There's just something about Italian desserts that make my sweet tooth go crazy. Whether it's a cannoli or a classic tiramisu, I just cannot get enough.
These little goodies of deliciously fluffy tiramisu cream piped delicately into phyllo pastry cups, topped with espresso powder and a coffee-soaked ladyfinger on top is quite literally a two-bite masterpiece of an Italian dessert. This is a NEED, not just a want for your next dinner menu.
I should have been born Italian with the amount of love I have for Italian culture, art, and of course, the food. Pastas upon pastas like a one pot easy and approachable rigatoni fiorentina, a deliciously simple take on a tuscan chicken, or a traditional minestrone soup, You just cannot go wrong with Italian cuisine!
Sometimes, you just want a small little bite of a decadent dessert, and these tiramisu phyllo cups are exactly that!
Jump to:
- Why I absolutely love this two-bite tiramisu recipe
- What does tiramisu mean? Where does it come from?
- What are the ingredients needed for making these tiramisu cups?
- Swaps and Substitutions
- How do I make these two-bite desserts?
- Make the Cream
- Fill the Cups
- Dust with Espresso Powder
- Add the Final Touches
- Tips and tricks for making this recipe
- Ways to serve these Italian tiramisu cups
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Hungry for more?
- Did you like this recipe? Share it!
- Tiramisu Cups in Phyllo Shells
Why I absolutely love this two-bite tiramisu recipe
- This is one of those make ahead of time recipes that you absolutely cannot mess up!
- Buying pre-baked phyllo cups make this recipe a breeze to make if you are short on time or looking to make something easy and fancy for a gathering.
- With simple ingredients, this recipe is a piece of cake! This one does not call for any raw eggs, raw egg yolks, or coffee liqueur, and relies on just a simple whipped topping and some Italian cream cheese.
What does tiramisu mean? Where does it come from?
Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert which translates to "pick me up," originating in Treviso in 1800. Which, makes sense considering there's espresso (or some sort of caffeine or coffee) as one of the larger ingredients in the recipe. Tiramisu is a layered dessert with espresso and liqueur soaked lady fingers sandwiched between thick layers of mascarpone cream, topped with a generous dusting of espresso or cocoa powder. It's absolutely fantastic and when made right, makes you feel as if you're sitting in the Italian countryside.
What are the ingredients needed for making these tiramisu cups?
- Phyllo Pastry Cups - These are essentially little puff pastry or phyllo shells that are perfect for individual tiramisu cups. You can find these in the freezer section where you'd like pie crust and pre-made pies in the dessert section. I like the brand Athens for this recipe.
- Mascarpone Cheese - Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese, and has a tangier, creamy flavor which is delicious even on its own, but is a very common and classic ingredient used in tiramisu recipes.
- Heavy Whipping Cream - We make a whipped cream which will be half of the "tiramisu cream" when mixed together with the mascarpone cream.
- Sugar - A little sugar goes a long way when making the heavy whipping cream, just to give it more flavor and sweetness.
- Strong Brewed Cold Coffee - The coffee is for soaking the lady fingers which gives the tiramisu style flavor to these cups.
- Ladyfingers - Ladyfingers are Italian finger-like wafers or biscotti-style cookies. They are very light in texture and flavor, and are traditional in all tiramisu recipes.
- Espresso Powder - The espresso powder gets dusted on top of the tiramisu cups after they are piped with the cream.
- Espresso or Coffee Beans - Beans are placed on top of the pastry cups for fun and festive decor!
See the recipe card below for more information about specific quantities, tips, tricks, and substitutions!
Swaps and Substitutions
There are some ingredients that are pretty classic and traditional for a tiramisu-esque recipe, but for those who are looking to modify for allergens or dietary needs, feel free to use any of these swaps and subs:
- Mascarpone Cheese - You can easily swap the regular one for a dairy-alternative.
- Heavy whipping cream - I have not tested this with a dairy alternative, but if you have a dairy-free equivalent to a heavy cream, feel free to test it out and see how it comes out!
- Coffee - You do not need to use cold espresso, just simply use cold coffee or even a cold brew.
- Espresso Powder - If you would prefer to use unsweetened cocoa powder, you can do that instead!
How do I make these two-bite desserts?
Make the Cream
Before starting the whipped cream, take the mascarpone cream out of the fridge and place on the counter to come to room temperature.
