The Swiss love tiramisu.

I can always find mascarpone at even the smallest Emmental grocery store, and there’s usually a picture of tiramisu on the top.

It is so beloved that Betty Bossi published Fruchtiges Tiramisu, an entire cookbook devoted to it in 2019 (though according to the reviews the recipes had less to do with the authentic Italian dessert than they did with taking something creamy (often quark), spreading it on something spongy and throwing in some fruit—it even included an English trifle).

My pearamisu recipe is equally inauthentic—it borrows the ladyfingers, mascarpone, coffee and spirits from the Italians, then adds a little Belle-Hélène, pear and chocolate.

The boozy bit is in the form of Williams, a traditional Swiss pear spirit. My sister-in-law, Fränzi, works at the historic Distilley Studer in the neighbouring town of Escholzmatt LU, and we are often gifted their wonderful tipples. They recently launched a new product called Brooster, a mix of cold brew coffee and Williams (as well as two other versions with gin and rum).

“This would go well in a tiramisu,” said my savvy husband Sam, as he took a sip.

(You can also make it into a super quick Kafi Luz (boozy coffee), by filling it up with hot water—that’s a tip from Fränzi.)

Although very nontraditional, when making our tiramisu we typically mix the mascarpone with Stalden Creme, a very Swiss custard in a can that reminds Sam of childhood (you can also just use sweetened whipped cream).

This is a very easy version of tiramisu (our four-year-old helped out at almost every step), and it can be made ahead, which makes it a great choice for a Christmas dessert.

200 ml whipping cream

100 g dark chocolate, chopped

500 g mascarpone

1 can vanilla Stalden cream (see below for substitutions)

around 30 ladyfingers

300 ml coffee

50 ml Wiliiams

around 500 g pears (canned or poached), sliced

First, make the chocolate sauce.

Over medium heat, bring the cream to a light boil. Take it off the heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let sit for a moment, then stir together.

Whisk together the Stalden Creme (or substitution) and mascarpone.

Stir together the coffee and Williams, then whisk about two tbsp into the mascarpone mixture.

Layer the bottom of your serving dish with half of your lady fingers. Brush these with the boozy coffee, pour over half of the chocolate sauce, top with half the pears, then spread with half of the cream mixture. Repeat layering, reserving a few tbsp of chocolate sauce in the pan for decoration.

Once you have layered the rest of the cream, place little blobs of reserved chocolate sauce on top and use a toothpick to drag it though, creating a marbled effect.

• If you don’t have the means or desire to use a canned custard, you can replace it with 400 ml of lightly whipped cream (just whip it together with the mascarpone and add 50 g sugar or honey), or another similar custard.

• My little kitchen helper likes to brush the ladyfingers after she has arranged them in the dish. Many other recipes dip the entire biscuit in the boozy coffee before placing in the dish.

• We make our tiramisu (for the grown-ups) quite boozy—adjust according to preference.