Limoncello Tiramisu

  Posted on March 25, 2013  by Leslie Blythe  2 comments

I am back, briefly…

Happy Birthday Eric!

Today is my husband’s birthday. I have made many mistakes in my life, but marrying Eric was not one of them.  I love him more than I can say. He is truly the most elegant man I have ever known. There is no one better dressed – period – ever, except for possibly Nish!

Anyway, I made Tiramisu for a dinner on Friday and on Saturday there was a recipe for Limoncello Tiramisu in the Wall Street Journal. Since I had lady fingers leftover (which are a bitch to find when you are looking for them) and lots o’ limoncello, I thought I would make it for Eric’s birthday dinner. He is mad for anything lemon. Mad, I tell you, MAD!

This recipe for me was a total pain in the ass. I dirtied 5 bowls, 2 sauce pans, etc. These kinds of recipes tax my brain, but it was worth it.

To Nick – I love you Nora…

Limoncello Tiramisu

Serves 8-10
5 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1½ cups limoncello
Juice of 6 lemons, plus zest of 3 lemons
1 cup water
2 cups mascarpone, at room temperature
40 ladyfingers

Make zabaglione
Set a metal bowl over a pot to create a double boiler. Add enough water to pot to reach just below bottom of bowl. Separate eggs, putting yolks in bowl of double boiler and setting whites aside. Beat yolks with ¼ cup sugar and ½ cup limoncello. Heat water in double boiler to a steady simmer. Whisk egg mixture until thick enough to form a ribbon when you lift whisk, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and let zabaglione cool.

Meanwhile, pour remaining limoncello, ¾ cup lemon juice, 1 cup water and ½ cup sugar into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens, 5 minutes. Let syrup cool.

In a large bowl, stir mascarpone to soften, then add zest and whisk until light and creamy. Using an electric mixer, whip reserved egg whites with remaining ¼ cup sugar until mixture holds moderately firm peaks, about 3 minutes.

When zabaglione is cool, use a rubber spatula to fold a third of it into mascarpone. Fold in remaining zabaglione in two or three additions, then fold in whipped egg whites in several additions. Stir gently until mixture is light and evenly blended.

Fill a shallow bowl with cooled syrup to ¼-inch deep. One at a time, roll ladyfingers in syrup and transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange moistened ladyfingers in tight rows to form a single layer of about 20 ladyfingers. Trim edges to fit.

Spread half mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers. Repeat to form second layers of ladyfingers and mascarpone mixture.

Cover tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours or up to 24.