A traditional Italian dessert given an Autumn spin completewith delicate layers of espresso-soaked sponge cake and creamy pumpkin mascarpone filling!
It may not be the “official” start of fall yet, but when September hits,so does my obsession with all things pumpkin.Although some people claim that this whole pumpkin-flavored/scented everything craze has gone overboard, I beg to differ.Pumpkin is a magical fruit that can taste amazing in both sweet and savory dishes. It should come as absolutely no surprise to you thatI prefer pumpkin’s sweeter possibilities. Speaking of…
If you thought it was impossible to improve upon the heavenliness of Tiramisu, you’ve obviouslynever had the privilege of wrapping your tastebuds around this pumpkin-kissed Italian classic.
Just like traditional Tiramisu, this Pumpkin Tiramisu literally melts in your mouth.So soft and so creamy, it’s like eating the sweetest, most flavorful air. Which probably means that it’s extremely low in calories as well 😉
Seeing as Pumpkin Spice Lattes (or PSL’s in annoying Millennial speak) are a popular fall drink, adding pumpkin to Tiramisu seemed like the perfect fit. One component of Tiramisu is its coffee-soaked ladyfingers, so combining it with pumpkin was a no-brainer.And while Tiramisu looks like a rather intimidating dessert to make, there’s really not too many ingredients or steps involved. The process is simple, really. The only challenging part is actually FINDING the darn ladyfingers…thankfully, it only took me FOUR flipping stores to find them. I was ready to use my OWN fingers. (Gross…)
Don’t worry though, because it is SO totally worth it for this blissful experience of a dessert.
What makes this Pumpkin Tiramisu so divine is the fact that it’s not too pumpkiny. There’s just enough pumpkin added to the creamy mascarpone filling, making it not too overpowering or squashy-tasting. If you know what I mean…
The filling is made by simply combining some mascarpone cheese with some brown sugar and canned pumpkin. Only 1/4 cup of pumpkin is added, giving it not only that beautifully subtle orange hue, but also that light pumpkin flavor. And if you’re looking for ways to use up the rest of that can of pumpkin, I highly suggest you give some my other pumpkin recipes a try.Pumpkin Oatmeal Creme Pies, Pumpkin Sugar Cookies, and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Breadare just a few recipes I highly recommend.
In order to enhance that flavor even more, traditional pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger) are added. To make the filling light as a cloud, a generous amount of freshly-whipped cream is folded in. And that’s it for the filling!
The coffeesyrup is even easier to make. Just stir together some strongly-brewed espresso or coffee, water, and sugar over the medium heatuntil the sugar has dissolved. That’s it!
Other than devouring this lovely dessert, my favorite part about Tiramisu is assembling it. Each ladyfinger is dunkedinto the coffee syrup, then perfectly lined along asquare or rectangular dish. Half of the creamy filling is then evenly spread on top of the coffee-soaked ladyfingers.Repeat this fun (and oddlysatisfying) process once more, and you have a stunner.
Just before serving, I dusted little random smatterings of ground cinnamon over the top. While Tiramisu is traditionally dusted with cocoa powder, I decided to stick with the fall theme. However, I wouldrecommend not dusting the entire surface since cinnamon is a rather potent spice. A little definitely goes a long way.
Finally,because I’m a glutton, I topped it all off with a hefty dollop of whipped cream. Not only does it lookmore pleasing to the eye, but it’s also more pleasing tothe stomach…
Pumpkin Tiramisu
A traditional Italian dessert given an Autumn spin completewith delicate layers of espresso-soaked sponge cake and creamy pumpkin mascarpone filling!
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Prep Time 1 hour hr
Refrigeration Time 6 hours hrs
Total Time 7 hours hrs
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 9 Servings
Ingredients
Coffee Syrup:
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup strongly-brewed coffee*
Mascarpone Filling:
- 1 ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 7 ounces Savoiardi ladyfingers (about 24)
- Cinnamon for dusting
- Whipped cream for topping
Instructions
To makethe syrup, combine water, sugar, and coffee in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
To makethe filling, whip the cream with the granulated sugar and vanilla in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until stiffpeaks form. Transfer whipped cream to a separate bowl, return bowl to the mixer, and replace whisk attachment with paddle attachment.
To the mixer, add the mascarpone cheese, pumpkin, brown sugar, spices, and salt. Beat on high until combined. Stir in 1/3 of the whipped cream until lightened. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until fluffy and combined.
One at a time, quickly dip the ladyfingers in the coffee syrupuntil soaked but not soggy; arrange in an even layer along the bottom of an 8-inch squaredish. (Line the ladyfingers up in two straight rows of six.**) Spread with half of the the mascarpone filling. Repeat with remaining ladyfingers, syrup, and filling.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6hours before serving. Justbefore serving, place cinnamonin a fine strainer and shake sparinglyover the surface. Cut into squares and top with whipped cream, if desired. Tiramisu will stay fresh tightly covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
*I combined 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder with 2/3 cup hot water.
**You might have to cut your ladyfingers depending on their size. Cutting is easier to do after they'v been dipped in the coffee syrup.
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