A few days ago, I spotted a cup of tiramisu while shopping. Tiramisu and crème brûlée are the two desserts I find almost impossible to resist.

I had just completed a five-day fast followed by 14 days of eating one meal a day. I felt better, and my continuous glucose monitor showed a remarkably steady pattern. Still, that familiar thought crept in: It’s only one little cup. How much damage could it do?

But I remembered what happened the last time I tested these two desserts with my glucose monitor.

The commercial tiramisu sent my glucose sharply up—and then down so quickly that my low-glucose alarm went off. The crème brûlée, made simply with cream, eggs and cane sugar, produced a gentler rise and a more gradual return.

I can’t say exactly which ingredients—or combination of ingredients—caused such different responses. But the contrast was enough for me.

So I left the tiramisu on the shelf.

Instead of giving up something I love, I decided to reinvent it: a rich, tiramisu-inspired bake made with Yez Foods mix and designed to fit the way I want to eat and feel.

Because sometimes the answer isn’t resisting dessert. It’s creating a better one.

Tiramisu-Inspired Clean Keto Espresso Chia Cup

This layered dessert combines espresso-soaked sponge cake, cacao chia cream, and a rich mascarpone topping. The result is creamy, deeply satisfying, and reminiscent of traditional tiramisu.

Sponge-Cake Base

You’ll need two servings of Yez! Foods sponge cake. This versatile sponge cake is the base for many of my recipes.

[Find the sponge-cake recipe here.]

Cut the cake into a circle that fits snugly inside your serving cup.

Cacao Espresso Chia Layer Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons whole organic chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon cold espresso
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or light coconut cream
• 1 teaspoon raw organic cacao powder
• 3–4 drops liquid monk fruit or stevia, or to taste

Directions

Whisk the chia seeds, cold espresso, almond milk, cacao powder, and sweetener together in a small bowl for about one minute.

Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes. Stir again to break up any clumps, then refrigerate until thickened.

Mascarpone Cream Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chilled full-fat Italian mascarpone or cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons organic heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3–4 drops liquid monk fruit or stevia, or to taste

Directions

Combine the mascarpone, heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and sweetener in a small bowl. Whisk by hand or with a fork for at least one minute, until smooth, thick, and spreadable.

Assemble Your Cup

1. Place the sponge-cake circle in the bottom of your serving cup.
2. Slowly spoon a small amount of espresso over the cake, allowing it to soak in without making the cake soggy.
3. Add a generous layer of cacao espresso chia cream.
4. Spread the mascarpone cream over the chia layer.
5. Finish with a light dusting of cacao powder.
6. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2–3 hours. For a deeper espresso flavor and a texture closer to traditional tiramisu, refrigerate overnight.

Keep the finished dessert refrigerated until serving; the FDA recommends storing refrigerated foods at 40°F or below.

This version creates a rich, espresso-forward dessert that comes close to classic tiramisu. Next, I’ll share the version I personally prefer—something a little different, with just a touch of tiramisu flavor.

Espresso Chia Cream Cups

This is not a traditional tiramisu. It’s a richer, creamier dessert with a subtle touch of tiramisu flavor—espresso, cacao, and airy cream layered over Yez Foods sponge cake.

Because the half-and-half and cream-cheese topping make it especially rich, I recommend serving it in smaller cups.

Sponge-Cake Base

Yez Foods sponge cake ([find the recipe here])

Cut the sponge cake into circles that fit snugly inside your serving cups.

Espresso Chia Layer Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons whole chia seeds
• 1 shot freshly brewed espresso
• 3/4 teaspoon cacao powder (equivalent to 1/4 tablespoon)
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• Optional: A few drops of monk fruit or stevia, to taste

Directions

1. Place the chia seeds and cacao powder in a small bowl.
2. Pour the espresso over them and mix well.
3. Let the mixture rest for 5–10 minutes, until the chia seeds have absorbed most of the espresso.
4. Add the half-and-half and stir until smooth and creamy.
5. Taste and add sweetener if desired. I prefer this layer unsweetened.

The half-and-half gives this layer a softer, creamier consistency than a traditional chia pudding. After an overnight rest, it also blends more naturally into the sponge-cake base.

Cream-Cheese Topping Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon allulose, or more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• A small amount of finely grated lemon zest

Directions

1. Whip the cold heavy cream until it forms soft peaks. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the allulose, vanilla, and lemon zest until completely smooth.
3. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream-cheese mixture by hand.
4. Finish with the mixer on low speed just until the cream is smooth, light, and fluffy. Do not overmix.

Assemble the Cups

1. Place a circle of sponge cake in the bottom of each cup.
2. Spoon the espresso chia mixture over the cake.
3. Add a generous layer of cream-cheese topping.
4. Finish with a light dusting of cacao powder.
5. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The overnight rest matters. As the cake absorbs moisture from the chia layer, the textures begin to merge and the chia seeds become far less noticeable. Refrigerating for only 1–3 hours produces a firmer chia texture and a noticeably different result.

This is my preferred version. It’s less chocolaty than the first Espresso Chia Cup, but richer, creamier, and more indulgent—with just enough espresso and cacao to give it a touch of tiramisu flavor.

Keep the cups refrigerated at 40°F or below, and don’t leave them at room temperature for more than two hours because they contain perishable dairy ingredients.