Limoncello Tiramisu is a delightful variation on the traditional Italian dessert, tiramisu, which typically features layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and a mascarpone cheese mixture.
Limoncello Tiramisu replaces the classic coffee element with limoncello, a sweet and tangy Italian lemon liqueur. The dessert retains the creamy texture and rich layers characteristic of classic tiramisu, but the limoncello introduces a bright, citrusy flavor.
This version adds limoncello and lemon zest to the mascarpone cream to enhance the lemon flavor, making it a refreshing and lighter alternative to the coffee-based original.It's especially popular during the summer months or as a festive dessert in southern Italian regions where citrus fruits are abundant.
This dessert is irresistible with its intense aroma of Limoncello and lemon zest and the alcoholic note that makes it unique.
Easy and very tasty, Limoncello Tiramisu is the ideal dessert to end a dinner with friends. A delicious Tiramisu, perfect to surprise your guests with a dessert that is both classic and unexpected at the same time.
Ingredients
- Prep Time: 30 Min
- Chilling Time (in the refrigerator): 3 H
- Servings: 4
Doses for a casserole about 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 inch) or 4 to 6 single-portion glasses
- 150 g (about 15 cookies) Savoiardi Ladyfingers. We recommend Savoiardi Ladyfingers by Balocco, or make homemade ladyfingers with our recipe, which are great!
- 250 g (½ lb) of mascarpone cheese. Try our recipe for homemade mascarpone cheese.
- 4 medium eggs
- 100 g (½ cup) of granulated sugar
- 240 ml (1 cup) of milk
- 160 ml (⅔ cup) of Limoncello + 2 tablespoons for the mascarpone cream. Make Limoncello at home with our recipe!
- the zest of 1 organic lemon
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
- You need a ceramic baking pan to prepare this fabulous Italian dessert. For 4 people get one about 8x8 inch (20x20 cm), like the one we used in this recipe. There are several different types, but check out this set of Ceramic Baking Dish.
- If you want to serve tiramisu in something more elegant, check out these Trifle Bowl with Pedestal, or glass dessert cups for small convenient single servings.
- You definitely need an electric immersion blender that will be a big help in making the perfect tiramisu. For example, the KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Stand Mixer, or excellent and less expensive is this 5.5-Quart Stand Mixer by Cuisinart.
- You can also make mascarpone cream with an electric hand mixer: try the KitchenAid Speed Digital Hand Mixer with Turbo, or Koios 800W Multifunctional Food Chopper/Egg Whisk.
Instructions
Make Limoncello Mascarpone Cream
Step 1) - First, prepare the mascarpone cream. Separate the yolks from the egg whites and put them in two separate bowls. Then add ⅓ of the sugar to the egg whites and the remaining ⅔ to the yolks. Now whisk the yolks with the sugar until frothy.
Step 2) - Add the Mascarpone and two tablespoons of Limoncello. Then mix with electric whips at low speed.
Step 3) - Then whip the egg whites until stiff.
Step 4) - Finally, add the beaten egg whites a little at a time to the egg yolk and mascarpone cream. Mix slowly from the bottom up so as not to deflate the limoncello mascarpone cream.
Step 5) - Grate the lemon zest and add it to the limoncello mascarpone cream. Stir to evenly combine the zest into the cream. Be careful to grate only the yellow part of the lemon. In fact, the white part may make the cream bitter. Finally, it's very important to use untreated organic lemons.
Make the Layers
Step 6) - In a bowl pour the milk and limoncello, then stir. You now have all the preparations ready and can assemble the limoncello tiramisu.
Step 7) - Quickly dip the ladyfingers into the limoncello-milk mixture on both sides (about 1 second per side). These Italian cookies should not be too soggy. Arrange them neatly in the chosen casserole dish. Form a base of whole ladyfingers or cut them to size depending on the shape and size of the container. You can also make tiramisu in convenient single-serving bowls. Top the Savoiardi with the limoncello mascarpone cream.
Step 8) - Make another layer of ladyfingers. Keep going until the container is full. Finish with the limoncello cream on top. Let Limoncello Tiramisu cool in the refrigerator covered with food wrap for at least 3 hours before serving. You can decorate the limoncello tiramisu with some grated lemon zest or a few thin slices of lemon.
YOU MUST ALSO READ:
- How to Make Traditional Italian Lemon Sorbet
- Lemon Almond Cake | Dolce di Amalfi
- Zuppa Inglese Recipe | Traditional Italian Trifle
- Light Limoncello Custard
- Classic Tiramisu Recipe
- Summer Fruit Tiramisu
Storage
You can keep Limoncello Tiramisu in the fridge for ⅔ days covered, or you can freeze it and consume within one month.
