Cook’s notes

I served this dessert during the Christmas holidays over a decade ago. We were going through a Nutella phase and I wanted to incorporate it into every dessert I made. There were plenty of kitchen experiments — some didn’t quite make the grade but a few, including this one, turned out so well that documenting the process was more than justified.

Why do I say that it’s inspired by tiramisu? Well, tiramisu has coffee-soaked lay fingers sandwiched between layers of whipped mascarpone made richer with the addition of raw egg yolks. In this adaptation of the Italian dessert:

We have Marie biscuits instead of lady fingers.
Coffee is replaced by coffee liqueur (Kahlua is my favorite).
Cream cheese is substituted for mascarpone.
Raw egg yolks are omitted.

It this better than tiramisu? It’s different. The absence of egg yolks makes the cheese mixture lighter. Unlike lady fingers which turn soggy after assembly, Marie biscuits retain some crispness. Kahlua gives the dessert an adult character and a subtle kick. Nutella — thicker and more dense than the cream cheese mixture — provides contrast in color and texture, and adds a layer of chocolatiness that a mere sprinkling of cocoa powder can never hope to equal.

For best results, use whipping cream (called double cream in some regions).

Tiramisu-inspired no-bake cheese and chocolate dessert

Prep: 10

Cook: 10

Total: 20

Servings: 6 people

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Fusion

Label: No-bake dessert

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Ingredients

1 cup cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup whipping cream well chilled
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup full-fat milk
2 tablespoons Kahlua
24 Marie biscuits
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Instructions

In a small bowl, lightly whip the cream cheese until fluffy.
In a chilled mixing bowl, whip the cream with six tablespoons of powdered sugar until double in volume, about four to five minutes.
Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese.
In a shallow bowl, stir together the remaining powdered sugar, milk and Kahlua.
Dip two biscuits in the milk-Kahlua mixture and position at the bottom of a glass. Top with about two heaping tablespoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture followed by about two tablespoonfuls of Nutella. Repeat to make another layer.
Do the same to fill five more glasses.
Place the glasses in a covered container and keep in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Sprinkle with cocoa powder before serving.