Soft, cake-y ladyfingers, creamy vanilla-scented mascarpone, and blueberries gently infused with black tea. This tiramisu is built on berries and cream, tinted a pale, dusky blue and streaked with pockets of dark, syrupy fruit. In lieu of liquor, the blueberries simmer in Earl Grey, creating a fragrant syrup used to soak the ladyfingers and lightly sweeten the mascarpone. The cream is plush and soft, easy and unfussy.
It’s a simple, make-ahead dessert, well suited to summer tables. Juicy and softly floral, with layers of cream, soaked cake, and inky berries throughout.
Notes
Feel free to use store-bought ladyfingers. I love making my own — they’re softer and more sponge-like than the packaged kind, making them especially good at soaking up the tea-infused syrup.
Baker’s Schedule
Day 1: Make the ladyfingers. (They can also be made the morning you plan to assemble the tiramisu.)
Day 2: About one hour before assembling, prepare the blueberries and syrup and allow them to cool to room temperature. Assemble the tiramisu.
Day 3: Serve.
Ingredients
Ladyfingers. Soft, cake-y sponge biscuits that form the base of the tiramisu and soak up the tea syrup.
Blueberries. Fresh berries that simmer down into a dark, syrupy layer throughout the dessert.
Black tea. Earl Grey, used to gently infuse the blueberries with a fragrant, floral note.
Granulated sugar. Sweetens the blueberries and helps form the soaking syrup.
Mascarpone. Rich and creamy, forming the base of the tiramisu filling.
Heavy cream. Whipped and folded into the mascarpone for a plush, soft cream.
Vanilla. Adds warmth and rounds out the cream.
Salt. A small amount to balance sweetness and sharpen flavor.
Blueberry and Black Tea Tiramisu
Ingredients
Homemade Ladyfingers
6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup (50g) sourdough discard or active sourdough (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (240g) all purpose flour
2 tablespoons arrowroot
powder sugar for dusting
Blueberry Black Tea Tiramisu
4 cups of blueberries
1 cup Water
3/4 cup Sugar
3-4 tablespoons loose leaf black tea (or 4-5 tea bags)
2 cups (240g) heavy cream
seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
16 ounces (240g) mascarpone
1/2 cup blueberry syrup
Instructions
Homemade Ladyfingers
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place a large round piping tip in a piping bag.
- Place the egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add the sourdough , if using and mix until well combined. Transfer to a large bowl. Clean and dry the bowl and whisk of the stand mixer well. You don’t want any egg yolks in the whites or they will not whip up light and fluffy.
- Add the egg whites to the clean bowl and beat on high until soft peaks form. Slowly add the remaining sugar a spoonful at a time and continue beating for 2 minutes until thick and glossy.
- Fold the egg whites into the yolks in batches until combined. Sift in the flour and arrowroot and gently fold until no dry streaks remain. Transfer the batter to a piping bag.
- Pipe the batter into 4 inch logs on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Dust generously with powdered sugar.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden and firm to touch. Let cool for 10 minutes before transferring a cooling rack.
Blueberry Black Tea Tiramisu
- Prepare a strong batch of earl grey tea, using 8 oz of water. Steep for 10-15 minutes. Strain and add to a pot with the blueberries and sugar. Bring to a gentle boil and gently mash the blueberries to release the juices. Simmer for 7-10 minutes. Strain the berries and transfer to a bowl. Add the liquid back to the pan and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely before assembling the tiramisu.
- In a stand mixer, whisk the heavy cream until soft peaks form and transfer to a medium sized mixing bowl. Return bowl to stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment and mix mascarpone and vanilla bean until creamy. Add in 1/2 cup of the blueberry syrup and mix until combined.Gently fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture, until almost combined, then fold in another third, followed but the last, until incorporated
- To assemble, set out a 9-inch square baking pan or individual glasses. Swirl the ladyfingers briefly in the blueberry syrup until soaked, I like to count 1-2 seconds per side, then arrange it into the bottom of the dish. Top with half of the blueberry compote and a layer of whipped mascarpone cream. Repeat. Place in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight
- When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator, top fresh blueberries and blooms.
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