Quick Facts: No-bake | Prep: 20 min | Chill: 4+ hours | Serves: 8 | Make-ahead friendly
This Creamy Ricotta Tiramisu Trifle transforms the classic Italian dessert into a stunning glass bowl presentation — layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers alternate with a lightened ricotta-mascarpone cream that sets beautifully after chilling. No eggs, no cooking, and ready to assemble in 20 minutes.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The Magic Behind This Recipe
What makes this trifle special is the ricotta-mascarpone balance. Traditional tiramisu relies heavily on mascarpone alone, which can feel heavy. Here, ricotta lightens the texture while adding a subtle tang that cuts through the richness. Whipped cream folded in at the end creates airy, stable layers that hold their shape.
The coffee dip is quick and controlled — just 1-2 seconds per ladyfinger prevents sogginess while delivering that essential espresso bitterness. Four hours of chilling (or overnight) lets the flavors meld into tiramisu perfection.
Ingredients
For the ricotta cream:
- 1 cup (250 g) whole milk ricotta cheese, drained
- 1 cup (240 g) mascarpone cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For assembly:
- 12 ladyfinger cookies (savoiardi)
- 1 cup (240 ml) strong brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
- Dark chocolate shavings or grated chocolate, optional
Step-by-Step Instructions
Total time: 20 minutes active + 4 hours chilling | Yield: 8 servings
- Drain the ricotta. Place ricotta in a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl for 15 minutes. This removes excess moisture so your cream stays thick and stable.
- Make the ricotta cream base. In a large bowl, whisk together the drained ricotta, room-temperature mascarpone, and powdered sugar until completely smooth — about 2 minutes by hand or 1 minute with a mixer. No lumps.
- Whip the cream. In a separate chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream and vanilla extract to stiff peaks (2-3 minutes with a mixer). The cream should hold sharp peaks when you lift the beaters.
- Fold gently. Add one-third of the whipped cream to the cheese mixture and fold to lighten. Add remaining whipped cream and fold until uniform but still airy. Don’t stir — folding preserves the volume.
- Prep your coffee dip. Pour cooled coffee into a shallow bowl. Have your ladyfingers and trifle dish ready — assembly goes fast.
- Quick dip the ladyfingers. Dip each ladyfinger in coffee for 1-2 seconds per side (no longer!). They should be lightly moistened, not soaked through. Break to fit if needed.
- Layer the trifle. Arrange a layer of dipped ladyfingers in the bottom of your trifle dish or 8 individual glasses. Spread ⅓ of the ricotta cream evenly over them. Dust lightly with cocoa powder. Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with cream on top.
- Finish and chill. Dust the top generously with cocoa powder. Add chocolate shavings if using. Cover and refrigerate minimum 4 hours, preferably overnight. The chilling time is essential — it sets the cream and softens the ladyfingers perfectly.
Assembly Pro Tips
Ricotta drainage is non-negotiable. Even “good” ricotta holds liquid. Skip this and your cream may weep or separate after chilling.
Room temperature mascarpone. Cold mascarpone refuses to blend smoothly with ricotta. Let it sit out 20 minutes before starting.
Coffee temperature matters. Must be room temperature or cooler. Hot coffee melts the cream layers as you assemble.
Stiff peak cream only. Soft or medium peaks deflate during folding, leaving you with heavy cream cheese instead of airy tiramisu.
Dip timing is everything. 1-2 seconds per side maximum. Practice on one ladyfinger first. They continue absorbing coffee as the trifle chills.
Love ricotta-mascarpone desserts? This Baileys Coffee Ricotta Trifle takes the same layered concept in a boozier, Irish-cream direction.
Make It Your Own
Limoncello Tiramisu Trifle: Replace half the coffee (½ cup) with chilled limoncello. Add lemon zest to the cream. Reference this Limoncello Tiramisu for perfect citrus balance.
Strawberry Tiramisu: Layer thinly sliced strawberries between the ladyfingers and cream. Skip the coffee dip or use berry syrup instead.
Chocolate Hazelnut Version: Swirl 2 tablespoons Nutella into half the cream. Dip ladyfingers in a coffee-hazelnut liqueur mix. Top with crushed hazelnuts.
Mini Individual Glasses: Divide between 8-10 small glasses or wine goblets. Perfect for dinner parties. Each gets 1-2 ladyfingers + cream layers.
Paleo/Vegan: Use coconut cream + cashew-based ricotta. Gluten-free ladyfingers work too. Sweeten with maple syrup.
Storage & Serving
Chill time: Minimum 4 hours, maximum flavor at 12-24 hours. Don’t serve before 4 hours — the texture won’t be right.
Refrigerator: Covered trifle keeps 3-4 days. The ladyfingers continue softening (in a good way) through day 2.
Make ahead: Perfect for this. Assemble up to 24 hours early. Add final cocoa dusting just before serving.
Freezer: Not recommended. Whipped cream layers separate when frozen.
Serving temperature: Straight from refrigerator is traditional. Let sit 10 minutes at room temp if you prefer softer texture.
Troubleshooting
Cream won’t whip stiff? Bowl or beaters weren’t cold enough. Chill everything 15 minutes next time.
Ladyfingers too soggy? Dipped too long or coffee was hot. 1-second dips only, room-temp coffee.
Cream separating? Undrained ricotta or overmixed during folding. Drain 20+ minutes next time.
Not sweet enough? Taste cream before assembly. Add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
Trifle too tall for dish? Use 8 individual glasses instead, or break ladyfingers into smaller pieces.
Perfect Pairings
Pair slices with strong espresso or limoncello shots. For a full dessert spread, serve alongside Almond Ricotta Peaches Baked — same ricotta-mascarpone combo, warm fruit contrast.
Conclusion
This Creamy Ricotta Tiramisu Trifle is all about gentle textures and warm memories — easy to make, simple to share, and lovely to serve any time you want a dessert that comforts more than it impresses. If you’d like a bright fruit-forward inspiration to try another variation, here’s a lovely berry tiramisu trifle recipe that shows how fruit can play with the coffee and cream in a delightful way.
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Creamy Ricotta Tiramisu Trifle
- Total Time: 240 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A no-bake variation of the classic Italian dessert, this trifle features layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and a light ricotta-mascarpone cream for a refreshing twist.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250 g) whole milk ricotta cheese, drained
- 1 cup (240 g) mascarpone cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 ladyfinger cookies (savoiardi)
- 1 cup (240 ml) strong brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
- Dark chocolate shavings or grated chocolate, optional
Instructions
- Drain the ricotta in a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl for 15 minutes to remove excess moisture.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the drained ricotta, mascarpone, and powdered sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes by hand or 1 minute with a mixer.
- In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream and vanilla extract to stiff peaks, about 2-3 minutes with a mixer.
- Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the cheese mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whipped cream until uniform but airy.
- Pour cooled coffee into a shallow bowl and dip each ladyfinger in the coffee for 1-2 seconds per side.
- Arrange a layer of dipped ladyfingers in a trifle dish or individual glasses, spread ⅓ of the ricotta cream over them, and dust lightly with cocoa powder. Repeat 2 more times, ending with cream on top.
- Dust generously with cocoa powder, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight before serving.
Notes
Ricotta drainage is essential. Use room temperature mascarpone for smoother blending. Be mindful of coffee temperature and dip timing to avoid soggy ladyfingers.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: Italian