To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1
It’s strawberry time, and I have THE recipe to please with these seasonal gems. This recipe is sort of a mix between strawberry shortcake and tiramisu. I take pride in my tiramisu recipes because I do them the right way. Yes, the right way…with eggs. No whipped-cream-only-fake-tiramisu. I make it the real way with an egg yolk-based mascarpone custard. It’s heavenly. Just make sure you have a good source of organic eggs, preferably from pasture-raised hens. Commercial eggs may carry pathogens which are not safe to be eaten raw. Organic eggs do not pose this risk. If you’re worried about the raw egg thing, check out the bottom of this post.
My big secret to getting an amazing strawberry flavor with this is the powdered freeze-dried strawberries. I use freeze-dried strawberries that I crush into a powder to flavor all my strawberry frostings or other strawberry flavored things that wouldn’t work if you used fresh strawberries because of the water in them. Trader Joe’s carries the freeze-dried strawberries that I like to use. They aren’t organic, but I make that sacrifice. I do, however, use organic, locally raised strawberries for the fresh berries needed in this recipe.
By the way, my local farm has the absolute, hands-down BEST strawberries on the planet. If you’re close to San Juan Capistrano, CA, then check them out.
Strawberry Tiramisu
- 3-4 cups strawberries, sliced (about 20-25 strawberries)
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar, plus ¼ cup
- 3 egg yolks
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 1, 8-ounce package of freeze-dried strawberries, crushed into a powder (optional)
- 1 pre-packaged or freshly made butter pound cake or lady finger cookies
- Place sliced strawberries in a large bowl and gently toss with lemon juice, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Let set while preparing cream.
- Place egg yolks and ¼ cup sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixture or very strong arm until pale yellow and fluffy, and sugar has dissolved. Whisk in mascarpone cheese until smooth and blended. Add cream and whisk until smooth and cream has whipped and puffed up slightly. Do not over-beat or cream will separate and mixture will become oily. Finally, gently stir in strawberry powder.
- Place thin sliced of cake or cookies on the bottom of a baking dish to create a base layer. Spread half of the strawberry slices, with juices, over the layer of cake/cookies. Spread half of the cream mixture over the strawberries. Repeat with one more layer of cake/cookies, marinated strawberries, and cream. Serve immediately or chill for a few hours in the refrigerator and serve.
Worried about the safety of eating raw egg yolks?
While I would NEVER eat raw egg yolks from commercial eggs, I eat raw egg yolks from pastured chicken eggs daily! The health of the animal determines the risk of salmonella and other pathogens. Here are some great places to read more about this:
Why I’m Not Afraid of Salmonella, by Food Renegade
Are Raw Eggs Safe To Eat, by Kelly the Kitchen Kop
Why I Eat Raw Egg Yolks Every Day, by Living the Nourished Life