These easy no-bake Mascarpone Espresso and Amaretti Parfaits taste like coffee flavoured cheesecake but take very little time to prepare!

Mascarpone Espresso and Amaretti Parfaits served in martini glasses.

This Mascarpone dessert reminds me of a favourite cake from my childhood that my mother used to make for special occasions. The cake layers were vanilla and it had a coffee flavoured buttercream icing.

Though this mascarpone parfait has a texture more similar to a cheesecake and is more similar to a trifle or a parfait in its appearance, it is an easy and quick solution to my cravings for my mother's cake.

Coffee flavoured parfaits in martini glasses.

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How to Make this Mascarpone Dessert
Ingredients Overview
Steps Overview
Serving Suggestions
Storage Instructions
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Mascarpone Espresso and Amaretti Parfaits Recipe

How to Make this Mascarpone Dessert

This no-bake dessert made with mascarpone cheese is a perfect option for those summer days when it's just too hot to turn the oven on. It's also a great choice when you're using the oven to cook a big feast and can't use the oven to bake a dessert.

These Mascarpone Espresso and Amaretti Parfaits are really delicious and so easy to make. Though you'll most likely need to plan ahead to shop for the ingredients, there aren't that many in this recipe. And best of all, this dessert can be prepared very quickly.

Here's an overview of the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. The amounts needed are listed in the recipe card below.

Ingredients Overview

Instant espresso
Mascarpone cheese
Heavy cream
Pure vanilla extract
Icing sugar
Amaretti cookies
Dark chocolate

Steps Overview

Start by dissolving one tablespoon of instant espresso in two tablespoons of boiled water, refrigerate to cool quickly.

Place amaretti cookies in a sturdy zip-top bag and crush the amaretti cookies, leaving some larger pieces. Set aside.

Grate the dark chocolate with a grater and set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, whip the mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, coffee and vanilla until soft peaks begin to form and then slowly add the icing sugar. Whip mixture until stiff peaks form.

Spoon half of the mascarpone cream evenly among the glasses. Sprinkle half the crushed amaretti cookies over the mascarpone cream and repeat layers once more. Top each serving with a sprinkling of grated chocolate.

Though there is no cake portion to this dessert, the crushed amaretti cookies are a great substitute. Depending on how much time there is between the time you prepare the parfaits and when you serve them, the cookies will absorb the humidity from the mascarpone and heavy cream and soften.

Tip: I like to make sure there is still some crunch to this dessert so I leave some bigger amaretti cookie bits in there and make it no earlier than two to three hours before serving.

Close-up of a spoonful of Mascarpone Espresso and Amaretti Parfaits.

Serving Suggestions

Though I used martini glasses to serve this dessert in, you can also use small mason jars, wine glasses or any small clear glasses.

Chill this dessert in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving. I like serving this dessert with a hot espresso or coffee.

Storage Instructions

Cover any leftovers and store in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

If you love the flavour of coffee then you will want to try this delicious dessert! You may also want to take a look at this healthy Coffee Smoothie or these No-Bake Maple Espresso Bites, they're perfect for when you need a boost of energy!

Enjoy!

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