This fresh lemon tiramisu is made with lemon curd, lemon mascarpone cream, and with ladyfingers dipped in limoncello.
This tiramisu is a refreshing twist on the classic Italian dessert. This zesty version combines tangy lemon curd with creamy lemon mascarpone, creating a bright and flavorful dessert.
Instead of coffee-soaked ladyfingers, this recipe uses limoncello, a lemon-flavored liqueur, and lemon syrup to add depth and a subtle kick to the dessert.
The layers of soft ladyfingers, velvety lemon cream, and tart lemon curd come together to form a delish tiramisu that is perfect for lemon lovers.
This citrusy take on tiramisu is perfect for those who prefer a lighter, fruitier dessert, especially during warmer months.
For more tiramisu recipes, check out my tiramisu cake, strawberry tiramisu, tiramisu cups, and eggless tiramisu.
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Why this recipe works
- Lemon flavor- this tiramisu is full of lemon flavor from the lemon mascarpone cream to the ladyfingers dipped in lemon syrup and limoncello, to the lemon curd on top.
- Texture- this tiramisu is creamy and silky smooth with the most delicious bites which will melt in your mouth.
- Lemon curd topping- the finishing touch to this tiramisu is a silky smooth and zesty homemade lemon curd which takes this tiramisu to the next level.
- Crowd pleaser- this tiramisu can be doubled or tripled in the recipe card below and is always a crowd pleaser and is perfect for summer, spring, or Christmas!
- No-bake recipe- this recipe is no-bake! There is no need to turn on the oven for this and it’s perfect for hot summer days when you don’t want to turn on the oven.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Mascarpone cheese- is the most important ingredient, make sure that you put your mascarpone cheese at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before starting to make the recipe.
Heavy cream- make sure that your heavy cream is cold. Cold heavy cream whips better and quicker.
Granulated sugar- you will need ½ cup of granulated sugar for this recipe. The dessert will be sweet, but not too sweet. ½ cup of sugar is the perfect balance of sweetness for this recipe.
Ladyfingers- I used store-bought ladyfingers, but homemade ladyfingers will work amazing for this recipe!
Limoncello- you can use your favorite brand of limoncello for this or use a homemade one!
Lemon syrup- you can use your favorite lemon syrup for this. It can be homemade or store-bought.
Lemon zest- I recommend zesting the lemon first and then juicing it.
Lemon juice- use fresh lemon juice for this recipe. Fresh lemon will give you the best result. I don't recommend using store-bought lemon juice. This will make the flavor pop!
For the lemon curd
Lemon juice- use fresh lemon juice for this recipe. Fresh lemon will give you the best result. We don't recommend using store-bought lemon juice. This will make the flavor pop!
Lemon zest- you will need ½ teaspoon of lemon zest. We recommend zesting the lemon first and then juicing it.
Granulated sugar– we like to use granulated sugar, also the most common sugar used in baking. Caster sugar will work great as well.
Butter- make sure that your butter is unsalted.
Kosher salt- you will need about a pinch of kosher salt for this filling.
Eggs and egg yolks- you will need eggs and egg yolks for this recipe. Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature.
Instructions
Put all of the ingredients in a saucepan and cook it over medium-low heat whisking constantly.
Once the butter melts, the consistency of the mixture will be thin, don't increase the heat. Keep whisking until the mixture thickens for about 5 minutes.
When the mixture thickens, transfer it to a fine-mesh strainer set over and bowl and strain the mixture from any unnecessary lumps. This will give you a perfect and smooth curd.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the mixture cool for about 20-30 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest, lemon curd, lemon juice, and sugar, and mix with an electric hand mixer until well combined and medium peaks are formed.
Add the mascarpone cheese and cream it on low speed until the mixture is smooth.
Dip the ladyfingers quickly in the lemon syrup and lay them in an even layer in the 10.5-inch x 7.5-inch baking pan.
Top the soaked ladyfingers with half of the mascarpone mixture and smooth it out with a spatula.
Spoon 4 tablespoon of lemon curd on top and smooth it out with a spoon.
Add another layer of the dipped ladyfingers and top it with the remaining mascarpone mixture. Smooth it out with an offset spatula.
Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Top the tiramisu with lemon curd and smooth it out with a spatula.
Expert Tips
- Make sure that you are using room-temperature mascarpone cheese in this recipe, this step makes it easier to mix the cheese with no unnecessary lumps, we don’t want that in your cream mixture.
- Don't let the lemon curd come to a boil! This will cook the eggs and leave you with scrambled eggs. Make sure that the lemon curd mixture cooks over medium-low heat.
- Zest before juicing. Always zest your lemons before juicing them. This makes the process much easier and ensures you get the most out of each lemon.
- Constantly whisk while making the curd! It is really important if you want to get a smooth and silky curd.
- Avoid overmixing the cream. Overmixing can lead to a grainy texture and affect the overall consistency of your tiramisu. Mix the cream just until it reaches soft peaks, then gently fold it into the other ingredients.
