Recipe Background
Lemon Tiramisu blends light layers of lemon curd and mascarpone for a zesty treat, perfect for impressing in-laws.
The memory of this Lemon Tiramisu traces back to a Sunday brunch with my in-laws, an event that certainly demanded a dessert with a bit of shine. It was my first time hosting a meal for them, and I wanted something that reflected both my Italian roots and their love for all things lemon. The moment I thought of limoncello, I knew I was onto something special. Preparing this dish, I wanted every bite to capture a sunny Italian afternoon, complete with delicate layers of ladyfingers and that creamy mascarpone blend. My tip: make sure not to soak the ladyfingers for too long. A quick dip will leave them perfectly soft yet structured.
As we all shared this tiramisu, tucked amid laughter and endless anecdotes from my father-in-law, I noticed how the lemon curd added a brilliant brightness without overpowering the dessert. Stirring in the zest was a last-minute decision, the aroma filling my tiny kitchen as I folded it into the mascarpone with care not to deflate its heavenly texture. That's the secret to keeping the layers light and fluffy. A brief chat with my mother-in-law taught me to refrigerate the magic overnight, letting the flavors meld in a beautiful harmony.
By the time my in-laws were leaving, I felt a sense of kinship cemented by shared stories and the simplest of ingredients. It's the lemony zing, perfect for any cheerful gathering, that truly makes this dessert a family favorite.
Ingredients
For the tiramisu:
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1 (16-ounce) container mascarpone
- 1/3 cup caster sugar can substitute with white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 lemon zested
- 1/2 cup limoncello optional
- 28 ladyfinger sponge biscuits
- 1 cup prepared lemon curd
Optional, for serving:
- lemon zest to taste
- lemon slices quartered, optional, to taste, for garnish
- mint leaves to taste
Directions
- In a medium bowl, add the heavy cream and with an electric hand-mixer, beat until soft peaks form.
- In a separate bowl, add the mascarpone, the sugar, and the vanilla and using the clean electric hand-mixer, beat until soft peaks form.
- Add the zest of 1 of the lemons to the mascarpone mixture and fold with a spatula to combine. Be careful not to knock the air out of the mixture.
- Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture and gently fold to combine.
- Repeat adding the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture and folding until it is all combined.
- Pour the limoncello in a shallow bowl. Set a 9-inch square baking pan nearby.
- Quickly dip 1/2 of the ladyfingers in the limoncello and immediately lay them side-by-side in the pan, pressing them down lightly so they are as level as possible and trimming them if needed. Do not allow the ladyfingers to soak in the limoncello.
- Top the limoncello-ladyfinger layer with 1/2 of the mascarpone cream mixture, spreading it out evenly with an offset spatula.
- Spread 1/2 of the lemon curd over the mascarpone cream layer in the pan.
- Quickly dip the remaining ladyfingers in the limoncello and lay them out side-by-side on top of the lemon curd layer in the pan. Press them down and trim them if needed to make them as even as possible.
- Spread the remaining lemon curd on top of the limoncello-ladyfinger layer in the tin.
- Pipe or spread the remaining mascarpone cream mixture over the top of the lemon curd layer.
- Loosely cover the pan and refrigerate it until the ladyfingers have softened and fully absorbed the flavors and the tiramisu has chilled, at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
- Optionally, you can place the tiramisu in the freezer for 45 minutes-1 hour to help make neater slices. If you do so, make sure the dessert is not too firm when ready to serve.
- Serve topped with the extra lemon zest, the lemon slices, and the mint leaves.