Berry Chantilly Tiramisu

I wouldn’t say I am a dessert person, but there are certain desserts that always grab my attention. Creamy tiramisu is one of those desserts, probably because its custardy texture feels more closely related to banana pudding than a traditional cake. Another dessert that has captured my attention for years is the famous Berry Chantilly cake from Whole Foods.

It’s a remarkably tender layer cake filled with berries and chantilly cream frosting that feels less structured than a traditional cake. I’ve added the individual slice to my cart more times than I can count. So I decided to combine my all-time favorite desserts into one. Meet berry chantilly tiramisu! And, let me tell you, the result was absolutely bonkers delicious.

I like to dust mine with a generous sprinkling of freeze-dried fruit powder. You can pick just one or combine a couple for a multicolored effect. My preference is to sprinkle them separately in different parts of the top to create a groovy tie-dyed look. Either way, you’re cutting into the best dessert mash-up I’ve ever tasted — and it’s no-cook!

• This tiramisu is perfect for warmer months! With strawberry syrup, fresh berries, and light creamy filling, it’s a refreshing and balanced take on the original.
• Unlike classic tiramisu filling, the chantilly cream frosting in this dessert requires no cooking or raw eggs.

• Frozen strawberries. One key ingredient that this tiramisu so much better is frozen strawberries. If you let them hang out and thaw on your counter, you get two things: an instant syrupy juice perfect for dunking ladyfinger cookies, and extra-soft, mashable strawberries that cling perfectly to fresh blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries to hold the filling together. Any leftover syrup will keep for a couple weeks in the fridge and tastes delicious stirred into seltzer or a cocktail.
• Amaretto. Instead of classic Kahlua, almond-flavored amaretto adds a lighter flavor to the strawberry syrup.
• Chantilly cream frosting. Like the famous Whole Foods cake, make a light and creamy frosting out of whipped cream, mascarpone, and cream cheese frosting.
• Fresh berries. You’ll need a mix of blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries. 
• Ladyfingers. Store-bought ladyfinger cookies are perfect for soaking up syrup and make this dessert that much easier.
• Freeze-dried berry powder. Instead of the traditional cocoa powder top, a dusting of freeze-dried powdered berries gives the top a vibrant color and burst of flavor. 

1. Make the syrup. Thaw frozen strawberries and press the liquid out through a sieve. Add simple syrup, amaretto, and lemon juice.
2. Make the chantilly cream. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat powdered sugar and cold cream cheese together until smooth. Add cold mascarpone and beat until smooth. Then, gradually add cold heavy cream, vanilla, and almond extract with the mixer running until smooth. Switch to the whisk attachment and whip until stiff peaks form.
3. Make the fruit filling. Combine thawed strawberries with fresh blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Stir until the softened strawberries are evenly distributed.
4. Assemble the tiramisu. One at a time, dunk ladyfingers in the strawberry syrup and arrange them in a single layer in a baking dish. Spread with a layer of chantilly cream, then spread evenly with the berry mixture. Top with a second layer of dipped ladyfingers, then spread with the remaining cream and chill. Right before serving, the tiramisu gets a final dusting of freeze-dried berry powder.

• If you can’t find fruit powder, you can buy whole freeze-dried berries and crush them yourself in the food processor or in a sealed bag with a rolling pin.
• Swap the fresh berries for another tender fruit like chopped mango, peaches, or plums.
• Use diced yellow cake instead of ladyfingers.
• Top the tiramisu with fresh berries instead of freeze-dried fruit powder.
• Substitute 2 tablespoons of almond syrup or 1 teaspoon almond extract for the amaretto to make this dessert nonalcoholic.