Deep, sumptuous layers of soft, pillowy whipped cream and mascarpone in between cherry kirsch and coffee-soaked sponges, layered with chocolate and cherries in kirsch, this recipe will give you a beautiful Cherry 🍒Tiramisu dessert.
36-40Cherries from a jar of Cherries in Kirschstrained from their liquid
Here's what we do...
(Please read the Notes section below first)
Creamy Filling
Add your double (heavy) cream, mascarpone, golden caster sugar, 2 tablespoons of kirsch and your vanilla extract into your stand mixer bowl (or large mixing bowl).
Add the whisk attachment to your mixer and begin to beat, on slow setting for the first 10 seconds, until it all just starts to combine.
Turn your mixer setting up to medium-high and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. These peaks should hold their own shape. Stop and check the progress of the mixture regularly to prevent overbeating. Scrape your bowl down with your spatula to ensure all ingredients are totally mixed together.
Refrigerate whilst you complete the next stage of your Cherry Tiramisu.
Sponge Filling
Pour your cooled coffee mixture into your large dish.
Add your kirsch and mix together.
Taking one sponge finger at a time, dip into your coffee and kirsch mixture and roll over 4 times, then leave to soak for 3 seconds on each side.
Place into your serving dish so that all over base is covered.
Take 12 cherries and dot them evenly over the top of your sponge fingers.
Spread over half of your cream and mascarpone mixture and level out with your knife or small palette knife.
Repeat with another layer of coffee/kirsch soaked sponge fingers, cherries and then another cream layer.
Decoration
Decorate with another 12 cherries and a grating of chocolate.
Sift over your cocoa powder.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
It is best to strain your cherries from the kirsch and give them a little squeeze to release any excess liquid, that way your cherries will not leak liquid into your cream and you will have plenty of kirsch for your sponge fingers.
Your cream and mascarpone will easily overbeat, it is best to check regularly to see if the mixture has reached the stiff peak stage and stop immediately when it has.
If you can, try to use a good coffee. It is such a vital flavour component to a good Cherry Tiramisu.
You may find it easier to mix your coffee/kirsch and then split it into two halves. That way you will know how much liquid you have per sponge layer. Pour any excess liquid over your sponges.
Try not to soak your sponge fingers for too long, you want them with a little sponge still remaining in the centre.
Your chocolate will have a tendency to melt whilst grating, therefore I advise to grate straight onto your Cherry Tiramisu rather than grating in advance.