In a large, cold mixing bowl, with an electric mixer using a whisk attachment, combine the sugar and heavy whipping cream until the mixture forms whipped cream with almost stiff peaks.
Add the mascarpone cream to the whipped cream and mix again until smooth and fluffy.
Fill the Cups
We use a makeshift piping bag to help us out with filling the cups.
Add the mascarpone cream to a large ziplock bag, close tightly, then snip one end of the non-zipped side of the bag to pipe the mascarpone cream into the phyllo cups.
Dust with Espresso Powder
Once you finish piping the mascarpone cream, add 1 tablespoon of espresso powder to a small sieve (mesh wire strainer) and gently with your fingertips, tap the sieve to add a dusting of espresso powder on top of the pastry cups.
Add the Final Touches
Lastly, add a cup of cold coffee to a small bowl. Cut and dip the ladyfingers into the cold coffee and place in the center of each cup, then place one espresso bean next to the soaked lady finger. Serve at room temperature.
Tips and tricks for making this recipe
Stick to these tried and true tips for making the most perfect tiramisu cream for these phyllo pastry cups each and every single time!
- Bring the mascarpone to room temperature. This will help get a really smooth consistency when blending this with the heavy whipping cream.
- Use a very cold mixing bowl. 30 minutes before you plan to whip the heavy cream, add a large bowl to the fridge and let it get cold. Using a cold bowl to make whipped cream helps to speed up the process and produce deliciously cold heavy cream.
- Use a ziplock bag to pipe the tiramisu cream into the phyllo cups. You can do so by adding the content to the bag, then zipping it shut. Move the cream around the by squeezing it down to one end of the bag. Snip ¼" off the tip so you have room to pipe the cream through. This is a huge time saver and way less messy!
Ways to serve these Italian tiramisu cups
There are a few different and fun ways to serve these individual desserts:
- Add these to a fun dessert board or a brunch board like a brunch charcuterie board, where everyone can grab a small bite of what they want.
- Have these on a dessert table for guests when they are done with a holiday dinner.
- Serve this alongside a larger and more traditional tiramisu, my ultra chewy brown butter blondies, or a large and decadent cookie skillet.
- Add fresh berries to the top, some chocolate curls, or some confectioner's sugar if you desire.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I store the leftovers?
Simply add any leftover tiramisu cups to an airtight container and place in the fridge. These will stay for 1-2 days in the fridge. You can also freeze them but be sure to wrap them well with plastic wrap, then place in a large food storage bag.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes you can! I would hold off on dusting the espresso or chocolate powder on top of the cups until you are ready to serve.
What other desserts go well with this?
You can be sure to wow an entire crowd of friends and family by making a delectable desert table with these alongside my brown butter chocolate chip cookies, a moist and velvety apple crumb cake, or my chewy peanut butter cookies.
Hungry for more?
Here are some incredible dessert recipes that are calling your name!
Did you like this recipe? Share it!
If you're just as in love with this recipe as I am, please share a comment below and rate it! Better yet, share this recipe with family and friends!! Thank you for being here!!
Tiramisu Cups in Phyllo Shells
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 electric mixer with whisk attachment
- 1 large food storage bag
- 1 small cutting board
Ingredients
- 30 phyllo cups frozen
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese room temperature
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
- 3 tablespoon cane sugar
- 2 tablespoon espresso powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 10 ladyfingers diced
- 1 cup cold coffee
- 30 small espresso beans or coffee beans
Instructions
- Before starting the whipped cream, take the mascarpone cream out of the fridge and place on the counter to come to room temperature.
- In a large, cold mixing bowl, with an electric mixer using a whisk attachment, combine the sugar and heavy whipping cream until the mixture forms whipped cream with almost stiff peaks.
- Add the mascarpone cream to the whipped cream and mix again until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the mascarpone cream to a large plastic food storage bag and zip tightly, then snip one end of the non-zipped side of the bag to pipe the mascarpone cream into the phyllo cups.
- Once you finish piping the mascarpone cream, add 1 tablespoon of espresso powder to a small sieve (mesh wire strainer) and gently with your fingertips, tap the sieve to add a dusting of espresso powder on top of the pastry cups.
- Lastly, add a cup of cold coffee to a small bowl. Cut and dip the ladyfingers into the cold coffee and place in the center of each cup, then place one espresso bean next to the soaked lady finger. Serve at room temperature.
Leave a Reply