Sugar Free Low Carb KETO Tiramisu. Forget the rest, this is THE BEST! 3g carbs per portion. Jamie Oliver would be impressed!
No humble pie for me today, ladies and gents!!! I present you THE. BEST. TIRAMISU. EVER! And you’ll have 9 servings in total!!!!
I am usually sceptical of recipes claiming to be the best when I come across them on magazines or internet. The best is, after all, very subjective. Everyone has different tastes, what is good to you may be rubbish to me, what is great to you might taste mediocre to me, what someone might refer to as the best, may be a bit bland, or too sweet, or too salty, or too spicy for someone else. Even MasterChef presenters and food critics sometimes have opposing views about some of the contestants’ dishes, so how can I make this outrageous claim about my sugar free low carb keto Tiramisu?
You have every right to be doubtful. I know I would be. Believe me, I have followed countless best recipes with great anticipation and excitement, only to be disappointed with the end result. So I forgive you for thinking that this is probably just another recipe that isn’t worth such a prestigious appellation.
My Tiramisu history.
I had been missing Tiramisu since going keto. Badly. It had been my favourite dessert for as long as I can remember. My 100% Italian mum used to make it on special occasions. I remember the excitement in the house whenever she pulled sponge fingers (lady fingers) out of the cupboard and the mascarpone out of the fridge. Yeeey! Tiramisu time! And I still remember the first time she let me get involved. I could only have been 7 or 8 years old, but I still have vivid memories of that cooking session. Thereafter, I always helped her and never got tired of it. I can honestly say, hand on heart, that the food I missed the most when I first moved to London in the 70s was Tiramisu.
You see, those days shops and supermarkets didn’t stock ‘foreign’ foods as much as they do today, and mascarpone was nowhere to be found. Occasionally I would go to an Italian shop in the City and get mascarpone from there, but the cost was so prohibitive that it was a very rare shopping trip indeed. Then supermarkets ‘evolved’ and aisles of ‘world’ foods sprung up everywhere. Suddenly, mascarpone was on the scene, in an accessible way, and my original, Italian Tiramisu dessert was back with a vengeance. Since then, I must have made it hundreds of times and shared the recipe on countless occasions. Absolutely everyone always loved it and was keen for me to hand over my mama recipe. It was a winner. Every. Single. Time. Without undergoing any modification through the years.
Then came keto and I had to say goodbye to my beloved dessert. Until now… Because my favourite dessert in the whole wide world has returned and this time it is a sugar free low carb KETO Tiramisu.
Not a substitute for Tiramisu. Definitely not a look-a-like. Absolutely not a taste-a-like.
Before you ask, the answer is no. It’s not just something that vaguely resembles Tiramisu. Not some pudding with the flavours of cocoa, mascarpone and coffee. There are plenty of rubbish recipes for Tiramisú everywhere. My Sugar Free Low Carb KETO Tiramisu is the real deal. Made as it should be made. With sponge fingers, mascarpone, raw eggs, cream, coffee, cocoa, rum and icing ‘sugar’. You prepare it like a normal Tiramisu. It has the ingredients of a normal Tiramisu. You layer it like a normal Tiramisu. Best of all, it TASTES like a normal Tiramisu. Actually, no. Scrap that. I wouldn’t want anyone to compare my creation to an inferior quality, factory packaged Tiramisu labelled as ‘classic’ or ‘traditional’ or even ‘luxury’. It tastes a-ma-zing and exactly like my mum’s ORIGINAL and BEST Tiramisu.
I am so absolutely, totally, super confident about this, that I am ready to challenge Jamie Oliver to taste it and tell me if he could make a better Tiramisu than this. Plus of course this is a healthy version!
Never had Tiramisu because you don’t like coffee? Trust me, you WILL like this king of desserts. All my tasters, even those who had never tried Tiramisu because of their dislike of coffee cakes, were astounded that they didn’t just like it, they thought it was the most amazing cake they’d ever had.
