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This Rus Malai Tiramisu is the perfect fusion dessert for all Rus Malai lovers! It is an unbelievably easy, no-bake, eggless dessert made with just 7 ingredients and 20 minutes of prep. With layers of bread (yes, bread instead of ladyfingers!) soaked in a fragrant Rus Malai milk, and a silky cardamom mascarpone cream, this tiramisu is finished with grated white chocolate instead of cocoa powder for a stunning all-white twist. The result is a luscious, creamy and delicious crossover between Tiramisu and classic South Asian Rus Malai – perfect for Eid, Ramadan, Diwali, or any special gathering!
This recipe was borne out of my own love (read: obsession) of Tiramisu and Rus Malai, and I am truly so happy with the result! It tastes and looks spectacular, and in true Zoha fashion, I’ve kept the recipe as simple as possible. I am confident you will love it, too.
2 easy layers in this Tiramisu
This Rus Malai Tiramisu is made with 2 simple layers:
- Bread soaked in Rus Malai milk: Instead of the traditional ladyfingers, I use bread in this recipe (specifically, King’s Hawaiian Original Hawaiian Sweet Rolls) – but you can use ladyfingers or any white bread of choice. It is soaked in a sweet Rus Malai flavored milk that replaces the coffee soak in a Tiramisu
- Cardamom mascarpone cream. The bread is layered with a simple mascarpone cream mixture made with heavy cream, sugar, mascarpone cheese, vanilla and cardamom. No eggs, no water baths!
Why bread instead of ladyfingers?
Although a classic Tiramisu is made with ladyfingers, I prefer using bread in this recipe. I find that bread gives this tiramisu a slightly chewy texture that feels more reminiscent of Rus Malai, and another popular South Asian dessert called Shahi Tukray. I also know ladyfingers can often be a pain to find, which is why I wanted to provide an easier alternative in this recipe. Personally, my bread of choice is King’s Hawaiian Rolls, but any sliced white bread can work.
Don’t worry, though, this recipe also works great with ladyfingers if you don’t want to go down the bread route! Just skip the toasting step, and soak the ladyfingers in the milk individually before layering in the dish.
White chocolate as garnish
Many Rus Malai Tiramisu recipes use crushed pistachios as the final garnish, but not everyone loves pistachios, and they can become overpowering in an otherwise delicate dessert. So what could I use instead of cocoa powder on top of a tiramisu that would still achieve a similar look, but be all white (like Rus Malai) and have a complementary flavor and texture? And there it was, the light bulb moment: grated white chocolate! It fits the bill perfectly in looks, texture and flavor. Just freeze a white chocolate bar, then use a zester to finely grate it over the chilled tiramisu. Not gonna lie, I am pretty proud of this one. 😉
Step by step photos
Let’s quickly go over the steps with photos to help you visualize this recipe:
Start by toasting the bread until light golden. I do this on a sheet pan in the oven to save time! Toasting the bread gives it more sturdiness, which is needed as it will then get soaked in milk.
Make the Rus Malai milk by cooking milk, sugar and cardamom for a few minutes until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool down fully
For the mascarpone cream mixture, first add the heavy cream, sugar, cardamom powder and vanilla to a bowl.
Whisk on medium low speed for a few minutes until the mixture starts to thicken up.
Add the mascarpone cheese.
Keep whisking on medium-low speed until the mascarpone is incorporated and the mixture reaches soft peaks – avoid overmixing as it will become grainy and split!
And just like that, it’s time to assemble! Add a layer of the bread to your serving dish, and pour over half of the Rus Malai milk to soak it thoroughly.
Spread over half of the mascarpone cream mixture.
Repeat with a second layer of bread soaked in the rest of the milk.
Spread on the rest of the mascarpone cream evenly.
Let the Tiramisu set in the fridge overnight, or for at least 4 hours. Then dust with finely grated white chocolate when ready to serve!
My favorite Tiramisu dish
I’ve shared this before and I’ll share it again, but this rectangular glass casserole dish is PERFECT for Tiramisu. It is made of glass so you can see the layers, has straight edges for the perfect slices, is the perfect size, and even comes with a lid! Honestly, what a find.
