Limoncello tiramisu
Servings: 12
Considering ‘tiramisu’ translates to a “pick me up”, why not try swapping the pep of caffeine for the zip of citrus! Limoncello syrup becomes the soaker for Savoiardi sponge fingers, while the mascarpone, lightened with cream is finished with a dusting of ground pistachios for a Green & Gold situation. I’ve made mine in an oblong-shaped dish so that I don’t have to cut the fingers to fit, but you could use a bowl and adjust your fingers to fit. Depending on how dense the Savoiardi fingers are, you may need to give them 5-10 seconds or in the soaking liquid rather than a dip. You’ll be able to tell how dry and dense the sponge is by trying to snap it in half… if it’s got no give, give it that extra soak. I’ve kept this one raw egg free, so that it will withstand a warm christmas lunch, but you’re welcome to go with something more tradish by whipping an egg through the mascarpone mix, or go all out with an Italian meringue version like this one. If you love lemony zing, add a third of a cup of lemon curd (store bought or home made) swooshed on top of the first layer of savoiardi biscuits before dolloping on the cream.
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Ingredients
- 600 ml thickened cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 30 g (¼ cup) icing sugar sifted
- 500 g mascarpone
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup caster sugar
- ¼ cup water
- Zest and juice 2 lemons
- 250 ml limoncello
- 400 g (1 packet) sponge finger biscuits depending on your tray size
- ¼ cup raw pistachios blitzed into a fine powder
Instructions
- Using a whisk or hand beaters, whip the chilled cream with vanilla, icing sugar and pinch of salt until soft peaks form, then set aside.
- Pop the mascarpone into a large bowl and fold in half of the vanilla cream using a flexible spatula, then the other half until just combined.
- In a flat bottomed bowl or tray, combine the lemon juice, zest, sugar syrup and Limoncello – taste for balance, as it’ll depend on your lemons… it should be tangy but not puckering. Dip each bikkie into the limoncello mix (or soak if yours are rock-hard) and completely cover the bottom of a (roughly) 35cm x 20cm dish x 4cm dish.
- Spoon half the mascarpone mixture over the prepared bikkies and spread evenly with an offset spatula or the flexi one to save on washing up. Sprinkle with a ¼ of the pistachio powder (the rougher bits if there’s a choice), reserving the rest for later.
- Place the remaining cream into a piping bag with a decorative nozzle (optional but exuberant).
- Repeat the process of dipping the bikkies into the limoncello mix (adding a splash more limoncello and juice if needed) and layer over the cream. Brush any leftover limoncello over the top. Pipe the cream in a diagonal squiggly pattern to completely cover. Chill in the fridge for 6 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Just before serving, sprinkle over the pistachio powder through a sieve, and finish with salt flakes from a height.
- Serve scooped into bowls or cut into squares.