Tried Tiramisu in the past and didn’t like it? It must have been an inferior Tiramisu. All shop bought, or even restaurant versions I have ever tasted were a complete let down. Every single one of them. They were either too watery, too coffee-y, too boozy, or too sickly. If you think you don’t like Tiramisu because of one you’ve tasted in the past, you WILL change your mind when you’ve tasted this one.
Still having doubts about my ostentatious claim? Make it and see for yourself.
How to make my Sugar Free Low Carb KETO Tiramisu.
Ok. So now I’ve hyped it so much, it’s time to get in the kitchen and start making my luscious Italian dessert, so you too can boast!
First of all, you need to make a simple sponge cake that you will later cut into fingers. You can follow my suiper-easy sugar free low carb simple sponge cake recipe. Just use 2 smaller baking tins instead of 1 and reduce the baking time by about 10 minutes, and don’t sprinkle icing sugar on top. I advise you to make the sponge the day before, so it has plenty of time to cool and compact well.
Please contain your excitement! I know you want to make my Tiramisu, like, now. But they say the best things come to those who wait and this is no exception. If you don’t wait, your sponge fingers will soak up too much coffee and you’ll end up with a watery mess instead of a delectable Tiramisu.
Once your sponge cake is a day old, cut it into finger-size slices. No further cooking required – unless you count making coffee as ‘cooking’. Mix egg yolk with stevia and powdered erythritol. Add mascarpone. Add whisked cream to mascarpone mix. Incorporate whisked egg white. Make strong coffee and add rum + pinch of stevia.
Dip fingers into coffee and place at the bottom of your serving dish. Spoon a generous layer of mascarpone/cream mix. Sprinkle with cocoa. Repeat so as to obtain 2 or 3 layers depending on the size of your serving dish (see recipe notes). Refrigerate and wait.
Yes. WAIT! Again!!!!!
Home made Tiramisu is ALWAYS better after being refrigerated for 24 hours and my sugar free low carb keto Tiramisu is no different. DO NOT LISTEN to anyone who says you don’t need to wait that long. They don’t have a clue. A real chef knows that for Tiramisú to taste amazing, all the flavours need time to blend and infuse the sponge fingers. So be patient. Trust me, it will be worth it, I promise.
Enjoy!
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Sugar Free Low Carb Keto Tiramisu
Equipment
Ingredients
For the sponge fingers:
- 1 sugar free low carb simple sponge cake ***but bake it for 20-25 mins in two 8-9" square baking trays and without icing 'sugar' topping.
For the filling and topping:
- 250 g mascarpone
- 200 g whipping cream
- 1 medium egg
- ½ tsp + pinch pure stevia powder (U.S. option HERE)
- 50 g powdered erythritol (U.S. option HERE)
- 220 ml espresso or strong coffee
- 20 ml dark rum
- unsweetened 100% cocoa powder (U.S. option HERE)
Instructions
- once the sponge cake has cooled and compacted (I recommend baking it the day before) cut it into finger-size strips (about 1.5cm width) and set aside.
- use a manual whisk to beat egg yolk with powdered erythritol and 1/2 tsp stevia in a large bowl until you obtain a smooth paste.
- spoon in mascarpone and combine well.
- whisk cream until very firm and add to mascarpone mix.
- whisk egg white until powdery stiff and add it to mascarpone mix.
- make 3 espresso coffees, letting the machine run for longer to add more water, or if using a mocha machine just add hot water separately; you should end up with about 220ml total.
- add rum and pinch of stevia to the coffee; stir and allow to cool a little (if too hot the sponge fingers will absorb too much and you'll have a soggy tiramisu).
- dip each finger very quickly in and out of the warm coffee mix and place it at the bottom of a serving dish (I use a 19cm x 30cm Pyrex dish, U.S. option HERE), side by side to create an even layer.
- top with 1/2 or 1/3 mascarpone mix (see notes) and sprinkle cocoa all over the top using a fine strainer.
- repeat until you have 2-3 layers in total (see notes).
- refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably 24 hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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This has so many amazing reviews that I want to try making it! But, my GI doesn’t handle erythritol (or any of the sugar alcohols). Any substitutes?
You can use any type of sweetener that you prefer, except stevia on its own.
