June has arrived and with it the appearance of our first local strawberries. Cooks in western Massachusetts where I live have been on the lookout for these crimson berries for the past few days. Recently, a friend reported that they were finally here. She had seen baskets of them in a nearby food coop. I’m looking forward to using these seasonal gems for individual strawberry tiramisus, a luscious dessert I recently created.
These summertime tiramisus are prepared by filling old fashioned glasses or large wine glasses with layers of ladyfingers, strawberries, and whipped cream. The ladyfingers, cut into 3/4-inch pieces, toasted in the oven, and then soaked in fresh orange juice make up the first layer. Sliced strawberries tossed in a simple sauce of pureed raspberries (frozen berries work well) that is sweetened and scented with lemon and orange juice come next. Mascarpone whipped cream, flavored with vanilla and orange zest, makes a tempting third layer.
These delectable confections need to be assembled several hours ahead (and are even better when made a day in advance) so that their flavors have a chance to meld. Offer them as a sweet ending after your next outdoor barbecue or invite friends for dessert and iced coffee on a warm summer night. Oh, and be certain to look for local strawberries wherever you live!
Print This Recipe
Strawberry Tiramisus
For ladyfingers and berries:
Two 3-oz packages purchased lady fingers (See market tip.)
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon orange juice, divided
6 ounces frozen unsweetened raspberries, defrosted (See market tip.)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 cups (1-1 1/2 pounds) strawberries, hulled and sliced lengthwise (See market tip.)
For mascarpone cream:
1 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons mascarpone
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish, optional
Equipment needed: 6 old fashioned glasses or 6 large wide-mouthed wine glasses
1.Arrange a rack at center position, and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.Using a sharp knife, cut enough of the ladyfingers crosswise into 3/4- inch pieces to yield about 6 cups. (You will have some ladyfinger left over; save for another use.) Spread the cubes on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake on center shelf until lightly toasted and starting to dry out. Stir the cubes after 5 minutes. Then bake only 1 to 2 minutes more. Watch carefully so they do not start to burn on the bottom. Transfer cubes to a large bowl to cool 10 minutes. Then, pour 1/2 cup of the orange juice over the cubes and toss to coat well.
3.Using a food processor or immersion blender, puree the raspberries until smooth. Place pureed mixture in a medium saucepan along with 2 tablespoons of sugar, lemon juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon orange juice. Cook and stir just until sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and cool raspberry mixture to room temperature. Remove 1/3 cup of the strawberries and save for the garnish. Add remaining strawberries to the saucepan and toss to coat well.
4.With an electric mixer on high speed, whip cream until just firm, then add mascarpone, sugar, vanilla, and orange zest and whip until firm
5.Fill the six old fashioned or large wine glasses in the following way. Using half of the soaked ladyfingers, divide evenly and make a layer of ladyfingers in each glass. Using half of the strawberry/raspberry mixture, divide mixture evenly and spread over the ladyfingers in each glass. Using half of the mascarpone whipped cream, divide evenly and spread atop the strawberries in each glass. Repeat making 3 more layers in each glass with remaining ingredients. Garnish each serving with a few of the reserved strawberry slices. Cover each glass with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours. When ready to serve, if desired, garnish each tiramisu with a mint sprig.
Serves 6
Market tip: One of my local supermarkets sells ladyfingers in the bakery section but I often need to ask for them since the store keeps them frozen and out of sight. My two 3-oz packages each contained 12 ladyfingers and I needed 18 ladyfingers to yield 6 cups. You might need fewer or more depending on the size of your ladyfingers.
Market tip: Most frozen unsweetened raspberries come in 12-ounce packages. You’ll need to defrost the package and use half. You can refreeze the remaining half for future use.
Market tip: If local strawberries are not available, use fresh ones that have been shipped in. Look for deep red berries and if they have white center cores, use a sharp paring knife to cut off red slices around the outside of the berries and discard the cores.
Copyright Betty Rosbottom 2026
