A zesty and creamy take on the Italian dessert Tiramisu. Made from lemons, limoncello, cream, mascarpone, sugar, lemon curd, sponge fingers and white chocolate, this epic dessert can be enjoyed at any time of the year but does make for a wonderful Christmas Day treat!
A summery twist on the classic, this Limoncello Tiramisu is fresh, zesty and decadent. While this dessert may be perfect for the silly season, you can enjoy this recipe at any time of the year! Tiramisu benefits from a long chill time. Give yourself at least three hours in the fridge but preferably, allow to chill overnight. This allows for the limoncello and cream mixture to soak into the lady fingers well. If you prefer a more traditional version, be sure to try our Individual Tiramisu. Or for something a little different, why not give our Hot Cross Bun Tiramisu a go?
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Ingredient notes:
- Sponge fingers: Also know as 'lady fingers' these sponge fingers are critical for tiramisu making! The soak up all the beautiful flavours and hold their shape.
- Limoncello: This replaces the marsala wine or coffee liqueur from a traditional tiramisu. Given Limoncello is another Italian liqueur, it feels like a good alternative!
- Mascarpone: Another essential ingredient for tiramisu, mascarpone is a traditional Italian cream cheese. It is soft and creamier than traditional cream cheese and has a slightly sweet flavour.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.
Step by step instructions:
Zest the lemon first and set the zest aside for garnishing later. Add ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup water to a small saucepan. Heat over a medium temperature, stirring occasionally until the sugar has fully dissolved. Pour into a bowl and stir through the limoncello and lemon juice. Set aside to cool.
To make the filling: Whip the cream in a bowl to soft peaks. In a separate bowl beat the mascarpone with the remaining sugar and a pinch of salt until smooth and fluffy.
Add one third of the whipped cream to the mascarpone and fold gently with a spatula. Add the remaining cream and fold again until just combined. Spoon the lemon curd into the cream mixture and lightly fold so you get a marbled effect. Do not over mix.
Assemble the tiramisu: Dip the sponge fingers one at a time into the limoncello syrup and arrange them in a single layer in your chosen dish or large bowl. Spoon over one third of the cream and spread evenly.
Add another layer of dipped sponge fingers and another layer of cream. Repeat one more time so you have three layers of each.
Grate white chocolate over the top and sprinkle with the reserved lemon zest. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least three hours so the layers can soften and meld together.
For the best consistency and flavour, make your tiramisu the day before and allow to chill in the fridge overnight before serving.
If you're keen to try another Italian dessert, check out our Berry Semifreddo.
Recipe FAQs:
This tiramisu gets better the longer it sits so you can make it the day before and keep it covered in the fridge overnight.
To keep it alcohol free replace the limoncello by adding an extra ¼ cup water, an extra ¼ cup sugar and the juice of one more lemon.
You can also make this as individual mini tiramisus. Break the sponge fingers as needed to fit your serving bowls or cups and use a piping bag to add the filling so the layers stay neat.
Storage:
Store leftover Tiramisu in the fridge for up to two days.
Top tips:
Make sure to zest the lemon before juicing, and set aside until needed for garnishing!
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Limoncello Tiramisu
A zesty and creamy take on tiramisu made from lemons, limoncello, cream, mascarpone, sugar, lemon curd, sponge fingers and white chocolate.
Ingredients
Syrup
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup limoncello
Filling
- 500ml cream
- 500g mascarpone
- 2 Tbsp white sugar
- ½ cup lemon curd
- 200g sponge fingers
- 44g white chocolate, small bar
Instructions
- Zest the lemon first and set the zest aside for garnishing later.
- Add ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup water to a small saucepan. Heat over a medium temperature, stirring occasionally until the sugar has fully dissolved. Pour into a bowl and stir through the limoncello and lemon juice. Set aside to cool.
- To make the filling: Whip the cream in a bowl to soft peaks. In a separate bowl beat the mascarpone with the remaining sugar and a pinch of salt until smooth and fluffy.
- Add one third of the whipped cream to the mascarpone and fold gently with a spatula. Add the remaining cream and fold again until just combined.
- Spoon the lemon curd into the cream mixture and lightly fold so you get a marbled effect. Do not over mix.
- Assemble the tiramisu: Dip the sponge fingers one at a time into the limoncello syrup and arrange them in a single layer in your chosen dish or large bowl. Spoon over one third of the cream and spread evenly.
- Add another layer of dipped sponge fingers and another layer of cream. Repeat one more time so you have three layers of each.
- Grate white chocolate over the top and sprinkle with the reserved lemon zest. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least three hours so the layers can soften and meld together.
Notes
- Make sure to zest the lemon before juicing, and set aside until needed for garnishing!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 368Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 16gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 243mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 0gSugar: 23gProtein: 3g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya
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