Hi,
I really want to try this out since tiramisu is an absolute fav of mine. I am just hesitant on the mascarpone cream part. If I read the recipe correctly it is raw egg yolk and white? I’ve been told eggs in the US are treated differently and are usually considered unhealthy to eat without any cooking. Does the warm coffee sterilize them enough to be edible?
Thanks and can’t wait to try this!
Hi Melanie, yes Tiramisù is traditionally made with fresh raw eggs (like many other Italian desserts).
The warm coffee won’t do anything to the eggs, as it just soaks the sponge element.
I don’t know anything about American food standards and practices, but to be on the safe side, I’d only use fresh eggs from a farm (which is what I do here in the UK anyway), or shop-bought eggs that state ‘natural’, ‘organic’ and ‘free to roam’ on the packaging.
As long as you use super fresh eggs, you’ll be fine.
If you’re a Tiramisù lover, you cannot miss this recipe – it is absolutely authentic in both texture and flavour. Guaranteed to blow you away.
Best Wishes. x Antya
Hi Melanie, the difference between UK eggs and US eggs is that in the UK, hens whose are eggs destined for supermarkets have been vaccinated against salmonella (the eggs are individually stamped and dated with the British Lion mark). That’s why in the UK you will always find eggs at room temperature in supermarkets, never in chiller cabinets. The vaccination makes them perfectly safe to store at room temperature.
SOOOOOOOO excited to try this. I love me some Tiramisu!!!!
Made over the weekend and absolutely fabulous whole family loved it.
Also had some spare sponge fingers with mascarpone cream and strawberries also great
Always nice to hear back from readers who try my recipes. Thank you, Karene !!!
I can’t believe I’ve never reviewed this before, but I’ve made this recipe (and only this one!) several times now and it is SOOO GOOD! Both my non-keto partner and I love it, and he specifically requests this one for birthdays and Christmas 🙂 We just had some for our Christmas pud last night, happy days! The first time I made this I used lupin for the sponge as I had some, but lately I’ve reverted to using ground almonds and that version is good enough for us. This recipe is perfect in every way… So straightforward to follow, so much fun to put together, and so reliable, always! Thank you for a fabulous recipe!
You’re most welcome. Glad you love it as much as I do, and thank you for the lovely comments!
Please give a U.S conversion option in recipes?
Hi Ali, I’m based in the UK, where we use metric measurements. This is the world-wide standard for good reasons: there are no variables involved, so you can be assured that whatever you’re measuring matches the quantity given in a recipe.
Online calculators that convert metric to cups/spoons (i.e. volume) do not exist, and those from metric to ounces/pounds (i.e. imperial or U.S.) are highly inaccurate and impossible to decipher. For example, if you try to convert 100g of plain white flour, the result is 7/8 cup or 3.53 oz. Use a different ingredient and the result will be vastly different. Look at another online conversion tool and you’ll get different results yet again. Aside those variable, how would you be able to work out what 7/8 cup or 3.53 oz actually is?
I’m aware that some bloggers’ recipes offer a conversion ‘button’. However, it works fine if the recipe starts off in cups/spoons/oz (although, again, there are variables, whereby a U.S. cup is different from an Australian, Canadian or South African cup), but doesn’t work the other way around.
Sorry to disappoint you, but metric weighing scales are cheap and readily available, so if you want to try my recipes – or other European blogs’ recipes, you’ll need to get one.
I love this tiramisu, its soooo delicious! Thank you for sharing 🥰
You’re welcome! And thank you for your lovely comment.
Made this yesterday for my wife’s birthday today. Given that she’s across the office from me with a piece making obscene noises, I think it qualifies as a huge hit.
Also, bang on with the macros. 3g per serving. There’s talk now from behind the giant Apple monitor of a second piece. ?
Haha Andra, that’s made my day. Thank you 🙂
So so excited but I don’t understand how everyone in the U.S. is handling the measurements?
Great question since weight and liquid measurements are different. Grams and ml are usually listed on the packages in the U.S. and on many measuring cups. Conversion tables are online as well. But using a kitchen scale is always the surest way as with any accurate baking process.