Tips
How to Cook Eggs
Tiramisu in Italy has always been made with raw eggs and it's well known that it would be a good idea to cook (pasteurize) the eggs before using them in the preparation of this dessert.Below I'm going to show you how to cook yolks and egg whites using a hot syrup made with water and sugar.
For more information and tips read "How to Pasteurize Eggs"
EGG YOLKS
For 4 yolks, you need 50 g (¼ cup) of granulated sugar and 25 g (1 ¾ tablespoons) of water.
Step 1) - First, place the sugar and the water in a saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sugar as much as possible and then bring this syrup to a boil, stirring constantly. The syrup will be ready when it reaches the temperature of 121°C (250°F). Measure the temperature with a candy thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, the syrup will be ready when small white bubbles form on the surface.
Step 2) - Meanwhile, start whipping the egg yolks with a stand mixer at full speed.
Step 3) - When the syrup is hot and ready, drizzle it over the yolks while whisking. Beat the cream until completely cool (about 10 minutes). To tell if the cream is cool enough, simply place your hands on the bowl. When the bowl is cold, the cream is ready.
Now it's time to add the mascarpone.
EGG WHITES
For 4 egg whites at room temperature, you need 50 g (¼ cup) of granulated sugar and 25 g (1 ¾ tablespoons) of water.
Step 1) - As for the egg whites, prepare as well a syrup with sugar and water. The syrup will be ready when it reaches the temperature of 121°C (250°F).
Step 2) - Meanwhile, start whipping the egg whites with the mixer at full speed.
Step 3) - When you see that they are whipping well, slowly add the hot syrup in a trickle. Continue whipping the egg whites until stiff for another 10 minutes.
Now the stiffly beaten cooked egg whites are ready. Add them to the mascarpone cream and continue following the tiramisu recipe.
Variations
Limoncello Tiramisu Without Eggs
The authentic recipe for classic Tiramisu and also Limoncello Tiramisu includes eggs among the ingredients.
If you prefer not to use eggs for intolerances or simply for your own taste, you can make the variant of Limoncello Tiramisu without eggs.
Basically, replace the eggs with whipped cream. The result is just as tasty and creamy.
Make the Eggless Limoncello Tiramisu with a base of ladyfingers lightly soaked in a mixture of milk and limoncello.
Then make alternate layers with a delicate mascarpone cream and whipped cream flavored with grated lemon zest. The result will be amazing!
For more information on the amounts, read our recipe "How to Make Tiramisu Without Eggs".
Recipe Card
Limoncello Tiramisu Recipe
Ingredients
- 150 g Ladyfingers - ~15 cookies
- 250 g mascarpone cheese - ½ pound
- 4 eggs -
- 100 g granulated sugar - ½ cup
- 240 ml milk - 1 cup
- 160 ml Limoncello - ⅔ cup + 2 tablespoons for the mascarpone cream
- lemon zest
Instructions
- First, prepare the mascarpone cream. Separate the yolks from the egg whites and put them in two separate bowls. Then add ⅓ of the sugar to the egg whites and the remaining ⅔ to the yolks. Now whisk the yolks with the sugar until frothy.
- Add the Mascarpone and two tablespoons of Limoncello. Then mix with electric whips at low speed.
- Whip the egg whites until stiff.
- Add the beaten egg whites a little at a time to the egg yolk and mascarpone cream.
- Mix slowly from the bottom up so as not to deflate the limoncello mascarpone cream.
- Grate the lemon zest and add it to the limoncello mascarpone cream. Stir to evenly combine the zest into the cream.
- In a bowl pour the milk and limoncello, then stir. You now have all the preparations ready and can assemble the limoncello tiramisu.
- Quickly dip the ladyfingers into the limoncello-milk mixture on both sides (about 1 second per side). These Italian cookies should not be too soggy.
- Arrange them neatly in the chosen casserole dish. Form a base of whole ladyfingers or cut them to size depending on the shape and size of the container. You can also make tiramisu in convenient single-serving bowls.
- Top the Savoiardi with the limoncello mascarpone cream.
- Make another layer of ladyfingers. Keep going until the container is full. Finish with the limoncello cream on top.
- Let Limoncello Tiramisu cool in the refrigerator covered with food wrap for at least 3 hours before serving.
- You can decorate the limoncello tiramisu with some grated lemon zest or a few thin slices of lemon.
shirley says
Do I need to pasteurize the egg yolks and whites? The preamble makes it sound important but then the directions don't incorporate that aspect.
Is the sugar in the ingredients the amount to be used for pasteurization and then you don't add more sugar or is it separate?