If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you know that Jon loves tiramisu...and that I rarely make it unless we're having company because, well, we'll end up eating it all.  I've long been a fan of serving a more traditional tiramisu (made in a large pan) by scooping it into pretty glasses (rather than slicing it to serve on a plate).  When I developed the Tiramisu Parfait recipe for Quick-Fix Vegan it was to provide as an easy way to enjoy tiramisu without the fuss and time-consuming bother of the traditional. I soon realized this version is especially ideal for small households because you can make it in smaller portions.

With these parfaits, you can have all the luscious creamy coffee and chocolate flavor of tiramisu in a fraction of the time. And perhaps even more important, if there are just   one or two of you in the house, this scaled-down recipe takes the extra temptation of leftovers out of the equation. (To serve more people, double the recipe or simply follow the recipe in Quick-Fix Vegan). If you don’t have parfait glasses, martini glasses are a good choice, but any small dessert dishes will suffice. Here's another photo of a tiramisu parfait -- this one taken by Linda Evans when she tested the recipe for me:

This recipe is on our "short list" for a Valentine's Day dessert this year. If you're planning a romantic dinner for two on Valentines Day, this may be a sweet ending to your special meal.  You can dress up the parfaits for Valentine's Day by topping each with a fresh strawberry, a few raspberries, or even a few dried cranberries or cherries and sliced almonds (as I did in the top photo). A few chocolate curls would be nice too!

This dessert tastes best (and firms up a bit) if allowed to chill in the refrigerator for an hour or two, but is also perfectly yummy if eaten right away. If you don't have vegan shortbread cookies on hand, you can use another type of cookie or cake with complementary flavors.  This recipe is adapted from Quick-Fix Vegan by Robin Robertson (c) 2011.

1. Combine the coffee and sugar in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside to cool.

2. In a blender or food processor, combine the cream cheese, cashew butter, vanilla, and the reserved coffee mixture. Blend until smooth and creamy.

3. Break a cookie into the bottom of each of 2 parfait glasses or other dessert glasses. Drizzle each with 1 teaspoon of Kahlua and top with a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat with the layering of the remaining cookies, Kahlua, and cream cheese mixture, until the glasses are full, ending with a layer of the cream cheese mixture, dusted with cocoa powder.

4. Serve at once or refrigerate and serve chilled.

Serves 2