Limoncello Tiramisu

Those of you that have seen my other Tiramisu recipe will already know that I’m somewhat of an “aficionado” when it comes to this delicious dessert. In this regard I consider myself to be a bit of a purist when it comes to tiramisu and have always looked for recipes and restaurants that stick to the traditional flavours. This said, when I came across the idea of creating a Limoncello Tiramisu, I was intrigued by the possibilities.

The biggest hurdle I faced with bringing this recipe together was what to swap for the espresso that is foundational to a great tiramisu. The answer was green tea, which helps to retain the original caffeine profile, but also pairs nicely with the lemon.

Despite the departure from the much-revered flavour profile, the addition of lemony goodness to this recipes definitely hits the mark. The result is a wonderful take on the light, fresh original that I think even I will come to love.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Total Time 40

Servings: 6

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 988

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

16 ladyfingers
1/2 cups green tea steeped
1/2 cups Limoncello
1 lemon juice + zest
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups heavy cream + 2 additional tbsp
1 cup Mascarpone cheese

Equipment

medium sauce pan
medium mixing bowl
baking dish
citrus juicer
microplane
piping bag
spatula
whisk
stand mixer (or hand mixer)
frosting knife
plastic wrap
measuring cups and spoons

Method

Mise en Place

Assemble equipment. Steep green tea, juice and zest lemon (reserve half of the zest for garnish), measure and divide all ingredients.

Cooking + Assembly

Combine the tea and Limoncello liqueur and whisk lightly to combine. Place the ladyfingers in a baking dishes and drench with the Limoncello mixture, ensuring that all the cookies are coated as evenly as possible. Set aside to allow the liquid to soak in.
Add the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, half the lemon zest, and 2 tbsp of heavy cream to a medium saucepan and whisk to combine. Cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until all of the sugar has dissolved and the ingredients take on a custard consistency. Remove from heat, transfer to a medium mixing bowl, and allow to fully cool.
Once the custard has cooled, add the Mascarpone cheese and whisk until smooth.
Combine the remaining 4 cups of heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixture and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks have formed. Fold half the whipped cream into the Mascarpone mixture, and fold in with a spatula until well combined. Reserve the remainder of the whipped cream for the top layer and piping.
Pour half of the Mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers and smooth with a spoon. Add the second layer of soaked ladyfinger pieces and repeat.
Add half of the remaining whipped cream to the baking dish, covering the ladyfingers and Mascarpone entirely. Smooth with a frosting knife. Add the remaining whipping cream to a piping bag and pipe "dots" over the entire surface (see image). Finish the top with a dusting of lemon zest.
Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.

Notes

As with the traditional recipe, this will easily make six individual Tiramisu cups, but can be portioned out into 12-16 smaller serving glasses.
Simply remove the Limoncello and double the amount of green tea if you prefer an non-alcoholic version of this dessert.

Limoncello Tiramisu