- Choose the right ladyfingers. Look for Italian savoiardi biscuits, which are dry and crisp. These will hold up better when soaked in syrup and maintain their structure in the tiramisu.
- The star of your tart is the lemon, so select fresh, juicy lemons with bright yellow skin. Organic lemons are ideal, as you'll be using both the juice and zest for maximum flavor.
- Allow proper chilling time. Refrigerate your tiramisu for at least 4-6 hours, or preferably overnight. This allows the flavors to meld and the dessert to set properly, resulting in cleaner slices and a more cohesive taste.
- Soak ladyfingers briefly. Dip each ladyfinger in the lemon mixture for just 1-2 seconds. Over-soaking can lead to a soggy tiramisu, while under-soaking results in a dry texture.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently to ensure that you have a homogeneous mixture that has no cheese lumps.
- Make sure that you make this dessert with the best quality ingredients that you can find and afford. The quality of the ingredients is what makes this dessert delish.
Faq's
No! This no-bake tiramisu is made with no eggs and no coffee. It does contain eggs in the ladyfingers though.
To prevent your dessert from becoming soggy, make sure that you dip your ladyfinger for 1-2 seconds and do not soak it for a few seconds.
You can find mascarpone cheese in the deli section of your grocery store, where all the cheeses, hummus, and meat products.
It features ladyfingers soaked in limoncello and lemon syrup, layered with lemon curd and lemon-flavored mascarpone cream.
Storing
Store this tiramisu in the fridge (since it contains dairy) covered tightly with plastic wrap for up to 3 days. I like eating this the day after.
Freezing
To freeze tiramisu, start by making sure you allow it to chill completely in the fridge. Put it in a container that won't let air in. You can use plastic wrap or foil to cover it tightly. This keeps ice from forming on top.
Then, put the container in the freezer. It's best to eat the tiramisu within a month. When you want to eat it, take it out of the freezer and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours.
This helps it thaw slowly and keeps it tasting good. Once it's soft enough, you can enjoy your frozen tiramisu!
Make it in advance
To make this tiramisu ahead: follow the recipe, then cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
This method allows flavors to meld, softens ladyfingers, and ensures a chilled dessert. It saves time and reduces stress when hosting, letting you focus on other preparations.
Substitutions
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the ladyfingers with gluten-free ladyfingers.
Cream cheese- if you can't find mascarpone cheese, you can use cream cheese instead.
Store-bought lemon curd- for an even easier version of this dessert, instead of making homemade lemon curd, use store-bought lemon curd.
Variations
Citrus- you can make this recipe with oranges or any of your favorite citrus instead of lemon.
Berry- for extra flavor variation, add fresh berries to the mascarpone mixture like raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries.
Meringue- top the finished tiramisu with Swiss meringue and torch it the same way you would do with lemon meringue tart. You can use the same recipe from my lemon meringue tart.
Equipment
More lemon desserts
Limoncello mascarpone cake- This limoncello mascarpone cake has a soft and tender crumb and is topped with creamy mascarpone cream and lemon curd.
Lemon tart- This lemon tart is made with a buttery pastry crust and filled with a zesty lemon curd filling. This tart is a ray of sunshine in a dessert!
Lemon poppy seed muffins- These perfect lemon poppy seed muffins and moist, soft, and fluffy, filled with lemon zest and poppy seed, and topped with a delicious lemon glaze.
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. We love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Lemon Tiramisu W/ Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 2 cups Heavy cream cold
- 4 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon Lemon zest
- ½ cup lemon curd
- ⅔ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 15.87 oz Mascarpone cheese room temp
- 27 Ladyfingers
Dip in:
- 1 cup Lemon syrup
- ¼ cup Limoncello
Lemon curd
- ⅓ cup Lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Lemon zest
- ⅔ cup Granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup Butter
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 Egg
- 3 Egg yolks
Instructions
Make the lemon curd
- Put all of the ingredients in a saucepan and cook it over medium-low heat whisking constantly.
- Once the butter melts, the consistency of the mixture will be thin, don't increase the heat. Keep whisking until the mixture thickens for about 5 minutes.
- When the mixture thickens, transfer it to a fine-mesh strainer set over and bowl and strain the mixture from any unnecessary lumps. This will give you a perfect and smooth curd.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the mixture cool for about 20-30 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest, lemon curd, lemon juice, and sugar, and mix with an electric hand mixer until well combined and medium peaks are formed.
- Add the mascarpone cheese and cream it on low speed until the mixture is smooth.
- Dip the ladyfingers quickly in the lemon syrup and lay them in an even layer in the 10.5-inch x 7.5-inch baking pan.
- Top the soaked ladyfingers with half of the mascarpone mixture and smooth it out with a spatula.
- Spoon 4 tablespoon of lemon curd on top and smooth it out with a spoon.
- Add another layer of the dipped ladyfingers and top it with the remaining mascarpone mixture. Smooth it out with an offset spatula.
- Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- Top the tiramisu with lemon curd and smooth it out with a spatula.
