Ingredients
- This is a Tiramisu style dessert I make with lemon syrup and lady finger biscuits. You can use fresh lemons but if you are in a rush use a good lemon squash. It has sugar in it already, is thickened and you can adjust sweetness while cooking it,
- Also known as Boudoir and savoiardi the biscuits I use are about 4 inches long and an inch wide so for 4-5 people I use a small pan that's either 4-4.5 inches wide by 6-6.5 inches wide and uses 12 biscuits or a pan twice that size that will require 2 packages of 100 grams each. The larger size is good if you have about 6-8 people and want more than one helping. If you are unable to get mascarpone use a strained, whipped ricotta or a strained cottage cheese. If you want to use strawberries slice them in 4 just before you use them so they don't get soggy.
- Serves 6-7
- 200 grams lady finger biscuits
- 2 cups lemon juice- about 10-12 lemons
- 1.5 cups water
- 2 cups white granulated sugar
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1/2 cup Limoncello
- For the filling
- 1/2 cup Limoncello liquor or for alcohol free use 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
- 16 ounces (about 500 grams) Mascarpone cheese at room temperature or the equivalent
- 1 cup light cream
- 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups whipping cream
- 1 cup sweet berries of your choice- black berries, raspberries or blueberries
- For garnish (optional)
- wedges and small lemon pieces to garnish
Instructions
- Heat the lemon juice, zest, water and sugar in a small saucepan on medium heat until it gets syrupy. It should lose a 1/3 of its volume and should taste tangy but not sour. Cool 5 minutes and add 1/2 cup Limoncello.
- Pour half of this warm syrup into the pan and lay 12 biscuits one next to the other into the pan in the hot syrup. After about one minute turn them over so that the top can also soak in the liquid. The biscuits must get soft.
- Whip the mascarpone with the Limoncello or use lemon juice and extra 1/2 cup icing sugar on medium speed until soft, fluffy and well incorporated in a stand mixer or with an electric whisk.
- Add the heavy cream and whip again on medium speed until just combined
- Slather over the cooled biscuits and berries and smoothen the top.
- Dip the remaining 12 biscuits into the remaining syrup on both sides until they have softened and place one by one over the cheese.
- Whip the cream and spoon over the top layer of biscuits. Smoothen the top. The lemon pieces and slices can be added just before you serve it. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Serve chilled.
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