Important tip before you make it
There’s one thing you need to keep in mind before making this tiramisu. Use good quality mascarpone cheese! I have had the most luck with Galbani, but mascarpone quality can vary from batch to batch even with the same brand. It should be creamy, smooth and thick, not gritty, rough or watery in texture. I go more in depth on the importance of good quality mascarpone cheese in my Classic Italian Tiramius recipe.
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Ingredients
Rus Malai milk and bread:
- 2 cups milk (480g)
- 1/4 cup sugar (50g)
- 3 cardamom pods, or 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- 12–15 King’s Hawaiian original sweet rolls, or any other sliced white bread of similar quantity – see notes if you want to use ladyfingers
Cardamom mascarpone cream:
- 2 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, chilled (600g)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (66g)
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1/2 to 1 tsp cardamom powder, based on preference
- 8 to 12 ounces good quality mascarpone cheese (like Galbani), slightly cooler than room temperature. Quantity depends on how thick you want it (I typically do 12oz)
For garnish (optional):
- White chocolate, frozen
- Freeze dried strawberries
Instructions
- Start by making the Rus Malai milk. Add the milk, sugar and cardamom pods (or powder) to a saucepan. Cook and stir on medium heat until the mixture boils and the sugar dissolves. Strain to remove the cardamom pods, and let cool down
- Toast the bread rolls until light golden (you can do this in a toaster, toaster oven, air fryer, or traditional oven at 350F). Set aside
- Make the cardamom mascarpone cream. Add the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla and cardamom powder to a bowl. Whisk on medium low speed until the mixture starts to thicken up. Add the mascarpone cheese, and continue whisking on medium low speed for 1-2 minutes until the cheese mixes in and the mixture reaches soft peaks (it should start to hold shape and become spreadable)
- To assemble, add a layer of the toasted bread rolls on the bottom of a 7×11 dish – this should use up half of the bread. Carefully pour over half of the milk mixture to soak the bread thoroughly. Reserve the other half for the next layer. Spread on half of the mascarpone cream mixture. Then repeat with the next layer of bread soaked in milk and the rest of the mascarpone cream.
- Place the tiramisu in the fridge overnight, or at least for 4 hours until fully chilled and set
- Before serving, dust the tiramisu with grated white chocolate (I like to freeze a bar of white chocolate and use a zester to finely grate it directly on top of the tiramisu). Optionally, garnish with some crushed freeze dried strawberries for color. Serve and enjoy!
Video Tutorial
Notes
- Using ladyfingers instead of bread rolls: If you want to use ladyfingers instead of bread, you absolutely can! This recipe will use anywhere between 30-36 ladyfingers depending on the size of your pan. You do not need to toast them. Dip the ladyfingers in the Rus Malai milk one by one, for just 1-2 seconds each, and layer in the tiramisu dish (instead of layering first and then pouring the milk on top).
- Serving options: Instead of a 7×11″ casserole dish, you can assemble and serve this tiramisu in a 9×9″ pan or any other pan of similar size. You can also assemble the tiramisu in individual dessert cups
- Make ahead & storage: You can prepare this tiramisu 1-2 days in advance and keep it covered in the fridge. Garnish with grated white chocolate right before serving, and store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days
Comments
Farzana Malik
Hi, can i use bakery rusk instead of bread?
Zoha Malik
Yes!
Ruby Patel
Hi Zoha. Can I use brioche instead?
Thanks
Zoha Malik
Yes, or classic ladyfingers!
Dollywood flavours
Great recipe! Turned out better than I expected. I have also made this with mangoes and it’s delicious! Thank you for sharing Zoha!
Zoha Malik
YAY so happy to hear that!
Manny
This came out so good!! Fed a bunch of guests on Eid and everyone loved it!
Ro
would this work with plain buns instead? would it just be less sweet?.
Zoha
Hi Ro! Try to just use ladyfingers, and make the milk mixture slightly less sweet 🙂
Naima Jahan
Can I use creaam cheese instead of mascarpone
Zoha
Hi Naima! Cream cheese will work in a pinch, but mascarpone has a much milder, creamier flavor — it’s what gives tiramisu that silky