Coconut Rum (Coquito) Tiramisu Is a No-Bake Dessert That Combines Italian and Caribbean Flavors

Coconut Rum (Coquito) Tiramisu

Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert made of espresso soaked ladyfingers layered with sweet mascarpone cream and finished with shaved chocolate or cocoa. This version is an untraditional Caribbean inspired twist, and it is the kind of dessert that makes people stop mid sentence and ask what is in it.

Two things change from the classic. The ladyfingers are soaked in a coquito style mixture rather than espresso, and coconut milk and coconut cream are added to the mascarpone cream. Those swaps keep everything soft and creamy while pushing the flavor toward coconut, rum, and cinnamon.

I started making this after a friend brought a bottle of coquito to a holiday dinner. Everyone kept passing it around, and I kept thinking that the same flavors would be wonderful in a spoon dessert.

A few weekends later I layered it into a glass dish, let it sit overnight, and served it to the same group. Nobody talked about the classic version after that.

It is a no cook, layered dessert that makes 8 servings. There is no oven and no custard to stir over heat. You whip, you fold, you dip, you layer, and then the refrigerator does the rest.

If you have never built a tiramisu before, this is a forgiving place to begin. The assembly feels closer to stacking a sweet lasagna than to baking, and any uneven edges disappear under cream and coconut. The one thing you cannot rush is the chill, so plan ahead and let it set.

What is coquito?

Coquito is a Puerto Rican style drink that people often describe as eggnog without the eggs. It is made from evaporated milk, condensed milk, coconut milk, rum, and cinnamon, and the flavor is rich, creamy, and gently spiced.

Because it is strong, it is usually served in small shots rather than a full glass. It shows up around the holidays, and families guard their versions closely. The author of the original recipe makes her grandmother’s old Cuban coquito recipe, which is exactly the kind of detail that makes a recipe worth keeping.

The same flavors work beautifully in a layered dessert. Once the milks, rum, and cinnamon come together, you have a soaking liquid that tastes like the drink itself.

A small tip: if you end up with leftover evaporated, condensed, and coconut milk, you can turn them into a small batch of coquito by adding rum and cinnamon. Serve it in little cups alongside the tiramisu and your guests will think you planned the whole thing.

Serving your tiramisu

The hands on work here is quick. The waiting is the real story. For the best fluffy consistency, let the tiramisu set in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours before you serve it. Overnight is ideal, and a full day is even better.

Assembly feels a lot like building a sweet lasagna. Ladyfingers take the place of pasta sheets, the coconut mascarpone cream stands in for the filling, and coconut flakes add texture between the layers.

I have had the most success building this in a glass Pyrex container. Seeing the layers through the glass is half the fun, and the straight sides make clean slices easy. A basic casserole dish works perfectly well too, so use what you have.

When it is time to serve, use a spatula and move each piece carefully to a plate. If you want a more photogenic slice, cut around the edges of the dish first to create a perfect square, then lift it out. A line of cinnamon drawn across the plate finishes it nicely.

This dessert is a natural fit for a dinner party because almost all of the work happens before your guests arrive. Pair it with coffee after a heavy meal, or serve small squares with a cup of coquito during the holidays.

Keep the leftovers covered in the fridge. It holds up well for a couple of days, though the ladyfingers will keep softening as it sits.

Ingredients

Here is everything you need. The amounts below match the recipe exactly, so read through once before you start.

• 5 eggs, yolks only
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, divided
• 8 oz mascarpone
• 1/2 cup coconut cream
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, half used
• 13.5 oz can coconut milk, half for the cream and half for the soak
• 12 oz can evaporated milk, half used
• 1/2 cup rum, such as Bacardi
• 2 cups coconut flakes, divided
• 1 tsp cinnamon, plus more for dusting
• 24 ladyfingers, more or less depending on your pan

The eggs, powdered sugar, mascarpone, coconut cream, and half the coconut milk become the cream filling. The condensed milk, evaporated milk, remaining coconut milk, rum, and cinnamon become the soaking liquid.

You do not need any special equipment. A hand mixer, a spatula, a large bowl for the soak, a second bowl for the cream, and a glass or ceramic dish will get the job done.

Instructions

This is a no cook recipe, so every step is about building layers and protecting textures. Read the whole thing once before you start, then work through it in order.

Make the cream filling.

1. Separate 5 egg yolks and put them in a large bowl. Save the whites for another use, because you will not need them in this recipe.
2. Whisk the yolks together with 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar using a hand mixer until the mixture turns a pale yellow color.
3. Add 8 oz mascarpone, 1/2 cup coconut cream, and half a can of coconut milk to the egg and sugar mixture. Mix until it looks smooth and even.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining 1/4 cup powdered sugar with 1 cup heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks and becomes a whipped cream.
5. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. Go gently so you keep the air in it.
6. Put the cream mixture in the refrigerator while you prepare the ladyfingers.

Make the soaking mixture.

7. In a large bowl, mix half a can of condensed milk, half a can of evaporated milk, and the remaining half can of coconut milk, along with 1/2 cup Bacardi rum and 1 tsp cinnamon. It is fine if the mixture is a bit lumpy from the chunks in the coconut milk, just make sure those chunks do not end up on your ladyfingers.

Assemble the tiramisu.

