Tiramisu Recipe - Includes Ingredient Substitutions

Total Time: About 30 minutes, plus chill time of 2 hours

Yield: About 8 servings

Allergen Information

Free of: Peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, sesame, soy, fish, shellfish

Contains: Milk, but if you are allergic, I have provided ingredient substitutions below.

Ingredients

• Allergen-free cookies of your choice (I used the brand MadeGood) 

  • The recipe traditionally uses eclairs/ladyfinger pastries, but I found these to be an easy shortcut and a reliable allergen-safe option! You can always customize the ingredients to your preferences to yield a creatively new take on a popular treat.

• Mascarpone cheese

• Instant coffee powder

• Cocoa powder

• Powdered sugar

• A few tablespoons of water

• Vanilla extract

• Cinnamon powder

• Semi-sweet chocolate chips (I recommend Enjoy Life)

Ingredient Substitutions

• Ladyfinger Substitutes: These long biscuits are the traditional crunchy/cakey base in the recipe. However, it may be difficult to find safe alternatives. They are essentially a type of cookie, so I have recommended some safe cookie brands.

  • MadeGood: This is the brand I used. They offer a variety of cookie options including crispy to soft-baked, and in several flavors as well, all free from the top 9 most common food allergens. 

  • Partake: Well-known for their cookies, these too are top 9 free and offer a great alternative to the original.

• Mascarpone Substitutes:

  • Vegan Mascarpone: This is very easy to prepare at home, and the internet offers plenty of recipes if you are vegan or allergic to dairy. Try combining coconut cream, lemon juice, and a plant milk of your choice.

Recipe Instructions

1. Mix instant coffee powder and water, and add a dash of cinnamon.

2. In a bowl, combine 8 oz. mascarpone with a desired amount of powdered sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Whisk well.

3. In a separate bowl, mix a few tablespoons of cocoa powder and a desired amount of powdered sugar.

4. One at a time, start dipping the cookies into the coffee solution and lay them into a shallow glass tray or container. Create one layer that fills the entire area of the base of the vessel.

5. Next, start spreading the mascarpone mixture over the cookie layer, taking care to spread it in an even manner.

6. Repeat steps 4-5 until reaching the top of the vessel. Make sure that the top layer is a mascarpone layer.

7. Sieve the cocoa powder mixture over the top layer. As a garnish, mince chocolate chips and sprinkle them over the top layer. Optionally, you can grate chocolate curls on top!

8. Refrigerate for a couple of hours. This helps to set the layers and for the coffee, chocolate, and cream layers to meld.

9. Serve chilled and enjoy!

Notes to Readers

Tips

Cross-contamination/cross-contact has been at fault for most of my allergic reactions. If you are making several batches of a dish, each with varying ingredients, be sure to thoroughly clean your utensils and countertops or use completely new ones in between batches. This way, ingredients from different batches won’t come into contact with each other, and you can lower the probability of allergic reactions much better.

About the Recipe

Because I have severe allergies to several common foods, it is difficult for me to eat a snack first-glance and worry-free, enjoy a restaurant experience, or participate in a potluck. But I discovered that learning cooking lets me make and eat anything I can imagine, while keeping safety and health in mind. I can even recreate dishes I aspire to try. And, because cooking allows me to customize a dish to suit my preferences, homemade versions of such dishes may end up being even better than the originals. Cooking is a vital life skill. I wanted to spread the message by joining Just Allergy Things as well as Allergy Aware Cooks that people with food allergies should not focus on the downsides of having dietary restrictions - they should focus on the opportunities and possibilities allergies have to offer. This is where your creativity comes into play!