Lemon Limoncello Italian Tiramisu (Printable Version)

Zesty lemon curd and limoncello-soaked ladyfingers layered with rich mascarpone cream for a refreshing Italian dessert.

# What You'll Need:

→ Lemon Syrup

01 - 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/3 cup Limoncello liqueur

→ Mascarpone Cream

04 - 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, cold
05 - 1 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
06 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
07 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
08 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Assembly

09 - 30-36 ladyfinger biscuits (savoiardi)
10 - 1 cup lemon curd
11 - Zest of 1 lemon (for garnish)
12 - Thin lemon slices (for garnish, optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a small saucepan, combine lemon juice and sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, let cool, then stir in limoncello. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. In another bowl, whisk mascarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until fully combined.
03 - Quickly dip each ladyfinger into the cooled lemon syrup (do not soak). Arrange a layer of soaked ladyfingers in the bottom of a 9x9-inch dish. Spread half of the mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers. Dollop and gently swirl half of the lemon curd over the cream.
04 - Repeat with another layer of dipped ladyfingers, the rest of the mascarpone cream, and remaining lemon curd.
05 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) to allow flavors to meld and dessert to set.
06 - Before serving, garnish with lemon zest and thin lemon slices if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The limoncello adds this gorgeous fragrant warmth that cuts through the rich cream perfectly
  • It looks stunning with those little lemon slices on top, like you spent hours but it comes together in under an hour
  • Lemon curd swirled through the layers creates these tangy ribbons that make every bite interesting
02 -
  • The most common mistake is soaking the ladyfingers too long, which turns this elegant dessert into a soggy mess that falls apart when you serve it
  • Letting the tiramisu rest overnight completely transforms the texture, the flavors deepen and the ladyfingers become this perfect custardy consistency
03 -
  • If your ladyfingers seem especially hard or dry, let them sit in the syrup for maybe two seconds total instead of one
  • Room temperature ingredients are the secret to that silky smooth cream texture, cold mascarpone will fight you every step of the way

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