Lemon Tiramisu with Blueberries

From issue 56.


This is a lighter version than regular tiramisu, and is a wonderful summertime alternative. 

Words and recipes from Vanessa Baxter’s cookbook The Fearless Kitchen.

Makes 6-8 portions

• 5 fresh organic eggs, separated
• 5 Tbsp white sugar
• 400g mascarpone
• 1 cup lemon curd
• ¾ cup limoncello
• 2 cups lemon syrup (mixture of juice of 1 lemon, 2 cups water and 2 Tbsp white sugar heated until sugar is dissolved)
• 30 Savoiardi biscuits
• blueberries, to garnish

In a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl for around 2 minutes on a high speed. You want them white and fluffy, and stiff enough that they stay in the bowl if you turn it upside down.

Remove the whites to another clean bowl. Now, using the stand mixer again, whisk the egg yolks and the sugar on a medium speed, until they are pale and have doubled in size – around 3-4 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl.

Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the mascarpone. Gradually increase the speed of the beaters until you reach medium–high, and continue to whisk 1 minute, until the ingredients are smooth and combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl.

Remove the bowl from your mixer and, using a metal spoon, carefully fold the egg whites through the mascarpone mixture. Add the lemon curd to this mixture, and set aside.

Pour the limoncello and lemon syrup into a shallow soup bowl.

Meantime, take a large, deep dish or bowl. Put 4 Tbsp of the mascarpone cream on the bottom of the dish, and use a spatula to smooth the cream over the base of the dish.

Dunk the biscuits into the lemon mix, 2 at a time, for several seconds. Allow them to soak up the liquid, and then hold them to drip-dry over the bowl before transferring them to your tiramisu dish. 

Create a layer of biscuits on top of your mascarpone layer. 

Add more dollops of mascarpone on to the top of the biscuit layer, and again gently smooth over, using your spatula.

Repeat with another layer of lemon-soaked biscuits, and finish with a layer of your mascarpone cream.

Top with a handful of blueberries, and put in the fridge for several hours or overnight, so that the flavours amalgamate.

Recipes from The Fearless Kitchen cookbook by MasterChef New Zealand finalist and foodie Vanessa Baxter. For more, visit vanessabaxter.co.nz