Limoncello Tiramisu
We all are familiar with tiramisu! The lusciously whipped sweetened mascarpone cheese dessert where the cake part is soaked in strong coffee and all is then topped with a generous amount of cocoa powder. However, every once in a while it’s nice to try to make something different with an old classic dessert. How does a luscious and lemony limoncello tiramisu sound? Personally, it’s my “go-to” tiramisu for summertime. There are endless versions of limoncello tiramisu but the simplest is the best. The elegance of this dish is its simplicity and the tantalizing lemon flavor. All you need are the basics. A few tubs of mascarpone cheese, fresh lemons, a sweet and tangy lemon curd, eggs, sugar, whipped cream, and a beautiful bottle of your favorite limoncello from the Amalfi Coast.
Ingredients (serves 10-12)
Soaking Syrup
- 1 cup Limoncello Liqueur
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup lemon juice
- 40 Savoiardi or Lady Finger Cookies (2 Packages)
The Mascarpone Cream
- 1 – 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 16 ounces Mascarpone Cheese, room temperature
- 10 ounces lemon curd* (recipe below)
Sauce for Platting
- Use the remaining lemon curd thinned out with a little milk or heavy cream.
Soaking Syrup
- In a small pot, heat the limoncello, water, sugar, and lemon juice to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir often until the sugar has dissolved.
- Set the syrup aside and let it cool.
Make the Mascarpone
- In a bowl beat the cream with an electric mixer on high until soft peaks form.
- At this stage add 1/2 cup of the sugar until stiff peaks
- In a separate bowl, beat the mascarpone with 1 cup of lemon curd. You can add more or less depending on your taste.
- Fold it in until a smooth mixture is created.
- Now fold the cream mixture into the mascarpone and blend well.
Tip – Save the remaining lemon curd for the sauce.
To Make
- Pour the syrup into a bowl, and quickly dip each of the savoriadi into the mixture. They should be moist but not falling apart.
- Lay them side by side in a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish, or you can use individual ramekins for a more restaurant presentation.
- Cut the cookies to fill in any spaces.
- Once you have one layer of cookies completed, spoon over half of the mascarpone mixture.
- Make another layer of dipped savoiardi on top of the mascarpone cream layer laying them in the opposite direction from the first layer.
- Then finish by topping this layer with the rest of the cream mixture.
- Smooth over the top and refrigerate for at least hours, or overnight.
Lemon Curd*
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup butter, cubed
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
To Make
- Bring a medium pot to a boil filled halfway with water.
- Once the water boils lower the heat to medium.
- In a bowl large enough to fit over the pot of water add the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Whisk continuously until you reach a thick consistency and the egg mixture can hold a ribbon or a figure eight on top without disappearing back into the egg mixture.
- Then off the heat whisk in the butter and incorporate it fully.
- Pour the lemon curd onto a sheet tray or large plate lined with parchment paper.
- Cover the curd with plastic wrap and push it lightly down to all the lemon curd is covered with plastic.
- Place in the refrigerator to cool completely before using.
Tip – This will keep the lemon curd from developing a dried layer on top as it cools.
Lemon Curd Sauce
- Take the remaining lemon curd and thin it out with a little heavy cream.
- The sauce should be pourable but still, hold its shape on the plate.
- Also, it should be able to coat the top on the tiramisu.
Garnishes
- Cut strawberries of any berries you like are a great garnish for this dish. But use them very sparingly. No more than three.
- Top the tiramisu with a fresh sprig of mint and a dusting of powdered sugar.
- The sugar garnish is optional.
A beautiful limoncello tiramisu.