Sweet Cherry Amaretto Tiramisu Everyone Will Love

This Cherry Amaretto Tiramisu is a special treat that will make your kitchen feel like a fancy bakery. It is a very cool and creamy dessert that looks amazing on any table in your happy home. Your friends will be so surprised when they see the layers.

You can make this dessert right in your kitchen with just a few simple things. It is a great way to show your family that you love them. The bright red cherries and white cream look so pretty together and taste even better when you eat them.

This cake has layers of soft cookies and creamy cheese that melt in your mouth. We added bright red cherries and sweet almond flavor to make it taste even better for you. It is a cool and refreshing snack for a big family dinner.

If you like this style, you should see our Authentic Tiramisu Recipe to learn the classic way. We also have Tiramisu Truffles if you want a tiny bite sized treat.

Why The Mix Of Cherry And Almond Is So Great

The cherries give this dessert a very bright and happy color. They are sweet and a little bit sour at the same time. This goes very well with the rich and heavy cream cheese. It is a balance of flavors that makes every single bite taste amazing.

Amaretto is a sweet liquid that tastes just like fresh almonds. It makes the coffee soak taste like a fancy drink from a nice cafe. You do not need a lot of it to make a big difference. It turns a regular cake into something very special and unique.

The Simple Ingredients You Will Need

• 2 cups fresh or frozen pitted cherries
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 16 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons Amaretto almond liquid
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee
• 24 ladyfinger cookies
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder for dusting

Exactly How To Make It Step By Step

Making The Sweet Cherry Sauce

Start by putting your cherries in a small pot on the stove. Add the white sugar and the lemon juice to the pot. Stir it over medium heat for about ten minutes. The cherries will get soft and the juice will turn into a thick and red syrup.

Let the cherry sauce cool down completely before you use it. You can even put it in the fridge to make it cold. This sauce is going to be a hidden layer of fruit inside your cake. It adds a lot of moisture and a very bright flavor to the layers.

Whipping The Creamy Cheese Filling

In a large bowl you will mix the mascarpone cheese and powdered sugar. Use a hand mixer to beat it until it is very smooth. In another bowl whip the heavy cream and vanilla until it is thick. Fold the cream into the cheese very gently.

This mixture should look like a big fluffy cloud. It is the heart of the tiramisu. Make sure you do not stir it too fast or the air will leave the cream. You want it to stay light and airy so the dessert feels very soft when you eat it.

Dipping The Lady Finger Cookies

Mix your cold brewed coffee with the Amaretto liquid in a shallow bowl. Take one ladyfinger cookie and dip it into the coffee for just two seconds. Do not let it sit too long or it will get mushy. You want it to be wet but still stay in one piece.

Place the dipped cookies in the bottom of a glass baking dish. Line them up in a neat row so they cover the whole bottom. This is the base of your dessert. The coffee and almond flavor will soak into the cookies and make them taste like a dream.

Layering The Fruit And Cream

Spread half of your creamy cheese mixture over the cookies. Then spoon the cold cherry sauce on top of the cream. Make sure the cherries are spread out evenly. Now add another layer of dipped lady finger cookies on top of the fruit and the sauce.

Finish the cake by spreading the rest of the cream on top. Use a spatula to make the top very flat and smooth. This creates a beautiful white surface. You will let this sit in the fridge for at least four hours so all the layers get very firm.

Fun Ways To Serve Your Cherry Tiramisu

• Dust the top with extra cocoa powder right before you serve it to guests.
• Place a fresh cherry with a stem on top of each slice for a pretty look.
• Grate some dark chocolate over the cream for a very rich and sweet taste.
• Serve it in individual glass jars so everyone has their own small cake.
• Add a few toasted almond slices on top to give the dessert a nice crunch.
• Pair it with a small glass of cold milk or a warm cup of herbal tea.

Helpful Tips For Success

• Make sure your mascarpone cheese is at room temperature before you mix it.
• Use a very strong coffee so the flavor does not get lost in the sweet cream.
• Only dip the cookies very quickly so they do not fall apart in the liquid.
• Let the dessert rest in the fridge overnight for the best flavor results.
• Whip your heavy cream until it has stiff peaks so the cake stays tall.
• Wash your cherries well and remove all the pits before you cook them down.

