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Elisa Marshall—co-owner of Maman bakery and cafe, which first opened in NYC in 2014—shares her easy and fun take on tiramisu, using her famous Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies instead of ladyfingers. 

"Tiramisu—or any coffee-infused sweet—is my go-to dessert order. To put a fun twist on this Italian classic, we swap the traditional ladyfingers for chunks of our signature nutty chocolate chip cookies. You can use any homemade chocolate chip cookies (or store-bought), but if they are particularly sweet, you may need to pull back on the sugar. This tiramisu is ideal for entertaining because it's super simple to prepare and is best made in advance—it actually tastes even better the next day!" —Elisa 

Pro Tip from Elisa: If you don't have an espresso machine at home, brew a dark-roast coffee or use instant espresso powder. What's important is that you don't forgo the espresso or coffee—its flavor is essential to tiramisu. If you prefer a bolder coffee flavor, sprinkle a little instant espresso powder between the layers.

Note: You can make the tiramisu in a baking pan as described in the recipe or in individual glasses as shown in the photo.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (480 milliliters) heavy cream
  • 2 cups (480 grams) mascarpone
  • ¼ cup (50 grams) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240 milliliters) strong brewed espresso, warm (about 6 shots; see Tip)
  • 8 Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies or store-bought chocolate chip cookies (about 30 ounces/840 grams total)
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder

Yield

Serves: 6

Preparation

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream on high until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. 

In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the mascarpone, sugar, and vanilla and whip on high, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the whipped cream and gently fold with a rubber spatula to combine without deflating the mixture. 

Pour the espresso into a wide, shallow bowl. Set aside half of 1 cookie for garnish. Break 4 of the cookies into large chunks, add them to the espresso, and let soak, flipping once, until saturated but not falling apart, 45 to 60 seconds per side. Reserve the espresso. Arrange the soaked cookies on the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan, pressing down to create an even layer. Spread half of the mascarpone whipped cream evenly on top of the cookies. Using a small fine-mesh sieve, dust 1 tablespoon of the cocoa powder over the mascarpone whipped cream. 

Soak the remaining cookies in the reserved espresso. Use the soaked cookies, the remaining mascarpone whipped cream, and the remaining cocoa powder to create a second layer. Crumble the reserved half cookie and sprinkle on top of the tiramisu. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days. Serve chilled. 

Excerpted from Maman: The Cookbook by Elisa Marshall and Benjamin Sormonte. Copyright © 2021 by Elisa Marshall and Benjamin Sormonte. Used with permission by Clarkson Potter. All rights reserved.