Tiramisu is a helpful dish for a dinner party as you can make it in advance and store it in the fridge before serving. It actually benefits from time in the fridge to allow the flavors to combine and enhance.
If you’re short on time, you can purchase lemon curd from your local grocery store, but if you take the time to make this element of the dish from scratch you’ll certainly taste the difference with brighter flavors. You can also make ladyfingers at home but, as this tiramisu recipe is fairly complex and these are easy to source from your local store, this is a good step to take a shortcut on.
For the mascarpone, make sure you invest in a quality brand or head to the cheese counter for the best type available. Cheaper options can turn grainy when used in this recipe and will add an unwanted texture to your final dish.
Lemon Curd vs. Zest Options
We’ve shared a recipe above using lemon tiramisu with lemon curd but, if you’d prefer not to add this ingredient, there are different ways to approach the dish. Instead, you could make the mascarpone extra zesty to ensure the lemon’s vibrant citrus notes still come through and the texture of the dessert remains thick.
If you find you have any leftover lemon zest or peel in the kitchen after making your tiramisu, try using it up in recipes such as marmalade. Or experiment with infusing spirits with the zest. Lemon zest-infused spirits are ideal for mixing up in fresh and fruity cocktails.
And if you’d prefer to make a classic tiramisu, take a look at our favorite recipe and tips and tricks, using the traditional combination of chocolate and coffee.
How to Present It
In the recipe above, we’ve suggested presenting the tiramisu with a final layer of mascarpone spread over the top and a grating of lemon zest. You can adapt this, however, and add shavings of white chocolate or lemon wheels if you’d like to introduce another sweet ingredient or create a more elegant final presentation. You could even dust a little cocoa on top to nod to the original recipe, but we like this delicate tiramisu best when presented with colorful lemons.