Choosing The Best Lady Finger Cookies

Ladyfingers are a special kind of dry cookie that is shaped like a finger. They are very light and full of air. This is important because they act like a sponge. They soak up the coffee and almond flavor without turning into a pile of crumbs.

You can find these cookies in the bakery aisle of most American grocery stores. Some are soft and some are hard. For this recipe you should use the hard kind. They hold their shape much better when you add the wet cherry sauce and the cream cheese.

The Secret To Working With Mascarpone

Mascarpone is a very thick and rich Italian cheese. It is much creamier than the cream cheese we use for bagels. When you mix it you must be very gentle. If you beat it too much it can turn into butter or get a very strange and grainy texture.

Always stop your mixer as soon as the sugar is blended in. Using a rubber spatula to finish the job is a very smart move. This keeps the cheese light and smooth. It will melt in your mouth and make the cherry flavor stand out in every single bite.

Making This Dessert Without Alcohol

If you do not want to use Amaretto you can still make this cake taste great. You can use almond extract instead of the liquid. Just use one teaspoon because the extract is very strong. This gives you the same nutty smell and taste for your family.

You can also use cherry juice in place of the coffee if you do not like the taste of coffee. This makes the dessert very kid-friendly. It will be even more pink and full of fruit flavor. It is a fun way to change the recipe for a birthday party.

Preparing For A Big Family Party

If you are having a lot of people over you can double this recipe. It is very easy to make a big tray of this tiramisu. Everyone in America loves a dessert that they can share. It is a great way to bring people together for a happy meal.

You can make this a day before the party starts. This gives you more time to spend with your friends. The cake stays fresh and delicious in the fridge. It is one less thing you have to worry about when you are busy hosting a big event.

Why This Dessert Is Great For Summer

Tiramisu is a cold dessert which makes it perfect for hot summer days. It is very light and does not make you feel too full. The cherries add a fresh fruit taste that reminds everyone of summer time. It is a very cool treat for a sunny day.

You do not even have to turn on your oven to make this cake. This keeps your house nice and cool during the hot months. Most Americans love a no bake recipe when the weather is warm. It is the best way to have a sweet treat without the heat.

The Best Coffee To Use For Dipping

You should use a very dark and strong coffee for this recipe. Espresso is the best choice if you have it at home. The strong coffee taste balances the sweet sugar in the cream. It creates a very professional flavor that your family will love.

Make sure the coffee is cold before you start dipping your cookies. If the coffee is hot it will melt the cookies too fast. You can brew your coffee in the morning and let it sit. This makes the assembly of the cake go very quickly and smoothly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does tiramisu stay fresh?

You should keep your tiramisu in the fridge for up to three days. Make sure it is covered with plastic wrap so it does not pick up other smells. The flavors actually get better after the first day because they have more time to mix together.

Why is my tiramisu runny or watery?

This usually happens if the cookies were dipped for too long. It can also happen if the cherry sauce was still warm when you added it. Make sure everything is cold before you build the layers. This helps the cream stay thick and very stable.

What can I use instead of mascarpone?

If you cannot find mascarpone you can use full fat cream cheese mixed with a little heavy cream. It will taste a bit more tangy but it will still be very yummy. Most people in America find that the taste is very similar once you add the sugar.

Is this safe for my kids to eat?

If you use almond extract instead of the Amaretto liquid it is a very safe treat for kids. It is just like a fruit and cream cake. It has a lot of calcium from the cheese and cream. Kids usually love the soft cookies and the sweet red cherries.

Can I use frozen cherries for the sauce?

Yes, you can use frozen cherries if you do not have fresh ones. They work just as well for making the syrup. Just make sure you cook them until the juice is thick. This will give you the same great red color and sweet taste for your cake.

A Beautiful End To Your Kitchen Adventure

Making a Cherry Amaretto Tiramisu is a wonderful way to show your creative side. It is a beautiful dessert that looks very difficult but it is actually quite simple. You can take your time and enjoy the process of building each colorful layer.

The red cherries and the white cream look so pretty together in a glass dish. It is the kind of dessert that makes everyone say “wow” when you bring it to the table. It is a great way to celebrate a special day or just a quiet night at home.