Italian tiramisu meets Indian Rasmalai in this amazing dessert fusion, say hello to Rasmalai Tiramisu! Saffron and rose syrup soaked ladyfingers layered with saffron cardamom mascarpone cream and topped with pieces of rasmalai, this is the ultimate festive treat for entertaining and makes for the perfect gift when made in jars.
Traditionally Tiramisu is a coffee-flavored Italian dessert made of ladyfingers dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese and flavored with cocoa. The recipe for tiramisu can be adapted into many varieties of cakes and other desserts.
Rasmalai is a dessert originating from the eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It consists of flattened balls of cheese curds that are cooked in a sweet sugar syrup for a long time so they get puffy and sweet and then soaked in a rich creamy syrup made from reduced milk. It is often flavored with saffron, cardamom and/or rose and topped with nuts like almonds and pistachios. It is one of my favorite Indian desserts and is a pure delight to eat because of the amazing textures.
I couldn't help but create a tiramisu recipe, but with rasmalai flavors! This recipe for Rasmalai tiramisu is the ultimate fusion recipe and turns out so delicious and festive. Layers of delicate ladyfingers soaked in the most amazing saffron syrup perfumed with floral rose water and then layered with saffron cardamom mascarpone cream. This is such an elegant and royal dessert! I made it even more glam by decorating it with rose buds, Kashmiri saffron and gold leaf for the ultimate festive look.
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Ingredients to make rasmalai tiramisu
- Ladyfinger biscuits are very light and airy Italian biscuits that act as the perfect base for tiramisu. They soak flavors from the soaking syrup really well and soften into a fluffy cake like texture over time making them the perfect canvas for this cake.
- Mascarpone cheese is a soft and creamy Italian cheese that gives this recipe its characteristic taste and flavor. It makes for the most delicious light and fluffy cream layer for this tiramisu.
- Sweetened condensed milk is so thick and syrupy and lends a great texture to the mascarpone cream. It sweetens the cream and makes it thick and creamy.
- Heavy whipping cream - when whipped to soft peaks, heavy whipping cream becomes light and airy and makes the mascarpone cream so fluffy and light.
- Sugar - I used sugar to slightly syrup the soaking syrup for the ladyfinger biscuits but you can leave it out or replace the soaking liquid with rasmalai milk instead.
- Saffron - saffron adds an amazing flavor this this tiramisu. I like crushing saffron and infusing it in water/cream so we can extract all of this flavor.
- Rose water - I love the subtle rose flavor that rose water adds to this dessert. It pairs so well with saffron and cardamom and makes this tiramisu super fragrant.
- Cardamom is a classic flavor used in most Indian desserts. It is so floral and fragrant and adds a beautiful aroma to the mascarpone cream.
- Rasmalai is what inspired this dessert in the first place! I used a few store bought rasmalai that I cut up into pieces for decoration and topping.
- Crushed pistachios - I used pistachios in this dessert as it pairs so well with saffron and rose. Feel free to use your favorite nuts or even leave them out.
How to make rasmalai tiramisu
1.Crush the saffron strands in a mortar and pestle into a coarse powder.
2. Heat the water until warm and add in the sugar. Mix until the sugar is completely dissolved.
3. Now add in half the crushed saffron into the syrup and turn off the heat. Let the syrup cool down.
4. After the syrup has cooled, mix in the rose water.
5. Meanwhile, soak the other half of the crushed saffron in a few tablespoons of the heavy cream for about 15 minutes.
6. Into a bowl or stand mixer, add in the heavy cream along with the saffron soaked heavy cream and cardamom powder.
7. Whisk it on medium high speed until you get soft peaks.
8. Into another large bowl, add in the mascarpone cheese and the sweetened condensed milk.
9. Whisk them together until smooth.
10. A little at a time, fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. The finished mascarpone cream should be smooth and thick.
11. If you are making the cake in a springform pan, line the bottom with parchment paper and the sides with a cake collar.
12. Dip the ladyfinger biscuits in the saffron rose syrup very briefly on each side and place them in the bottom of your cake pan/jar. You can fill any gaps with broken sponge fingers to fit.
13. Top with some of the mascarpone cream and spread out into an even layer.
14. Repeat these saffron syrup soaked lady fingers and mascarpone cream layers once more (and as many times as you like).
15. After assembling, cover the cakes carefully and refrigerate them for 12-24 hours before serving for the best flavor.
16. Pipe on more of the mascarpone cream on top and decorate with pistachios and chopped rasmalai before serving.
Tips and tricks
- Use good quality Saffron and Rose water. These are the main flavors in this delicately flavored dessert, so use the best you can find. I used Kashmiri saffron and rose water without any additives.
- Replace the saffron rose syrup with rasmalai thickened milk instead! If you're short on time or just want a more milky tiramisu, then skip making the syrup and use rasmalai milk. It will turn out delicious either way.
- Amp up the flavor of store bought rasmalai milk by adding some crushed saffron and rose water, if you're using it as the soaking syrup.
- Use any wafer cookies instead of ladyfinger biscuits if you can't find them. Neutral biscuits and cookies will work well here and if they are not as delicate as ladyfingers then soak them for a bit longer so they can soften well.
