The Goods

Recipe: Lemon Tiramisu

Even your Nonna will approve of this non-traditional Tiramisu recipe.

Even your Nonna will approve of this non-traditional Tiramisu recipe

This tiramisu can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and makes the perfect finish to any dinner party.

Ingredients

Limoncello syrup:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 2 tbsp limoncello
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Lemon mascarpone layer:

  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 1 475 g tub mascarpone cheese
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream, whipped to medium peaks

Assembly:

  • 2 packages (1 lb each) thin dry Italian ladyfingers
  • 2 cups prepared lemon curd, plus 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (if needed)
  • Zest of 1 lemon, julienned
  • Raspberries and mint for garnish

Preparation

Limoncello syrup: 

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in limoncello and lemon juice, and set aside to cool until ready to assemble.

Lemon mascarpone layer: 

Place the sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl. Rub the zest into the sugar with your hands until evenly distributed. Add the mascarpone and salt to the bowl and mix in well with a wooden spoon or hand mixer. Switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold in 1/3 of the whipped cream. Repeat with the rest of the whipped cream in 2 stages. Cover and store in refrigerator until ready for assembly.

Assembly: 

Taste lemon curd and add fresh lemon juice if required. In a 9x13” glass baking dish, place ladyfingers that have been dipped in the cooled syrup for just a few seconds in a straight line horizontally, covering the entire bottom of the dish. Squish in ladyfingers along the sides if required, or break some in half to fill a small space. Cover the ladyfingers with the mascarpone mixture and then lemon curd, spreading evenly. Repeat dipping process with more ladyfingers, place in the dish in the opposite direction of the first layer. Continue until trifle bowl is filled, ending with mascarpone and then lemon curd. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least four hours or overnight. When ready to serve, garnish with julienned lemon zest, raspberries and mint.

Servings: Makes 12 servings