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Italian Cuisine Expert and Food Blogger
Guido Pedrelli
Guido Pedrelli, the mastermind behind Nonna Box, has honed his culinary expertise for decades, inspired by family feasts in Emilia-Romagna. Mentored by his restaurateur nonna, he mastered Italian classics and furthered his skills with professional culinary studies in desserts and gelato making from Mec3. Today, he shares this rich legacy and authentic recipes through Nonna Box.
This vibrant and refreshing Lemon Tiramisu is destined to become your new favorite indulgence. With the perfect balance of tanginess and sweetness, this zesty spin on classic tiramisu brings together delicate ladyfingers infused with limoncello lemon syrup and a luscious mascarpone lemon cream. Perfect for any season or celebration, each decadent bite is a delicious burst of lemony sunshine that will leave your guests craving more.
Lemon tiramisu is a tantalizing twist on classic tiramisu that takes the essence of the traditional recipe and infuses it with fresh lemon flavors. Each heavenly bite delivers a delightful burst of lemony goodness that is perfectly balanced with indulgent creaminess. It’s an absolutely delicious, zesty, and refreshing dessert perfect for lemon lovers!
But, what truly sets lemon tiramisu apart is the incorporation of limoncello and lemon cream. While the preparation process is very similar to the classic Italian dessert, the delicate ladyfingers are soaked in a refreshing limoncello syrup and then generously layered with a velvety lemon mascarpone cream. These two elements add an extra divine dimension to the dessert, elevating both its taste and texture.
Limoncello is a traditional Italian liqueur known for its vibrant lemon flavor. Made by steeping fresh lemon zest in alcohol and sweetening it with a simple syrup, the result is a bright and citrusy liqueur that is most often enjoyed after meals as a digestif or used in dessert or cocktail recipes.
In this lemon tiramisu recipe, the addition of limoncello brings a tangy and refreshing touch to the dessert. It enhances the overall lemony flavor profile and also infuses it with a unique boozy twist.
To begin, combine 2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, and the peel of one whole lemon in a small saucepan (photo 1). Next, heat the mixture over medium and stir it constantly until the sugar completely dissolves. Then turn the heat off and mix in the limoncello (photo 2). Now, let the lemon syrup cool completely, and then put it in the fridge to chill.
Next, in a different saucepan, you need to whisk together the egg yolks, 40 grams of granulated sugar, and the zest of 1 lemon (photo 3) until it’s thick and frothy (photo 4).
Then place the saucepan over low heat and continue whisking as you slowly add the 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice (photo 5). Now, increase the heat to medium and keep stirring until the mixture reaches a thick and smooth consistency. Finally, pour the lemon cream into a bowl and let it cool (photo 6).
After you make the lemon cream, you need to make the mascarpone part of the lemon filling. First, add the heavy whipping cream along with the powdered sugar into a chilled mixing bowl (photo 7). Then use an electric mixer to whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks have formed and it has turned into whipped cream (photo 8).
Now, in a separate large bowl, whisk the mascarpone cheese until it’s fluffy (photo 9). Next, add the lemon cream to the mascarpone (photo 10) and then whisk them together until fully incorporated.
Finally, gently fold in the whipped cream mixture using a rubber spatula (photo 11). Then put the lemon mascarpone cream mixture in a piping bag (photo 12) and place it in the fridge until you are ready to assemble your tiramisu.
Once all the tiramisu components are prepared, it’s time to start building your dessert! Begin by pouring the limoncello-soaking liquid into a shallow bowl. Then one by one, quickly dip half of the ladyfingers into the liquid, ensuring each one is thoroughly coated (photo 13), and then arrange them in a single layer on the bottom of a deep 8” dish (photo 14).
Next, sprinkle some of the lemon zest over the ladyfingers in the dish. Now, pipe or spoon, dollops of the lemon filling on top of the ladyfingers, making sure to cover the entire surface (photo 15).
Now, repeat the process with the remaining ladyfingers, dipping them into the limoncello liquid and placing them on top of the layer of lemon filling. Sprinkle another round of lemon zest on this layer (photo 16) and then add the final layer of lemon filling to complete the tiramisu (photo 17).
Finally, cover the lemon tiramisu with plastic wrap (photo 18) and pop it into the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours before serving!
Are you a Tiramisu lover? Try other delicious tiramisu recipes:
Or use Limoncello to make Limoncello cake.
Lemon Tiramisu is already the perfect dessert, but you can easily customize it to suit any occasion or personal preference. The ideas presented here are just a few of the many creative ways you can elevate and personalize this yummy tiramisu.
While mascarpone cheese is traditionally used and provides a distinct creamy texture, you can substitute it with whipped cream cheese. However, the dessert will have a slightly different flavor and texture.
Yes, it does have some alcohol. The limoncello used to soak the ladyfingers is an Italian liqueur. However, the actual amount of alcohol in each serving is relatively small.
Absolutely! If you prefer an alcohol-free tiramisu, just substitute the limoncello with lemon juice mixed with a little water and a pinch of sugar.
Yes! This is a fantastic make-ahead dessert that you can prepare up to 2 days in advance.
For optimal freshness, wrap the tiramisu in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