- Keep the mascarpone cheese out at room temperature before whipping. This helps it blend better with the airy whipped cream. You only need to place it out for about 15 minutes.
- Replace mascarpone cheese with cream cheese if you can't find it. You will need to place it out at room temperature for 1-2 hours before mixing.
- Adjust the sweetness depending on how sweet you like your desserts. I found this ratio of sweetness to be perfect, but feel free to add/subtract sweetened condensed milk.
- Use freshly ground cardamom for the most potent flavor. Spice tend to lose their aroma and flavor if ground too much in advance. Grinding it fresh will result in the best flavor and aroma.
- Replace pistachios with seeds if you have a nut allergy or just leave them out.
- Use old glass jar to layer tiramisus and gift them! This is the perfect dessert for gifting as it tastes better the next day. Make a few jars and share them with your friends and family and they will be so impressed.
Storage instructions
These cakes can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days before serving. They taste best when refrigerated for a minimum of 12 hours for the best flavor.
You can also freeze these tiramisus for up to 3 months. Make sure that they are covered really well so that icicles don't form when frozen. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and then decorate them before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make tiramisu ahead of time?
These cakes can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days before serving. They taste best when refrigerated for a minimum of 12 hours for the best flavor. You can also freeze these tiramisus for up to 3 months. Make sure that they are covered really well so that icicles don't form when frozen. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and then decorate them before serving.
Does rasmalai tiramisu have eggs?
Traditionally tiramisu does have eggs in the mascarpone cream but my recipe below doesn't contain any eggs.
Is there alcohol in rasmalai tiramisu?
Traditionally tiramisu does contain alcohol (marsala wine and/or rum) but my recipe below doesn't contain any alcohol.
Can I leave out the rose water?
I love the subtle rose flavor that pure rose water adds in this recipe but feel free to leave it out if you are not a fan! Saffron and cardamom already add a beautiful flavor to this dessert.
More Indian desserts you might like
Recipe
Rasmalai cake
Ingredients
- 15 ladyfinger biscuits
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon saffron
- 1 tablespoon rose water
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios
- 2 rasmalai (cut into pieces for decoration)
- 1 tablespoon dried rose buds for garnish
- 2 gold leaves for garnish
Instructions
Saffron rose soaking syrup
- Crush the saffron strands in a mortar and pestle into a coarse powder. Heat the water until warm and add in the sugar. Mix until the sugar is completely dissolved. Now add in half the crushed saffron into the syrup and turn off the heat. Let the syrup cool down. After the syrup has cooled, mix in the rose water.You can also skip this step and use the rasmalai milk instead! See notes below.
Saffron cardamom mascarpone cream
- Meanwhile, soak the other half of the crushed saffron in a few tablespoons of the heavy cream for about 15 minutes. Into a bowl or stand mixer, add in the heavy cream along with the saffron soaked heavy cream and cardamom powder. Whisk it on medium high speed until you get soft peaks.
- Into another large bowl, add in the mascarpone cheese. Now add in the sweetened condensed milk and whisk them together until smooth.
- A little at a time, fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. The finished mascarpone cream should be smooth and thick.
Assemble the rasmalai tiramisu
- If you are making the cake in a springform pan, line the bottom with parchment paper and the sides with a cake collar.
- Dip the ladyfinger biscuits in the saffron rose syrup very briefly on each side and place them in the bottom of your cake pan/jar. You can fill any gaps with broken sponge fingers to fit. Top with some of the mascarpone cream and spread out into an even layer.
- Repeat these saffron syrup soaked lady fingers and mascarpone cream layers once more (and as many times as you like). After assembling, cover the cakes carefully and refrigerate them for 12-24 hours before serving for the best flavor.
- Pipe on more of the mascarpone cream on top and decorate with pistachios, chopped rasmalai and gold leaf before serving.
Notes
- Replace the saffron rose syrup with rasmalai thickened milk instead. Amp up the flavor of store bought rasmalai milk by adding some crushed saffron and rose water, if you're using it as the soaking syrup.
- Use any wafer cookies instead of ladyfinger biscuits if you can't find them. Neutral biscuits and cookies will work well here and if they are not as delicate as ladyfingers then soak them for a bit longer so they can soften well.
- Keep the mascarpone cheese out at room temperature before whipping. This helps it blend better with the airy whipped cream. You only need to place it out for about 15 minutes.
- Replace mascarpone cheese with cream cheese if you can't find it. You will need to place it out at room temperature for 1-2 hours before mixing.
Hi Viola ,
I tried the Rasmalai Tiramasu dessert and it turned amazing . Thoroughly enjoying making it. These flavours and Indian-Italian dessert are a brilliant invention from you .
I am running out of words . All my friends who had this wanted the third cup and I am sure they went through your recipe now 🙂
Guys out there , please try this out . I have more fans now ha ha .
FYI- tried making rasmalai from scratch, I used the simple small transparent plastic cups from safeway . Loved each part of the recipe . The saffron , cardamom into the cream , ladyfingers dipped in rasmalai milk , tasted out of the world . Felt in heaven having this . Can’t thank enough for this creation 🙂
This was a crowd pleaser!