Tiramisu Affogato

You can never have too many no-cook desserts in your back pocket for laidback dinner parties or late-night cravings. Our latest obsession? The ingenious tiramisu affogato from the new cookbook Let’s Eat: 101 Recipes to Fill Your Heart & Home by Dan Pelosi, who you may know as @grossypelosi on Instagram.

“Using unsoaked cookies here adds the crunch I have been craving, and the cream in this tiramisu is made with a touch of sour cream, which gives it a pleasing tang but also stabilizes it beautifully,” says Pelosi. “On top of that, a shot of espresso poured over anything—an affogato does it over gelato—adds a huge hit of drama, which I live for.”

Like standard tiramisu, this simple-yet-sophisticated treat can be assembled minutes before serving or kept in the fridge for up to eight hours. The dish is also decidedly less fussy than affogato since it’s served cold. “With no ice cream to melt, the espresso does not need to be hot and is maybe even better at room temp or cold,” explains Pelosi. “I like to buy shots of espresso at a coffee shop and save them to serve later.”

_{Reprinted with permission from Let’s Eat: 101 Recipes to Fill Your Heart & Home by Dan Pelosi © 2023. Published by Union Square & Co. Photography © Andrew Bui.}

Raspberry Tiramisu

3 cups heavy cream

1 cup sour cream

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Two 12-ounce packages Margherite cookies or four 7-ounce packages ladyfingers

Cocoa powder, for serving

8 espresso shots

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large bowl, if using a handheld mixer), combine the cream, sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Starting at a low speed and increasing to medium, whisk until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Arrange eight rocks glasses, fancy goblets, wine glasses or whatever you want to serve in. Break and crumble three cookies into the first glass. Scoop about ¼ cup of the cream on top of the cookies. Layer three more crumbled cookies, then another ¼ cup of the cream. Repeat in the other glasses, making two layers each of cookies and cream.

3. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust a spoonful of cocoa powder over the top of each glass. Cover the trifles with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve, or up to 8 hours.

4. Serve each trifle with a shot of espresso to pour over, affogato-style.