Thank you so much! You’re a genius! This is truly the best dessert ever!
First, I have never tried Tiramasu until I made this recipe. Note: I’m in the US and used heavy whipping cream, hershey’s dark cocoa powder, and Kracken dark rum for the variables, and I actually made this recipe in response to a bit of a challenge from my sister who is considering going on Keto for weight loss.
Tiramasu is her favorite dessert EVER so she’s a bit of an expert! She brought a store-bought Tiramasu to a party we went to and taste-tested it side-by-side with the one I made from this recipe… She liked mine better!! She said this might push her over the line to go Keto because Tiramasu was one thing she just didn’t want to have to give up! Additionally, my daughter who is 16 is my biggest Keto-cook critic (in other words, brutally honest about any flavors/etc. that are NOT sugar LOL). She loved it too! Winning recipe all the way around!
I have been making up some recipes, and finding others that I modify in some way or another (some of them in many ways lol). I can’t think of any changes or swaps I would want to make to this one, so I’m just going to share your link on my website http://www.easierthanabook.com where I’ve been sharing some of my favorite recipes and Keto insights.
Again, thank you! I have bookmarked your site for future reference!!
Hi Sherry, sorry about the late reply, your message was identified as spam by my bots, because of the link you inserted, so I’ve only just retrieved it. What can I say apart from a big thank you!!!! Nothing makes me happier than when my recipes are reproduced and are loved as much as I do. I always test and re-test everything, adding/removing minute amounts and methods until I get them right. Which means they must be as close as possible, if not better, than their high-carb originals. For your next keto baking adventure, I’d like to recommend my ice mountain cake. Best wishes to you and your family and thank you again for taking the time to write in.
When you say double cream…what is that? I’m in the U.S., so not sure….is that heavy whipping cream? Also, anyway we can get the recipe in U.S. metric version? I was looking for the little button to click to convert, but couldn’t find it. This is my favorite dessert and can’t wait to make it!
I’m led to believe that British double cream is similar to American heavy whipping cream. All my recipes use standard metric measures for accuracy – converting to volume would produce hit and miss results, hence why I don’t provide a conversion button. Metric weighing scales are dead cheap and easily sourced. Look at the bottom of most recipes and you’ll find links for your convenience. Trust me, it’s a small investment that’s well worth it:)
This looks so wonderful and i cant wait to try it. In step number 8 of the instructions, it says to dip each finger in the coffee and place at the bottom of the pan. I apologise for being dense, but i cannot understand this step. Will you please break it down in more detail?
Thank you Joanne, you will love it, I promise. Step 6 says to make your coffee, 7 says to sweeten it and add rum, plus cool it a little if too hot. It should be barely warm. Step 8 is the dipping part. You want to basically LIGHTLY soak each sponge finger with the coffee/rum liquid and you do that by dunking each finger in the coffee mix. Don’t leave each finger in the coffee, mind you, you don’t want a wet mess, just dunk and remove quickly, then place each dipped finger on your tiramisu dish so as to make a layer of coffee infused sponge on top of which you’ll spread the mascarpone mix. The alternative is to lay the sponge fingers first, then, when your layer is complete, use a spoon to drop the coffee mix over them, but it may not soak through evenly. I hope I’ve made it clearer. If not, let me know what’s confusing you and I’ll try again.
Thanks for this wonderful recipe! Best Tiramisu ever. I am not sure however, about the macro’s you have calculated. I have added the exact amounts of the recipe in Cronometer. and per 1/9 of the dish it states 413 kcal, 38.7 fat, 10.4 protein (all rather similar to the numbers you quoted) but a staggering amount of 21 net carbs per portion. I like to know how you got to the 3 grams. Believe me, I’d love to go with your facts, but Cronometer is not agreeing with you. 🙂
Hi! Thank you for the lovely comment. Glad you liked it! To calculate macros I use the FatSecret app. I entered 4 eggs, unsalted Kerrygold butter, organic Markal lupin flour, Tesco Ricotta, Tesco double cream, Lovilio mascarpone and Perugina cocoa. I always seek out the lowest carb ingredients – if you use other brands you may well end up with different macros, but you shouldn’t have such a big difference as the one you’re quoting. Having re-checked the entries in the app, I still get 3.1g net carbs per portion (there are 9 portions per Tiramisú).
