Easy Fig Tiramisu (15-Minute Recipe)

Name: Easy Fig Tiramisu
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 12 fresh figs; 12 ladyfingers; 11.8 oz (335 g) mascarpone cheese; 4 eggs; 1/3 cup + 1 teaspoon (80 g) granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon Marsala; 1 pinch of salt; 2/3 cup (155 ml) cold espresso; 1 tablespoon Marsala; 1 teaspoon cocoa powder (optional)

Published: Aug 7, 2021 · Modified: Oct 3, 2023 by Irina Totterman · This post may contain affiliate links, read the disclaimer for details · 44 Comments

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This easy 15-minute fig tiramisu cups recipe is a fun twist on the classic Italian dessert, perfect for your next party. It consists of layers of mascarpone cream, espresso-dipped ladyfingers, and fresh figs.

If you are a fan of the traditional tiramisu, you will love this fig tiramisu in cups. They represent a verrine dessert, a decadently layered dessert in small glasses.

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Fig tiramisu recipe
Ingredients
How to make fig tiramisu
Expert Tips
Recipe variations
Storing and freezing
Recipe FAQ
Love easy and quick desserts? Try these next!
Recipe card
Comments

These mini tiramisu cups are a new way of exploring combinations: classic Italian tiramisu is combined with seasonal fruits and served in glasses.

Fig tiramisu recipe

This is an easy, no-bake fig tiramisu recipe that is best enjoyed in the summertime when you want to stay cool and away from heat.

It is a delicious dessert for a celebration party (birthday, BBQ, dinner party, etc.) or when you want something sweet but don't have much time.

It only takes 15 minutes to prepare. And you will love how its light tiramisu flavor goes perfectly with figs.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

Figs: Choose fresh, clean, dry, and fresh seasonal figs with smooth skin. Look for the fruit to be soft to the touch but not mushy.

Mascarpone cheese (Italian cream cheese) is an essential ingredient of tiramisu. To twist a classic, replace mascarpone cream with fruity yogurt or plain yogurt mixed with jam.

Eggs: Use pasteurized eggs at room temperature to make tiramisu. Or pasteurize eggs yourself: it only takes 13 minutes from start to finish.

Attention: since this tiramisu recipe is made with raw eggs, it isn't recommended for kids, pregnant women, and nursing mothers. Please use whipped heavy cream to avoid raw eggs in the dessert.

Sugar: The recipe calls for regular granulated or caster sugar.

Espresso: Use cold espresso coffee or decaf coffee if you want to avoid caffeine in your tiramisu.

Marsala: Use a traditional sweet Marsala wine or replace it with alternatives.

Ladyfingers (also known as Savoiardi biscuits) are classic dessert stars. Make sure to purchase the crispy-style Italian cookies from Forno Bonomi, Balocco, or Matilde Vicenzi - these are the best brands to choose from.

Pro tip: These gluten-free ladyfingers work perfectly if you want to make gluten-free tiramisu cups.

Unsweetened cocoa powder is optional and is used to decorate fig tiramisu.

Fig tiramisu cups dusted with cocoa powder.

How to make fig tiramisu

Step 1. To make mascarpone cream, separate egg whites from yolks with an egg separator.

Step 2. In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and mascarpone cheese with an electric hand mixer until smooth.

Step 3. Add one tablespoon of Marsala and whisk again (photo 1).

Step 4. Whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt in a separate bowl until soft peaks. Gently add to the mascarpone mixture using a rubber spatula (photo 2).

PHOTO 1

PHOTO 2

Step 5. Pour strong coffee - cold espresso - on a shallow plate and add the remaining tablespoon of Marsala wine.

Step 6. Dip ladyfinger halves in the coffee mixture quickly, one at a time, and place them into the bottom of six glass cups.

Step 7. Pipe with a piping bag or spoon half of the mascarpone cream between cups, then place 8 quarters of fresh figs into each cup (photo 3).

