Limoncello Tiramisu

About This Recipe

This is a bright, boozy riff on tiramisu that swaps the usual espresso soak for limoncello and fresh lemon juice, keeping the same creamy mascarpone layers but landing lighter and more summery. It works well after a heavy meal when a coffee-forward tiramisu might feel too rich. The technique stays faithful to the original: egg yolks are whipped with sugar until pale, folded with mascarpone, then layered with soaked ladyfingers. A few hours in the fridge lets the layers set and the flavors meld before it's dusted with lemon zest just before serving.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 500 gmascarpone
• 5egg yolks
• 100 ggranulated sugar
• 24ladyfingers (savoiardi)
• 0.5 cuplimoncello
• 0.5 cupfresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsplemon zest(plus more for garnish)
• 1 pinchfine sea salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Whip yolks and sugar

   Whisk egg yolks and sugar over a double boiler for 5 minutes until pale, thick, and doubled in volume.

2. 2

   Fold in mascarpone

   Remove from heat and fold in mascarpone, lemon zest, and salt until smooth.

3. 3

   Mix the soak

   Combine limoncello and lemon juice in a shallow dish.

4. 4

   Dip and layer

   Quickly dip each ladyfinger in the limoncello mixture, 1 second per side, and layer in a dish. Spread half the mascarpone cream over the top.

   Dip fast — soggy ladyfingers ruin the texture.

5. 5

   Repeat and chill

   Add a second layer of soaked ladyfingers and remaining cream. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

6. 6

   Garnish and serve

   Just before serving, grate fresh lemon zest over the top.

Variations

• •

  Add a layer of fresh berries between the cream layers for extra brightness.

• •

  Use Meyer lemons if available for a sweeter, more floral juice and zest.

• •

  Make individual portions in glasses for easier serving at a dinner party.

Storage

Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended as the cream texture suffers on thawing.

Frequently Asked Questions