It’s like a peanut butter cup with an Italian twist.
Serves15Prep35 minutes to 40 minutesCook5 minutes
If there’s one dessert combo I absolutely cannot resist, it’s chocolate and peanut butter. Enter: peanut butter chocolate tiramisu (my new favorite dessert!). This no-bake dessert is a Reese’s cup-inspired twist on the Italian coffee-soaked classic: Crisp ladyfingers are dipped in a hot cocoa-esque soak, then layered with a decadent peanut butter cream, rich chocolate ganache, and chopped peanut butter cups. It’s creamy and rich, but not so much that you can’t go back for seconds. Best of all, this seven-layer (yes, seven layers!) no-bake dessert is surprisingly easy to make.
Why You’ll Love It
- It’s a Reese’s-lover’s dream! If you love peanut butter cups even a little bit, this is the dessert of your dreams.
- It’s easier than you’d expect. Looks can be deceiving, because this seven-layer dessert is easier to make than it might seem. It doesn’t require any fancy skills — just time to prepare the components, assemble, and chill.
- It’s a make-ahead dessert everyone will love. This layered no-bake dessert is best when made a day before serving so the ladyfingers can soak up more of the dessert’s flavors and soften up a tiny bit more.
Key Ingredients in Peanut Butter Chocolate Tiramisu
- Ladyfingers: Dry, crisp ladyfingers (also known as savoiardi) are ideal, as cakey ladyfingers can easily become too soft and soggy.
- Peanut butter: Both well-stirred natural and blended creamy peanut butters work well here, so go with your favorite.
- Mascarpone: This lush cheese is classic for the cream filling, and here it gets a peanut buttery twist.
- Chocolate: For this dessert, semi-sweet chocolate (both bars and chocolate chips work well) is the best choice for the ganache. While I’ve made this with dark chocolate before and it absolutely works, the result is overwhelmingly rich.
- Heavy cream: This is used for both the ganache and whipped into the peanut butter mascarpone cream to lighten it up.
How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Tiramisu
- Make the ganache. After pouring the warm cream over the finely chopped chocolate, let it sit for a while to melt before whisking together.
- Make the hot cocoa soak. Whisk boiling water, cocoa powder, sugar, and vanilla together. If this feels a little bit like a rough version of DIY hot cocoa, you wouldn’t be wrong.
- Make peanut butter cream. Beat mascarpone cheese, creamy peanut butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt together, then beat in cold heavy cream until soft peaks just start to form. Don’t overbeat, as this cream will set more firmly as it chills.
- Assemble the tiramisu. Quickly dip and submerge crisp ladyfingers in the cocoa soak to form the bottom layer, then top with half of the peanut butter cream followed by half of the ganache. Finish with a second layer of soaked ladyfingers, peanut butter cream, and ganache, and garnish with chopped mini peanut butter cups.
- Cover and refrigerate. Lightly cover and refrigerate until the ladyfingers soften and turn cake-like and the filling firms up, ideally overnight. Let the dessert sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Tiramisu Recipe
It’s like a peanut butter cup with an Italian twist.
Prep time 35 minutes to 40 minutes
Cook time 5 minutes
Serves 15
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
For the ganache:
- 8 ounces
finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 1 cup
heavy cream
For the soak:
- 1 1/2 cups
boiling water
- 3 tablespoons
unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons
granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
For the filling and assembly:
- 16 ounces
cold mascarpone cheese
- 1 cup
smooth peanut butter, well-stirred if natural
- 1/2 cup
granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon
granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups
cold heavy cream
- 40 to 45
crisp (savoiardi) ladyfingers (about 12 1/2 ounces)
- 1 cup
coarsely chopped chocolate peanut butter cups (about 16 miniature), such as Reese’s
Instructions
Make the ganache:
Place 8 ounces finely chopped semisweet chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring 1 cup heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Pour evenly over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Meanwhile, prepare the soak.
Make the soak:
Stir 1 1/2 cups boiling water, 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract together in a shallow bowl or pie plate until the sugar is dissolved.
Make the filling and assemble the tiramisu:
Beat 16 ounces cold mascarpone cheese, 1 cup smooth peanut butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt together in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed until combined and no streaks remain, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, slowly pour in 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream and beat until very soft peaks form, about 2 minutes more. Do not over-whip, as it will very quickly firm up as it chills.
Working with 1 ladyfinger at a time, quickly dip and submerge in the cocoa soak, then place in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Repeat, nestling them tightly together and breaking ladyfingers as needed to fit, until the bottom of the baking dish is covered in a single layer, about 20 ladyfingers.
Transfer half of the peanut butter filling (about 2 1/2 cups) over the ladyfingers and spread into an even layer. Drizzle half of the ganache (about 3/4 cup) over the filling and spread into an even layer.
Repeat with a second layer of soaked ladyfingers, the remaining peanut butter filling, and the remaining ganache. Scatter 1 cup coarsely chopped chocolate peanut butter cups evenly over the top.
Lightly cover and refrigerate overnight so the ladyfingers can soften and the filling can firm up. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Use a big serving spoon to scoop, or use a knife to cut into squares to serve.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The cocoa soak can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Re-whisk before using if needed.
Storage: Leftover tiramisu can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. The ladyfingers will continue to soften as the tiramisu sits.