Hi so happy to see this special treat but being dairy free makes it difficult, has anyone tried it with coconut cream or other dairy free options?
Hi Jo, sorry, I don’t have a dairy free option, but if you find a way to substitute butter (in sponge), cream and Mascarpone, I’d love to know. ?
Sounds yummy ! Thanks for sharing. Question on the alcohol, would whiskey work ? I can’t have rum, I am allowed whiskey or Scotch.
Hi Petra. You don’t have to add alcohol at all. Whiskey/Scotch would be too overpowering.
O-my, o-my—-have adapted the keto life style and one does get used to making do. But wow, what an awesome treat. I could not wait, (not true, have been waiting for 12 months or so)–so I used my low carb bread from the freezer and cut small fingers for the lady fingers cuz , the coffee vehicle is a must. Divine–tomorrow will make the sponge cake, but for tonight, just thank you for this 5 star treat. You know , making do, or remaining flexible ie( boiled eggs for lunch when pressed for time), is how I stay successful with the keto lifestyle. This makes an excellent food offering more superlative. You are the queen:}
Hi Elizabeth, a huge thank you for taking the time to stop by, and for leaving such lovely comments. I promise you will love this dessert ?. Best wishes.
Hi, This looks great! Have you ever used Swerve instead if the sweetners in your recipe? Woukd you still use the 5 tablespoons?
Hi, I’ve never used Swerve, but I understand it is not a ‘bad’ sugar substitute. Given that it’s a 1:1 strength compared to sugar, I would use 4 tablespoons.
I tried this last weekend. It was sooooo goooood! Anybody who misses tiramisu on Keto should try this. Worth the effort and time ?
I substituted lupin flour with almond flour since I couldn’t find it easy from where I live (California). Perhaps i can order on internet, but i couldn’t wait… lol Does it make a lot of difference when you actually use lupin flour?
Hi Erin! Love your feedback! And I’m glad you took an alternative route with almond flour ?. I’ve added a U.S. link to lupin flour in my recent posts, as it’s so difficult to find (go to my Magic Zucchini cakes recipe and you’ll see it). Lupin flour is kind of “earthy” but has a neutral flavour when baked. It creates a smooth texture, no grainy sensation like almond flour and no coconut flour dryness. If you try it you’ll be hooked!
Thanks for your recipe, made it a bit rushed within a 10 hour time frame as opposed to the 2-3 day prep time, but it was amazing anyway. Super rich and decadent without the impending lethargy.
I don’t ever have to go out for tiramisu now! Thank you so much!?
Lovely to hear, Jon. Thank you so much for the feedback!
thanks so much for this recepie!!! i made it and it is amazaing to say the least!!! wow!!??❤
p.s: would u pls delete my last name on my last comment. accidently i put it in:-/ thx
Hi Gesal! I’m very happy that your earlier reservations turned out futile. Thank you for leaving a comment. It means a lot. 🙂 And I’ve already obliged with your request. Come back soon!
will try this weekend:-) the sponge cake looks quiete thick to work for tiramisu?!
hope it works out!
thank you!
You’re right. The sponge ‘fingers’ will be quite dense. But that’s the price we have to pay to avoid grains and gluten in Keto baking. One day I’ll figure out how to make savoiardi biscuits, but until then, this is as close as it gets to the real McCoy. On the plus side, because the sponge is quite dense, it means smaller slices, so it will last longer ?
it still turned out great! i would recommend to soak a little more in coffe and then there will be no difference. thank u this really helps staying keto!!:-))
I”m going to try keto cloud bread in place of sponge cake/ladyfinger biscuits. Making today for hubby’s birthday!
Hi Andrea. Nice thought. I hope it will hold, because cloud bread is very light. Good luck and happy birthday to your husband?..I’d love to know how it turns out!