8. Before you dip anything, figure out how many ladyfingers your pan needs. You may need more or less than 24 depending on the size of the pan. I like to cut the ladyfingers to the exact width of the pan so every bite has some spongy ladyfinger in it. Account for enough ladyfingers for two layers.
9. Dip each ladyfinger into the coquito mixture. Only dip it lightly for a second so it does not oversoak. Line the bottom of the pan with dipped ladyfingers until it is completely covered.
10. Take the reserved cream mixture out of the refrigerator and pour half of it on top of the ladyfingers. Smooth it out with a spatula. If you want a taller tiramisu, pour less than half here so most of the cream sits on top.
11. Sprinkle 1 cup of coconut flakes over the cream and repeat the process.
12. Soak the rest of the ladyfingers and build your second layer the same way you built the first. Add the remaining cream on top of the second layer of ladyfingers and smooth it out.
13. Sprinkle cinnamon through a fine mesh sieve. If you do not own a sieve, a colander or strainer with small holes works. Be careful pouring cinnamon straight on, because it will clump together.
14. Add 1 cup of coconut flakes on top and let it set in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.

A few things that make a difference.

The dip is where most people go wrong the first time. A ladyfinger is basically a sponge, and it will drink up as much liquid as you let it. One quick second in the coquito mixture is plenty. If you linger, you end up with a mushy layer that collapses when you slice it.

Counting your ladyfingers before you dip saves a lot of mess. Hold one against the pan, see how it fits, and trim if you need to. Then work out the full grid for two layers so you are not scrambling with sticky fingers halfway through.

The cream amount is a personal call. Spreading half of it on the first layer gives you an even split. Using a little less on the bottom gives you a taller, creamier top, which is how the original looks in photos. Either way tastes great.

Watch the coconut milk chunks in the soaking bowl. They are harmless in the liquid, but a chunk sitting on a ladyfinger leaves a chewy spot. Skim them off the surface before you start dipping and you will not have to think about it again.

Cinnamon behaves the same way. Dumped straight from the jar, it lands in heavy clumps that stay dry on top of the cream. A sieve or a strainer with small holes spreads it into a thin, even dusting that looks like it came from a pastry case.

Finally, the chill. Twelve hours is the minimum, and longer is better. This is a great dessert to build the night before a party so the work is already done when guests arrive.

Recipe details

Servings: 8. Method: no cook, no bake, layered, and chilled. Setting time: at least 12 hours in the refrigerator before serving. Serve cold, straight from the fridge, sliced with a spatula.

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Coconut Rum (Coquito) Tiramisu

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Coconut Rum (Coquito) Tiramisu Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert made of espresso soaked ladyfingers layered with sweet mascarpone cream and finished with shaved chocolate or cocoa. This version is an untraditional Caribbean inspired twist, and it is the kind of dessert that makes people stop mid sentence and ask what is in it.

• Total Time: 0 min
• Yield: 8 servings 1x

Ingredients

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5 eggs
1/2 cup powdered sugar
8 oz mascarpone
1/2 cup coconut cream
1 cup heavy cream
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
13.5 oz coconut milk
12 oz evaporated milk
1/2 cup rum
2 cups coconut flakes
1 tsp cinnamon
24 ladyfingers

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Instructions

1-Separate 5 egg yolks and put them: Separate 5 egg yolks and put them in a large bowl. Save the egg whites for later. We won’t be needing them in this recipe.
2-Whisk together 5 egg yolks and 1/4: Whisk together 5 egg yolks and 1/4 cup powdered sugar in the large bowl with a hand mixer until it’s a pale yellow color.
3-Add 8 oz mascarpone, 1/2 cup coconut: Add 8 oz mascarpone, 1/2 cup coconut cream, and 1/2 can coconut milk to the egg and sugar mixture and mix.
4-In a separate bowl, mix together 1/4: In a separate bowl, mix together 1/4 cup powdered sugar and heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks and becomes a whipped cream.
5-Fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture: Fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture.
6-Put cream mixture bowl in the fridge: Put cream mixture bowl in the fridge while you prepare the lady fingers.
7-Mix 1/2 a can of condensed milk,: Mix 1/2 a can of condensed milk, 1/2 a can of evaporated milk, and 1/2 can of coconut milk (whatever’s left that isn’t in the cream mixture), 1/2 cup of Bacardi rum, and 1 tsp of cinnamon in a large bowl. It’s ok if it’s a bit lumpy from the chunks in the coconut milk just make sure it doesn’t get onto your lady fingers.
8-Before you dip your lady fingers in: Before you dip your lady fingers in the makeshift coquito mixture, see how many lady fingers you’re going to need for your pan. You may need more or less than 24 depending on the size of your pan. I like to cut the lady fingers to the exact width of my pan so every bite has a bit of spongy lady finger. Account enough for lady fingers for two layers.
9-After you’ve determined how many lady fingers: After you’ve determined how many lady fingers you’ll need for each layer, dip the lady fingers into the coquito mixture. You’ll only want to lightly dip them for a second to not oversoak them. Line the bottom of the pan with lady fingers until completely covered.
10-Take your reserved cream mixture from the: Take your reserved cream mixture from the fridge and pour half of it on top of your lady fingers. Smooth it out with a spatula. (If you want a taller tiramisu (like pictured here), pour less than half of the mixture so the majority of the cream sits on top).
11-Sprinkle 1 cup coconut flakes on top: Sprinkle 1 cup coconut flakes on top of the cream and repeat the process.
12-Soak the remainder of the lady fingers: Soak the remainder of the lady fingers and build your second layer the same way you built your first. Add the remaining amount of cream on top of the second layer of lady fingers. Smooth it out.
13-Sprinkle cinnamon through a fine mesh sieve: Sprinkle cinnamon through a fine mesh sieve. If you don’t own a sieve, you can use a colander or strainer with small holes. Be careful if you’re pouring the cinnamon straight on because it will clump together.
14-Add 1 cup of coconut flakes on: Add 1 cup of coconut flakes on top and allow it to set in the fridge for at least 12 hours.

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• Prep Time: 0 min
• Cook Time: 0 min
• Method: no_cook