Step 8. Cover with another layer of lady fingers dipped in coffee (photo 4).

Step 9. Spread another layer of the remaining cream and even the top of the dessert with a bent spatula. Cover the cups with plastic film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Cups with mascarpone cream, ladyfingers, and figs.

PHOTO 3

Tiramisu cups with with mascarpone cream, ladyfingers, and figs.

PHOTO 4

To serve, remove the cups from the fridge, peel the plastic wrap, and even the cream with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with a little bit of unsweetened cocoa powder. Use a decorating stencil if desired.

Three fig tiramisu cups on a serving platter.

Expert Tips

Don't oversoak ladyfinger halves - dip cookies in a cold espresso mixture and count to 2 or 3.
Use simple shot glasses, martini glasses, cocktail glasses, wine glasses, little jars, small bowls, or any cups on your hands.
Sprinkle the top layer of the dessert with grated dark chocolate or mini chocolate chips if desired.

Recipe variations

Ladifinger substitutes: Replace ladyfinger biscuits with shortbread cookies reduced to large pieces with a food processor, madeleines or financiers cut or broken into pieces, or gingerbread loaf sliced or cut into small cubes. Discover more ladyfinger substitutes.

Fruits: Use seasonal fruits like strawberries, peaches, nectarines, or cherries instead of fresh figs.

Alcohol: Replace traditional Marsala with another kind of alcohol, such as Madeira or sweet sherry, Amaretto, dark rum, brandy, Porto, limoncello, cherry, raspberry, or plum liqueur diluted with cold water, or diluted vanilla extract.

Tiramisu without alcohol: Make fig tiramisu without alcohol if you want to serve the dessert to kids. Dip ladyfingers in espresso without alcohol, or use pink champagne biscuits of Reims dipped in orange juice. Or dip biscuits in a mix of an equal amount of maple syrup and water.

Storing and freezing

Store fig tiramisu cups wrapped in plastic film in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Can you freeze fig tiramisu? You can freeze tiramisu cups covered with plastic wrap for up to two weeks. To thaw, bring your tiramisu to the fridge for about 2 hours. Then, sprinkle with cocoa powder and serve.

Recipe FAQ

What is tiramisu etymology?

This dessert has an interesting etymology: tiramisu means "pick me up" or "cheer me up"- a sentiment anyone could use after a long working day.

What is in tiramisu?

The original tiramisu is made with Italian ladyfingers, eggs, sugar, mascarpone, Marsala, coffee, and cocoa powder. Some recipes use whipping cream.

What makes the best tiramisu?

It is essential to use high-quality ingredients when making a classic like a tiramisu. Opt for Italian-style ladyfingers, real espresso, fresh eggs, and mascarpone.

Should you use soft or hard ladyfingers for tiramisu?

The important ingredient in tiramisu is high-quality hard savoiardi biscuits. For the best results possible, choose hard savoiardi ladyfingers by the Italian brand Forno Bonomi or Balocco.

What can you use instead of ladyfingers in tiramisu?

Ladyfingers, known as savoiardi biscuits, are the traditional way to make tiramisu. However, you can replace them with Italian pavesini biscuits, pink champagne biscuits, shortbread cookies, speculoos, Oreos, pound cake, or sponge cake cut into ladyfingers' size strips. Also, you can opt for homemade ladyfingers.

Can kids eat tiramisu?

Since the original tiramisu includes alcohol and coffee, the best and quick answer is "not." In addition, cocoa powder contains caffeine that is not recommended for young kids.

Love easy and quick desserts? Try these next!

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was originally published on September 11, 2019. It has been revised to include improved content and photos.

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About Irina Totterman

I'm Irina, an experienced home baker with over 30 years of expertise and the blogger behind Baking Like a Chef (since 2018), where I share baking recipes, tips, and tricks. My recipes have been featured in the renowned French Chef Simon and Le Journal des Femmes.