Blood Orange Raspberry Tiramisu

This easy tiramisu recipe is so surprisingly bright and fruity–perfect for a no-bake summer dessert! Soaked in a mixture of blood orange juice and Grand Marnier, the ladyfingers are refreshingly sweet and tart under layers of creamy mascarpone and macerated raspberries.

I first tried this orange and raspberry tiramisu at a friend’s rooftop pizza party and was immediately captivated. Although I love the flavors of a classic tiramisu (chocolate and coffee) and will virtually always choose a chocolate-y dessert over fruit, this tiramisu is SO so good. If you’re like me, it might make you rethink all your dessert preferences.

And we have Olivia to thank for this original recipe–both for developing it and being willing to share it here. Hope you love what I’m dubbing the Dessert of Summer!

Why you’ll love this tiramisu

• Bright, fruity flavors: The blood orange juice and Grand Marnier add a nuanced level of citrus that plays with the raspberry topping SO well. A sprinkling of salty pistachios on top adds crunch and salt to contrast with the creamy filling.
• A lighter creamy filling: The classic tiramisu that won my tiramisu bake off uses a 1:8 ratio of cream to mascarpone. In contrast, this tiramisu uses a 3:4 ratio of cream to mascarpone for a slightly less heavy cream that complements the refreshing, fruit-forward dessert.
• No bake: I never feel like turning on my oven in the summer. This tiramisu can be assembled entirely via mixing, no baking required! (Though it does require at least 4 hours to chill in the fridge–overnight is even better.)

Ingredients

• Mascarpone: I generally use the Belgioioso brand and it works well. Make sure to use it cold, straight from the fridge! If you let it get too warm, you run the risk of curdling the cream.
• Blood orange juice: While you can certainly juice fresh blood oranges by hand to get 1.5 cups, it’s easier to buy bottled juice if you can find it. I used Natalie’s brand–you’re looking for a juice that has just one ingredient, no added sugar.
• Candied orange slices: These are completely optional, but they do make a gorgeous garnish. I got mine from Trader Joe’s. You can try using regular orange slices instead, or simply use pistachios as the garnish.
• Pistachios: I used roasted, salted Wonderful pistachios but you can use whatever type you prefer.
• Ladyfingers: While I have tried making my own ladyfingers before (see Bigger Bolder Baking’s recipe in the tiramisu bake off) I love using storebought. Savoiardi, Delallo and Gullón are all brands that have all worked well for me.

How to make this blood orange tiramisu: step by step

Step 1: Macerate the raspberries by placing 1 cup raspberries, 1 tbsp sugar and zest of half an orange in a small bowl. Toss lightly and set aside while you prepare everything else.

Step 2: For the cream, whip the egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar until pale yellow and tripled in volume (about 3-4 minutes). Transfer egg yolks to a separate larger bowl.

Step 3: In the same bowl that you whipped the egg yolks (simply wipe it out), whip the cream and 1/4 cup sugar until you have soft/medium peaks.

Step 4: Add the mascarpone and continue to whip until you have a soft, spreadable consistency with medium peaks.

Step 5: Fold the mascarpone mixture into the egg yolk mixture until fully combined.

Step 6: Combine the blood orange juice and Grand Marnier in a shallow bowl. Working one at a time, dip each ladyfinger into the juice mixture for 2-3 seconds on each side.

Step 7: Place the ladyfingers in a flat layer in a 2-quart baking dish (I used a 9-inch springform pan, but you can use a 9-inch cake pan or 8×8 dish), rounded side up.

Step 8: Once you’ve placed half the ladyfingers, spread half the mascarpone mixture evenly over the top. Repeat with the second half of the ladyfingers and mascarpone.

Step 9: Mash the raspberry mixture with a fork until you have no chunks. Drip the macerated raspberries randomly on top of the mascarpone layer, then swirl the surface using a toothpick. Cover and chill for at least 4 or up to 24 hours (the longer the better).

Just before serving, sprinkle with pistachios, garnish with candied orange slices and enjoy!

Storage and Tips

• Leftover tiramisu will keep well in a covered container in the fridge for at least 3 days. I wouldn’t recommend freezing tiramisu as it will change the cream texture.