends.

Why advocaat tiramisu is worth making

These mini tiramisu desserts could alternatively be called tiramisu in a glass or tiramisu in a cup. Whatever your preference this advocaat tiramisu dessert has all of the following plus points:

• It’s a fabulous no-bake dessert.
• Preparation time is quick – (around 20-30 minutes).
• It’s a make-ahead dessert as it needs to sit in the fridge for at least 6 hours before serving.
• It’s creamy and full-flavoured but it is not too sweet.
• The addition of Warninks advocaat turns this fairly authentic Italian tiramisu into the ultimate Christmas tiramisu that is sure to surprise your guests.
• Individual tiramisu cups are a great way to make simple work of serving dessert at a party.

And if you like the sound of the union of coffee and advocaat don’t miss my recipes for espresso affogato and Christmas latte. They are delectable.

What is tiramisu?

Authentic Italian tiramisu consists of just a handful of ingredients: mascarpone, ladyfinger biscuits, egg yolks, sugar, coffee and cocoa powder. The addition of egg whites and alcohol are discretionary extras (although I wholeheartedly approve of both).

Tiramisu (pronounced ti·ruh·muh·soo) translates to English as bring me up or pick me up because of the inclusion of strong espresso coffee which has a reputation for creating a caffeine-fuelled buzz when consumed.

Traditional tiramisu is usually assembled in a large bowl and spooned out, rather like an English trifle might be presented and served. However, it’s not difficult at all to make the same recipe and create mini tiramisu cups instead.

Ingredients and equipment notes

There are three star ingredients in this Christmas tiramisu recipe – the mascarpone, the coffee and the advocaat.

Advocaat: I will only ever advocate using Warninks advocaat. I’ve tried alternative brands and I’ve tried making my own. None have compared to the taste and sublime texture of Warninks advocaat. It’s also very affordable.

Mascarpone: always use good quality mascarpone cheese and ensure that it is full-fat rather than a reduced-fat version. This will give the best results.

Mascarpone is a temperamental ingredient, prone to splitting, so treat it gently (don’t mix too hard) and read my tips about using this ingredient before starting this recipe.

Coffee: the best coffee to use is freshly and strongly brewed espresso coffee. Failing that, make some strong coffee using your favourite instant coffee granules. Decaff is fine in both cases.

Ladyfingers: also known as Savioardi biscuits, you can make your own, but for ease and speed it’s perfectly acceptable to use the store-bought version. If you struggle to get hold of them, try trifle sponges.

Some tiramisu recipes suggest using plain sponge cake, but I personally find this option a little too dense and more attuned to an English trifle rather than the light and delicate Italian tiramisu dessert.

Whisk: it is important to whisk the yolks and sugar until thick. This is only really achievable either with a handheld whisk or a stand-mixer. I don’t recommend trying to beat them by hand with a balloon whisk. It would take a long time and give you significant arm-ache!

Step-by-step instructions

1. Brew the espresso coffee and stir the Warninks advocaat into it.
2. Roughly break the ladyfingers into smaller pieces to fit your serving glasses.
3. Separate the egg whites and yolks then use electric beaters to whisk the egg whites until fluffy and firm.
4. Use the same beaters to whip the egg yolks and sugar until very thick, creamy and pale (around 3-4 minutes). They are whipped sufficiently when a trail remains for a few seconds after the mixture falls off the whisk (this is the ribbon stage). Add the mascarpone to the egg yolk mixture, then, before beating it in, read the next step carefully.

5. Gently beat the mascarpone in: put the electric mixer on the lowest speed setting and mix until just smooth. (Do not overmix as the mascarpone could split).
6. Use a large metal spoon to gently fold the whipped egg white into the mascarpone mixture.
7. Spoon a small amount of this creamy mixture into the bottom of each serving glass.
8. Dip a piece of ladyfinger into the coffee mixture for approximately 2-3 seconds and lay it on top of the creamy layer in one of the glasses. Repeat until the base layer is covered.
9. Repeat for the remaining glasses.
10. Now add another layer of the mascarpone mixture (aim for around a 1cm thickness).
11. Add another layer of biscuits dipped in the coffee mixture.
12. Top with another 1cm layer of mascarpone mix.
13. Add a third layer of ladyfinger biscuits dipped in the coffee.
14. Top with the remaining mascarpone cream and level the top of each dessert using the back of a teaspoon.
15. Transfer to the fridge to rest for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.
16. When ready to serve dust each mini tiramisu cup with sieved cocoa powder and scatter the grated chocolate and sprinkles over the top.

Expert tips and tricks

• You may find that you have a few ladyfingers left over. They generally come in packs of at least 175g. Leftovers store well if wrapped and stored in an airtight container.
• With this in mind perhaps break up two-thirds of the biscuits to begin with and only break up more if they are required.
• The coffee needs to be strong to carry a good flavour through the dessert. Use either:
  • 40g-50g espresso powder to make 90ml espresso coffee.
  • Or 4 heaped teaspoons of instant coffee granules dissolved in 90ml water that has been boiled and left to stand in the kettle for 5 minutes.
• Don’t soak the biscuits in the coffee and advocaat mixture for too long otherwise, they will get too soggy and disintegrate. Aim for 2-3 seconds maximum.
• This dessert does need to sit in the fridge to firm up for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight. The resting time allows the flavour and texture of the advocaat tiramisu to improve, so, whatever you do, don’t skimp on the resting time.
• Make sure your serving cups or glasses are not too large or too small. Mine hold around 125ml liquid and the ingredients listed are enough for 6 individual tiramisu desserts in these size glasses.
• You can make smaller portions to make tiny desserts should you desire – this is handy if you’re presenting several options for diners.
• Alternatively, use the ingredients to make one large Christmas tiramisu. The recipe listed will fit a 6×8-inch oblong serving dish (around 2 inches deep). Use 2 layers of ladyfingers.

How to avoid split mascarpone when making tiramisu

Mascarpone cheese is highly prone to splitting (curdling) – it’s the nature of the beast. However, it’s an integral part of authentic Italian tiramisu, so there’s no room to substitute it out. Instead, it’s better to master a few tricks to void the dreaded split:

• Mascarpone is more likely to split if it is whipped with other ingredients of a higher temperature. Avoid this potential pitfall by making sure that the eggs and mascarpone are well chilled before you start. Granted, the temperature of the eggs will rise as they are whipped, but it’s a step towards keeping the difference in temperature between the two ingredients at a minimum.
• The older the mascarpone is, the more likely it is to split, so use a pot that is well within its use-by date.
• Similarly, low-fat versions are more prone to splitting than the full-fat version. So, I recommend using only full-fat mascarpone for this recipe.
• Even following the above advice there is still a risk of splitting. Think of mascarpone as being a little obtuse! The best way to reduce the risk of curdling is to beat the mascarpone using electric beaters on a low-speed setting. Beat in 15-second bursts until just smooth. At this point stop beating.

Follow these tips and you should end up with a delicious mascarpone mixture that is soft and mousse-like for your mini tiramisu cups.

Frequently asked questions

More Warninks advocaat recipes

Have you made this recipe for Christmas tiramisu in a glass? I hope you enjoyed it. Please consider leaving a recipe rating and/or comment to let me know how you got along. I always love hearing from readers.

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