Tiramisu is one of the most popular Italian desserts in the world, so much so that there are endless variations of it. In this recipe, we will show you the gelato version: the authentic Tiramisu gelato recipe!
We'll use the same ingredients as the famous dessert: eggs, mascarpone, coffee, ladyfingers and bitter cocoa powder.
Born from the marriage of traditional tiramisu and creamy gelato, this frozen treat is a delicious symphony of flavors that will delight your senses and transport you to the idyllic streets of Italy.
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When the classic tiramisu recipe is transformed into velvety gelato, it becomes a dreamy frozen treat that not only satisfies the sweet tooth, but also provides a refreshing break on warm summer days.
We will show you how to make this fantastic tiramisu gelato WITH and WITHOUT an ice cream maker.
Those who love tiramisu will be impressed. Fresh, creamy, but with the crunch of crushed ladyfingers inside.
Tiramisu ice cream is a great alternative for a fresh, nutritious snack. You can also serve it as a dessert. Your guests will be amazed at the deliciousness of this recipe!
Get ready to savor every mouthwatering spoonful of this frozen masterpiece, because once you experience the authentic pleasure of tiramisu gelato, there's no turning back.
Ingredients
WITH Ice Cream Maker:
- Prep Time: 5 Min + about 40 min in ice cream maker
- Cook Time: 10 Min
- Servings: 6/8 people that is about 750 g (1,65 lb) of Gelato
WITHOUT Ice Cream Maker:
- Prep Time: 5 Min + cooling in the freezer for about 5 H
- Cook time: 10 Min
- Servings: 6/8 people that is about 750 g (1,65 lb) of Gelato
- 4 medium egg yolks. There is even a version without eggs (see the paragraph below "Tiramisu Gelato Without Eggs").
- 150 g (¾ cup) of granulated sugar
- 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) of fresh whole milk
- 50 ml ( 3 ⅓ tablespoons) of espresso coffee
- 250 g (1 cup) of Mascarpone cheese. Or try your hand with our recipe "How to Make Homemade Mascarpone".
- 4-5 Savoiardi Ladyfingers. We recommend VICENZOVO SAVOIARDI LADYFINGERS by Matilde Vicenzi, or make homemade ladyfingers with our recipe, which are great!
- unsweetened cocoa powder for decoration
The most useful tool for making tiramisu gelato is undoubtedly an ice cream maker. There are different types of ice cream makers, but the best one is equipped with a compressor that cools the gelato as it is being made.
Lello 4080 Musso Lussino 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker is easy to use and perfect for getting professional results at home. It has a powerful and robust cooling system for professional performance without pre-cooling.
Another high performance ice cream maker is the Whynter ICM-200LS Automatic Ice Cream Maker (built-in compressor, no pre-freezing).
Other types of ice cream makers without a compressor require the machine's container to be placed in the freezer many hours in advance to cool the ingredients as you mix them. Among these, we recommend the Cuisinart Automatic Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet, and Ice Cream Maker , which we find to be affordable and convenient.
You will need an gelato container whether you make the gelato with or without an ice cream maker.
Other accessories for serving homemade tiramisu gelato can be the ice cream scoop tool or the handy scoops for making gelato cups.
Tiramisu Gelato Recipe: Instructions
Step 1) - Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with the sugar on high speed for about 5 minutes, until the cream is soft and fluffy.
Step 2) - Meanwhile, pour the milk into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes.
The milk MUST NOT BOIL.
If you have a kitchen thermometer, you can check that the temperature stays at about 85°C (185°F).
If you don't have a thermometer, be sure to remove the saucepan from the heat or lower the heat if you see the milk starting to boil.
Step 3) - In this step, place the egg and sugar fluffy cream in a saucepan. Slowly add the hot milk and keep stirring.
THIS WILL PASTEURIZE THE EGGS.
Return to the heat and cook for 5 minutes WITHOUT BOILING, stirring constantly.
Step 4) - Then turn off the heat and add the mascarpone cheese and espresso coffee.
Mix well and let cool at room temperature for a few minutes.
The mixture is ready! Now we'll show you how to make tiramisu gelato WITH and WITHOUT an ice cream maker, so keep reading!