Notes
- Make sure that you are using room-temperature mascarpone cheese in this recipe, this step makes it easier to mix the cheese with no unnecessary lumps, we don’t want that in your cream mixture.
- Don't let the lemon curd come to a boil! This will cook the eggs and leave you with scrambled eggs. Make sure that the lemon curd mixture cooks over medium-low heat.
- Zest before juicing. Always zest your lemons before juicing them. This makes the process much easier and ensures you get the most out of each lemon.
- Constantly whisk while making the curd! It is really important if you want to get a smooth and silky curd.
- Avoid overmixing the cream. Overmixing can lead to a grainy texture and affect the overall consistency of your tiramisu. Mix the cream just until it reaches soft peaks, then gently fold it into the other ingredients.
- Choose the right ladyfingers. Look for Italian savoiardi biscuits, which are dry and crisp. These will hold up better when soaked in syrup and maintain their structure in the tiramisu.
- The star of your tart is the lemon, so select fresh, juicy lemons with bright yellow skin. Organic lemons are ideal, as you'll be using both the juice and zest for maximum flavor.
- Allow proper chilling time. Refrigerate your tiramisu for at least 4-6 hours, or preferably overnight. This allows the flavors to meld and the dessert to set properly, resulting in cleaner slices and a more cohesive taste.
- Soak ladyfingers briefly. Dip each ladyfinger in the lemon mixture for just 1-2 seconds. Over-soaking can lead to a soggy tiramisu, while under-soaking results in a dry texture.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently to ensure that you have a homogeneous mixture that has no cheese lumps.
- Make sure that you make this dessert with the best quality ingredients that you can find and afford. The quality of the ingredients is what makes this dessert delish.
Phil Pharr
Never made an eggless tiramisu before, or an all-lemon one for that matter, but here we go!
I made homemade simple syrup for dipping the ladyfingers (2/3 cup water, 2/3 cup sugar, and coarsely chopped zest from 1 1/2 lemons). Brought to a boil for about a minute or two, then let cool down. Strained, then added 2/3 cup of a good quality limoncello.
The ladyfingers I get are pretty dry and hard, so they can absorb a bit more liquid (we love when they're soaked through with boozy goodness), so next time I might even increase the syrup amount by 50%, just to make sure we have enough syrup for soaking.
We found some delicious Bonne Maman lemon curd on clearance for just 99 cents a jar (we invested in 6 jars, which made me search out this recipe!), so I wound up using about a jar and a half of that.
Creamed the mascarpone cheese together with half the sugar (reserved the rest of the sugar for whipping the cream) and all the rest of the ingredients (juice, zest, vanilla, curd), then set aside.
Finally, I beat the heavy cream together with the rest of the sugar, until juuuuust reaching very soft peaks, then paused.
Mixed in about a quarter of the very soft whipped cream into the cheese to lighten it up even further. Then finished whipping the rest of the cream a few seconds more to just about medium peaks. Then VERY gently, folded the cream into the mascarpone mix, just until no big white streaks remained. I've found this method completely incorporates all ingredients, while maintaining as much volume and airiness as possible.
I like to layer a little mascarpone/cream on the bottom of my casserole dish, so the bottom layer of ladyfingers are already surrounded by goodness on all sides. I soak the ladyfingers a few seconds on each side, until just starting to get a little soft on top. The booze and syrup will work their way all the way into the center later, making everything completely moist and soaked through at service.
Like I said, I soak longer than almost any recipe I've ever seen tells you to do, but hey. Life is short, be decadent! Of if you're worried about it not maintaining a perfect square shape on the plate, do everything in parfait glasses like a trifle. Tastes just as good!
Did everything else as your recipe indicated. The last layer of cheese/cream came precariously close to the top, so I removed a bit (for snacking later, of course!), and made a small trough around the edge of the dish.
To top it off, whisked up a whole bunch of lemon curd until smooth and pourable. Used a small offset spatula to gently push the curd around, all the way into the tiny trough at the edges. This way, the entire surface gets competely covered with lemon curd, and none of it dripped over the sides of the dish!
I let it sit for 4 hours in the coolest part of the fridge, then, when we could wait no longer, we dug in.
I tell you: this was the best lemon dessert I think I've ever tasted. More subtle lemon flavors in the cream, but tangy and pronounced in the curd layers, and sweet and boozy in the cookies. Screams summer. Just absolute perfection, 11/10.
Thank you, this will be in my arsenal of can't-miss crowd-pleasing desserts forever!
Musarret
Hi, any substitute for limoncello?
Could I leave it out completely?
RichandDelish
Hi! You can skip it.
Russ langstadt
Forgot to add the 2/3 c sugar into the lemon cream mixture so I folded in 1/2 c-ish of powdered sugar and I got to say I can’t imagine it needing to be any sweeter than it was this way. Turns out it was a pretty good mistake & substitution.
Karina
Hi,
Is there a recipe for lemon syrup or is it store bought?
Thank you
RichandDelish
Hi! It is store bought, but you can use either one.