Nutella Tiramisu
A no-bake, no-fuss dessert that layers crunchy cocoa biscuits with a cloud-like mascarpone cream and chocolate hazelnut spread. Rich, creamy, and slightly nutty, with just enough cocoa bitterness to balance the sweetness. Ready in about twenty minutes of active work.
Ingredients
Base
- 70 g cocoa biscuits or cookies
- Nutella about 1 teaspoon per biscuit, for spreading
- 50 ml warm milk or half milk, half coffee
Filling
- 250 ml heavy or whipping cream, cold
- 250 g mascarpone, cold
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
Finish
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder for dusting
Instructions
- Spread about 1 teaspoon of Nutella on one cocoa biscuit. Top it with another biscuit and press gently to make a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining biscuits. You should end up with several neat little stacks depending on the size of your pan.
- Warm the milk, or the milk and coffee mixture, until it is just lukewarm. It should not be hot, as hot liquid can make the biscuits fall apart too quickly.
- Dip each sandwich briefly into the warm mixture. A quick in-and-out dip is enough. Do not soak them. Arranged tightly, they will soften as the dessert chills.
- Place the dipped sandwiches in a single tight layer in the bottom of a 20×20 cm pan. Press them gently so there are no large gaps. If needed, break a sandwich to fill any open corners.
- Pour the cold heavy cream into a large mixing bowl. Whip it with a hand mixer on medium speed until it is halfway thickened. It should look slightly airy but still soft.
- Add the cold mascarpone and powdered sugar. Continue mixing on low speed at first, then increase to medium. Mix only until the cream is firm and holds its shape. Stop as soon as you see soft peaks. Overmixing can make the cream grainy.
- Spoon the mascarpone cream over the biscuit layer. Use a spatula to spread it evenly all the way to the edges. Smooth the top with gentle swirls or keep it rustic.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a lid. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The dessert tastes even better after 4 to 6 hours when the biscuits soften and the flavors melt together.
- Just before serving, dust the top with cocoa powder using a fine sieve. Slice into squares and serve chilled.
Notes
Ingredient tips and substitutions: Cocoa biscuits: Italian-style cocoa biscuits or plain chocolate tea biscuits work well. Avoid overly sweet sandwich cookies. Nutella: Any chocolate hazelnut spread works. Milk or coffee: Whole milk keeps it sweeter; half milk and half strong brewed coffee creates a closer tiramisu feel. Mascarpone: Keep cold; full-fat cream cheese can work in a pinch. Powdered sugar: Adjust to taste. Storage: Refrigerate covered up to 2 days. Freeze up to 1 month; thaw slowly in refrigerator. Dust with fresh cocoa after thawing. Serve cold; do not reheat. Common mistakes to avoid: Do not soak biscuits too long, use cold mascarpone, do not overwhip cream, spread Nutella thinly, do not skip chilling, dust cocoa just before serving.