Creamy Chocolate Tiramisu

This deliciously creamy Chocolate Tiramisu is made with Italian Chocolate Pastry Cream Tiramisu, a rich and deliciously indulgent dessert. It can be made as a parfait or in a baking dish, both are creamy and chocolatey and make the perfect after dinner dessert.

I posted this Chocolate Pastry Cream just over a month ago. I had friends come over dinner and as we all know you can’t have dinner without dessert. I wanted something fast and easy. And we all loved it!

Tiramisu is a quick and easy dessert to put together, it does need some chilling time so it is the perfect make ahead no bake dessert. For birthdays or get togethers you can’t go wrong with a Tiramisu Layer Cake or even A Pistachio Tiramisu or one of our favorites is a Tiramisu no bake Cheesecake!

Recipe Ingredients

• Ladyfingers –  also known as savoiardi
• Coffee – strong coffee (espresso) or even chocolate milk
• Chocolate pastry cream – see above link
• Mascarpone cheese – room temperature
• Cream – whole, whipping or heavy cream at least 30% fat content – optional, although I always use it
• Chocolate – shaved or grated milk or dark chocolate or cocoa powder dutch processed

Can I use regular cocoa powder instead of Dutch-processed?

Yes, regular cocoa powder can be used, but Dutch-processed cocoa powder offers a smoother, less acidic flavor that enhances the chocolate profile of the parfait.

For room temperature remove from the fridge 45-60 minutes before using.

Why use whole cream?

Whole/heavy/whipping cream should have at least 30% fat. Don’t use anything less or it won’t thicken properly and won’t taste the same. 

For the Tiramisu Parfait

Make Italian Chocolate Pastry Cream early in the morning and let it sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Remove it from the fridge and give it a whisk or use an electric mixer to bring back the creaminess.

Gently fold in a little mascarpone at a time until smooth. If the mixture is too thick then add a small amount of fresh cream.

Whip the cream until stiff peaks appear if using. Place the coffee or chocolate milk in a shallow dish.

On the bottom of every glass spoon some pastry cream, then a dipped halved lady finger cookie, top with some whipped cream, continue with the layers, pastry cream, dipped lady finger and whipped cream.

Cover the glasses with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Garnish with chocolate shavings or dust with unsweetened cocoa powder before serving. Using a vegetable peeler is an easy way to make chocolate shavings.

How to make a Pan Chocolate Tiramisu

Repeat as above for the pastry cream and mascarpone. Whip the cream until stiff peaks appear.

In the baking dish place lady fingers that have been dipped but not soaked in the coffee in a single row, Top with some pastry cream, the amount depends on if you want two or three layers.

If you want it even richer, then add a layer of whipped cream on top of the pastry cream. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Top with chocolate shavings or dust with cocoa powder before serving.

Where did Tiramisu originate?

The origins of Tiramisu are actually unknown as pretty well every region in Italy claims it as their invention! In fact a small dispute started between Tuscany, Piedmont, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto.

There are many stories that started on how this dessert came about, but the official version places the origin of tiramisu in the seventeenth century in Siena. Some pastry chefs, decided to prepare a dessert to celebrate the arrival of the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo de Medici.

They wanted it to reflect his personality. It had to be stunning and very tasty, but they wanted simple ingredients. But most importantly it had to be rich and decadent. And that is how Tiramisu came about. And rightly named Pick me Up.

Can I make this parfait a day ahead?

Yes, making the parfait a day ahead allows the flavors to meld and the ladyfingers to soften, creating a better texture overall.

Can you substitute mascarpone cheese with something else in a chocolate tiramisu parfait?

Yes, you can use a mixture of cream cheese and heavy cream as a substitute for mascarpone cheese to achieve a similar texture and flavor.

What type of chocolate is best for making chocolate pastry cream?

For a rich and creamy chocolate pastry cream, use high-quality semi-sweet or dark chocolate with at least 60% cocoa content for the best results.

Parfaits are not very popular here in Italy so I knew my friends would love it. And love it they did. With the Chocolate Pastry Cream giving the Tiramisu a very delicate taste.

The kind of dessert we need anytime, fast, easy and really delicious. Whichever way you decide to serve this Italian Chocolate Tiramisu as a classic Tiramisu in a pan or as a Parfait. I hope you enjoy it!

Updated from December 21, 2016.