So happy to have found this recipe (and the sponge cake), can’t wait to try it out. I’m fairly new to the Ketogenic lifestyle, and know that delicious desserts will be key to staying away from carbs long-term. Tiramisu is my favorite, and I look forward to creating other treats with the sponge cake base.
Hi Venus!Thank you for leaving a comment. Interactions mean a lot to me! And a huge Welcome to Keto world! We get to eat the best, healthiest, tastiest foods without hunger pains or calorie counting. Aren’t we lucky? If you’re a newbie, you’ll soon find that keto baking ingredients can be expensive and sometimes difficult to source. Fortunately, online supplies usually work out cheaper and better quality than supermarket equivalents, plus buying in bulk saves money in the long run. In case you’re wondering, whenever you see a product link within my posts or recipes, you can be assured that I have tried, tested and selected that item for quality/price, and it is what I use in my kitchen. Have Fun baking!
I will concur that this is A-MAZE-ING!!! I made the sponge with almond flour, and divided the batter into 10 mini bundt cakes. Layered each cake with 1/10th of the cream in individual glass dessert cups as directed. Was hoping for a yummy new treat but was so glad i was sitting down! IT WAS HEAVEN!! Lol, so perfect! Thank you thank you for this one!
Thank you Stephen, feedback means everything to me. Glad you liked it. ?
OH THANK THE HEAVENS!!! I’m only on week 2 of the keto lifestyle and I NEED SOME TIRAMISU IN MY LIFE. I love that this is the real deal and not with “cocoa” flavored BS. Thank you, thank you. Can’t wait to try this
Hahaha. Don’t you just love keto life??? We get to eat the best food!!!
Just made it yesterday but used a different recipe for the sponge cake because I was missing the flour, but the ladyfingers didn’t absorb the coffee tastes as much as i wanted and were still hard after one night in the fridge…and i didn’t put enough sweetener I think as well but I came pretty close to perfection. Just need to bake the sponge cake less maybe…
Hi there. I can’t really advise you, given that you used a different recipe for the ‘lady fingers’. Same for sweeteners. Providing Erythritol is pure, its strength is constant (at about 70% the sweetness of sugar). Stevia, however, comes in different concentrations, so unless you use the same stevia brand I do, you’ll find less or more sweetness in the end result.
Thank you so much for your answer! I’ve been trying again today, adding more Sukrin Gold 🙂 It’s hard to find good Stevia without aftertaste in Denmark sadly. Can’t wait to see how this one will turn out.
I cant find erythritol in my country, how many gram stevia approximately if i use that instead of erythritol?
Hi Karen, that’s a tricky one! Erythritol has the same sweetness no matter what brand/package you buy. Stevia, on the other hand, comes in different concentrations and some brands actually mix it with erythritol or sugars, so each brand/package has different sweetness strength. That aside, I wouldn’t recommend using stevia on its own, as it can turn food bitter. If Amazon is available to you, you could look for a combination stevia/erythritol, which is a fairly common product.
I love tiramisu?.So soooo happy I found your website.Thanks.
Glad you found me! 🙂
Wow! My favorite desert in keto version! Never thought it possible! Thanks a million!!!!!!
Soooo happy I found your website!
Yeeeyyy! It’s my favourite too! Let me know how it turns out! And thanks for the kind comments!
Just thought I’d let you know that I’ve added macros to the recipe. 3g carbs for each serving!!!!! 🙂
Also where did you get the 18 x 18 pans? I can’t seem to find them, and is wondering if you could just use two 8 x 8’s? or a 9 x 13?
I bought my pans from Tesco (UK). 18cm equals approximately 7 inches, but 8″x 8″ will do just fine.
Loved this dessert! Also had a hard time finding 18cm square pans. Will use 8″ square next time to make the fingers a bit thinner. I am so used to the light store-bought ladyfingers. May also try whipping the egg whites for the sponge, although the way you have it is so easy and since the sponge compacts overnight it may not be worth the bother. A wonderful introduction to Lupin flour for me! Grateful to you!
Hi Elyce, glad you tried it. It is such an easy and versatile sponge. Of course the fingers will never be light and crispy as ladyfingers are, but the end result is great and so filling you end up eating less. Good on you for giving it a go!