Lidia Bastianich's Berry Tiramisu is the no-bake dessert perfect for any dinner party

We love a classic tiramisu, but it's the perfect dessert to change up too — Eggnog Tiramisu anyone? So when we saw this beautiful berry-infused version from Lidia Bastianich’s latest cookbook, Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian, we simply had to scoop it up. Aside from being a seasonal favourite in its own right, this after-dinner dish checks off so many boxes when it comes to holiday feasting: it’s ideal for making the day before serving, it feeds a ton of people and, with its fresh berry topping, creamy filling and base of rum-soaked ladyfingers, it promises to be nothing short of downright delicious.

Berry Tiramisu

By Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali

Tiramisù is a common dessert on the menus of Italian restaurants and in Italian homes. It is certainly a favourite in our restaurants, but it is easy to make at home as well. This dessert is best made a day ahead, to allow the flavours to combine. Any combination of berries — or even just one kind — will make a marvelous tiramisù.

Ingredients

For berries:

• 4 cups blueberries
• 6 cups thickly sliced strawberries
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1 cup chunky blueberry jam
• ¼ cup dark rum
• ¼ cup superfine sugar

For assembly:

• 2 cups ricotta, at room temperature
• 2 8-ounce containers mascarpone, at room temperature
• ¼ cup superfine sugar
• 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• 42 Savoiardi (ladyfingers)

Preparation

For the berry sauce, in a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups blueberries, 2 cups strawberries, the granulated sugar, orange zest and juice, jam, and rum. Bring to a simmer, and cook to make a slightly syrupy sauce, about 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into a shallow pan (where you will be soaking the Savoiardi), and let cool.

Put the remaining 2 cups blueberries, remaining 4 cups strawberries, and the superfine sugar in a medium bowl. Toss to combine, and let sit at room temperature 10 minutes.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the ricotta and mascarpone at medium  speed  for a few seconds to combine, then add the superfine sugar and vanilla. Beat at medium-high speed until light and smooth, about 2 minutes.

To assemble, soak half of the Savoiardi in the cooked berry sauce until moistened, rolling them around to coat thoroughly. Tightly fit these Savoiardi in the bottom of a deep 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic dish. Spoon a few spoonfuls of the remaining cooked berry sauce over the Savoiardi. Spread half of the ricotta mixture in an even layer over the Savoiardi.

Layer a little more than half of the uncooked berries (you just want an even layer) over the mascarpone. Soak the remaining Savoiardi in the cooked berry sauce, and arrange in a tight layer over the fresh berries. Spread the remaining mascarpone over this in a smooth layer. Cover, and chill overnight for best results. Combine the remaining fresh berries and any cooked berry sauce left from soaking the Savoiardi, cover, and chill overnight.

To serve, cut squares of the tiramisù and serve with a little of the leftover berries and sauce.

Excerpted from Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Copyright © 2017 by Tutti a Tavola, LLC. Photography by Steve Giralt. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.