How to Make Tiramisu Gelato WITH Ice Cream Maker
Step 5/1) - If you have an ice-cream maker with a compressor (which cools as it churns), you do not need to cool the mixture in the refrigerator.
If you have an ice-cream maker without a compressor, put the mixture in the refrigerator and let it cool completely.
Finally, pour the mixture into the ice cream maker and turn it on. Let it churn your gelato! This will take about 40 minutes, depending on the model.
Step 6/1) - When the gelato is almost ready, crush 4 or 5 ladyfingers coarsely in the ice-cream maker and finish the gelato.
The result should contain cookie pieces, so don't churn it too long or they will loose their consistency.
Serve the tiramisu gelato topped with unsweetened cocoa powder.
How to make Tiramisu Gelato WITHOUT Ice Cream Maker
If you don't have an ice cream maker, don't worry! We are going to show you how to prepare Tiramisu gelato without an ice cream maker. It requires more time (5 hours instead of about 40 minutes) and more work, but the result is still amazing!
Step 5/2) - Pour the mixture into a gelato container and place in the freezer for about 5 hours.
Break up the frozen surface every 30 minutes. To do this, remove the gelato from the freezer and beat it with a hand or electric whisk at low speed for about 30 seconds.
This step is necessary to prevent ice crystals from forming in the gelato and to get a creamy result. Of course, this is a bit more work, but it is worth it!
Step 6/2) - When you see the gelato is almost ready, add the shredded ladyfingers and stir. Leave in the freezer for an additional 40 minutes.
Before serving, let the tiramisu gelato stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Then stir and finally sprinkle with the unsweetened cocoa powder.
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- Coffee Gelato Recipe | Gelato al Caffè
- Chestnut Gelato | Gelato di Castagne
How to Store Tiramisu Gelato
The best way to enjoy homemade tiramisu gelato is to eat it as soon as you take it out of the freezer or ice cream maker, creamy and with the crumbled ladyfingers still crunchy.
Otherwise, keep it in the freezer. As with all homemade gelato, the authenticity of the ingredients and the absence of preservatives mean that it should be consumed within a few days at most.
TIP: If the gelato is too hard and frozen, let it thaw in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Tiramisu Gelato Without Eggs
For those who prefer not to use eggs, it's certainly possible to make tiramisu ice cream without eggs.
It will still be very good, although the traditional version with eggs will be creamier and richer in flavor.
- Replace the eggs with 150 ml (⅗ cup) of heavy whipping cream
Directions
Combine the milk and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat, but DO NOT BOIL, stirring to dissolve the sugar completely. Allow to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Once cold, add the mascarpone, whipping cream and espresso coffee. Blend with an immersion blender.
Then follow the recipe from step 5-1 or 6-1, depending on whether you want to make your gelato with an ice cream maker or without.
Tiramisu Gelato: Some Variations
- RUM OR MARSALA: As with classic tiramisu, you can enrich the taste of tiramisu gelato by adding an alcoholic note, if you like. For the quantities indicated in the recipe, we recommend 1 tablespoon of rum or Marsala or a coffee liqueur.
- COFFEE POWDER: If you want to enhance the coffee flavor and also add an aesthetic note, you can add a level teaspoon of coffee powder to the mixture. The coffee powder will not melt and small dark dots will remain in the gelato.
- CHOCOLATE CHIPS: To make the Tiramisu gelato even more delicious and especially for chocolate lovers, you can decorate the bowl not only with cocoa powder but also with dark chocolate chips.
- TIRAMISU GELATO IN CASSEROLE: If you want to imitate the classic tiramisu in every way, but in an gelato version, you can opt for the classic family presentation in a stainless steel casserole dish of about 35x20 cm (approx. 13x9 inches). Directions: (double the indicated doses). Make the tiramisu gelato according to the recipe above, but skip step 6 (do not add the ladyfingers). Spread a first generous layer of gelato in the casserole. Then make a layer of ladyfingers (about 6-8) soaked a bit in bitter, cold coffee. Top with a second generous layer of tiramisu gelato. Return to the freezer. Dust the top with unsweetened cocoa powder before serving. It looks like classic tiramisu, but your guests will be in for a fresh surprise!
