Family Recipe: Nonna’s Limoncello Tiramisù


This whipped up twist on an Italian favorite foregoes espresso and features fresh lemon flavors.

By: Chef Rossella Rago, Cooking with Nonna

Ingredients

Serves: 10

For the Lemon Curd:

  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

For the Filling:

  • 1 pound mascarpone cheese, room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup confectioners sugar

For the Soak:

  • 2 cups limoncello
  • 3/4 cups water
  •  About 60 ladyfinger cookies
  •  Fresh lemon slices for decorating

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Directions

  1. To make the lemon curd:
    1. See Video HERE
    2. In a bowl, whisk the whole eggs and egg yolks together and set aside.
    3. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan combine the sugar, zest, juice and egg mixture together and whisk on a medium low heat until mixture thickens and can coat the back of a spoon. About 15-20 minutes.
    4. Stir in butter and then remove from heat when it’s melted.
    5. Pour the lemon curd through a fine mesh strainer into another bowl straining out any lumps. Press plastic wrap directly into the lemon curd and cool to room temperature before using.
  2.     To make the filling:
    1.  Scoop out 1/4 cup of the cooled Lemon Curd and set aside.
    2.  In a large mixing bowl combine the remaining cooled lemon curd with the softened mascarpone cheese. Mix with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Set aside.
    3. Using clean beaters in a separate bowl combine the heavy cream and confectioners sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
    4. Fold half of the whipped cream into the mascarpone/lemon curd mixture until well combined. Set aside.
  3.     To make the soak:
    1. In a shallow dish with high sides combine the Limoncello and water.
    2. Dip each lady finger cookie into the Limoncello mixture and lay them into a 9″ x 13″ pan (I used a glass Pyrex) and break the cookies to fit them in if necessary. I did two rows of 7 cookies vertically and two rows of 2 cookies horizontally, but just make sure the cookies fit nicely together.
    3. Spoon 1/2 of the lemon filling over the first layer of cookies. Add another layer of cookies and spread the remaining lemon filling over them. Add a third layer of cookies and top with the remaining whipped cream.
    4. Using the remaining 1/4 cup of lemon curd, spoon it over the top of the whipped cream and use the back of a small spoon to make swirly designs. Decorate with fresh lemon slices.

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