Whilst a traditional tiramisu contains layers of brandy and coffee-soaked sponge layered with mascarpone cream and cocoa, fruit-based versions are becoming hugely popular, and offer a lighter, fruiter alternative whilst still delivering on the essential easy simplicity and creamy perfection of the original.
Our lemony twist is a ray of sunshine in dessert form that will have you dreaming of balmy Italian holidays. With a zingy combination of limoncello, lemon curd and fresh lemon, it really delivers on tiramisu's promise to 'pick me up' (the literal translation of the dish's name). And not a drop of coffee in sight.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Yields:
8 serving(s)
Prep Time:
35 mins
Cook Time:
5 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Cal/Serv:
728
Ingredients
100g
caster sugar
Finely grated zest and juice of 3 lemons
100ml
Limoncello
500g
mascarpone
600ml
double cream
3Tbsp.
icing sugar
100g
lemon curd
200g
savioardi sponge fingers
Directions
Step 1In a small saucepan heat the sugar, zest and juice of 2 of the lemons and 50ml water. Cook over a low heat until the sugar is dissolved then bring up to a boil and reduce for 2-3min until thickened, stir in half of the limoncello. Leave to one side to cool.
Step 2In a large bowl beat the mascarpone until smooth. Lightly beat in the cream, icing sugar, half of the lemon curd and remaining limoncello. And the remaining lemon zest and 1tbsp of lemon juice. Stir 1tbsp of lemon juice into the lemon curd.
Step 3One by one, lightly soak half of the sponge fingers in the sugar mixture and lay across a 20x30cm ceramic dish. Spoon over half of the limoncello cream. Repeat with the remaining sponge fingers and cream. Leave to set in the fridge for at least 3hr.
Step 4When ready to serve, decorate the top of the tiramisu with slices of candied lemons, if using, some lemon zest and drizzle over the remaining lemon curd.
Serving a larger (or smaller) crowd?
This recipe is easily adapted by halving the recipe for a smaller portion - or doubling for a larger crowd.
Miss the dusting of cocoa powder on top?
Feel free to add this on top, chocolate and lemon are great dessert friends. We'd suggest not adding lemon curd on the top if completely covering with cocoa powder.
Want to pipe flowers like our video above?
You'll need a star nozzle and extra lemon curd to dot the little flower centres. It's a simple way to add some extra wow to this easy pud.
Looking for our favourite classic tiramisu recipe?
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
