This is my take on tiramisu. Completely different to the classic one flavoured with coffee and dark chocolate this is lighter and fresher but equally delicious.
To make one that serves 8 you need the following:
500g marscapone
5 eggs
Boudoir biscuits (or you can use trifle sponges) see note 1
2 lemons
350g sugar (250g for the lemon syrup, 100g with the egg yolks)
20cl Limoncello ( if you don’t want to add alcohol use a lemon syrup instead)
Fresh raspberries – 250g (less or more depending how much you like them) see note 2
Method:
Firstly prepare your lemon syrup for soaking the boudoir biscuits or trifle sponges. Put 250g caster sugar into a saucepan then add 50cl of water and the finely pared rind of a lemon. Bring to the boil, simmer for a few minutes then turn off the heat. When it’s cold stir in 20cl of Limoncello.
Separate your eggs.
Put 100g caster sugar in a bowl or mixer with the egg yolks and beat until pale and creamy.
Add the marscapone and beat until smooth
Beat the egg whites until firm then fold them into the marscapone mixture along with the finely grated rind of a lemon.
Take your presentation bowl and spread a thin layer of the marscapone mixture on the bottom. Then add a layer of boudoir biscuits that you have dipped into the syrup.
Spread a thick layer of the marscapone mixture on the top, pop on some fresh raspberries and then some finely grated lemon rind.
Repeat. You should have enough for 3 layers of soaked sponge each time covering with raspberries and lemond rind. Finish with a layer of the marscapone, arrange fresh raspberries on the top and sprinkle over a little finely grated lemon rind.
This is best done either the day before you’re going to eat it or in the morning for the evening to allow the layers to integrate.
Serve with a shot of limoncello.
Bon appetit!
Notes
1 Classically you would use boudoir or langue de chat biscuits (quite dry so they soak up the syrup) but in the UK I couldn’t find them so used trifle sponges (also quite dry) You could also use plain cake but sprinkle the syrup onto the sponge rather than immersing it if you do that because it’s quite moist already.
2 Fresh raspberries are wonderful for this but out of season you could easily use defrosted frozen ones. Just don’t dress the top with them as the juice will bleed and make it look unattractive.
3 Next time I’m going to add a layer of lemon curd on top of the soaked sponges before spreading on the marscapone cream. Think it would give lovely zing and more lemoniness.
