Categories

A smiling woman with long brown hair rests her hands on a cookbook titled Never Say Never to Dolce, which features her photo on the cover. A silver vase with orange flowers sits on the counter in front of her.

Cookbooks

Never Say Never to Dolce

A brand-new collection of 50 approachable homemade desserts – from iconic Cannoli to Dolci al Cucchiaio and more – that proves there’s always room for a little sweetness.

Manuela’s Sweet Temptations

A collection of 50 irresistible dessert recipes, from classic Italian treats to modern favorites—including gluten-free options.

The Complete Italian Cookbook: Essential Regional Cooking of Italy

A collection of 50 irresistible dessert recipes, from classic Italian treats to modern favorites—including gluten-free options.

Learn More

Easy Lemon Tiramisù Recipe with Mascarpone Cream and Lemon Curd

A refreshing twist on the Italian classic! This Lemon Tiramisù combines lemon-soaked ladyfingers, light and creamy mascarpone, and a luscious homemade lemon curd. Bright, creamy, and perfectly refreshing, it’s the perfect make-ahead dessert for summer!

Print Recipe

If you love lemon desserts and the creamy, dreamy texture of classic tiramisù, you absolutely have to try this delicious twist on the Italian classic!

This Lemon Tiramisù is everything I love about tiramisù, but with a bright and refreshing lemony twist. Instead of coffee and cocoa, delicate savoiardi are dipped in a fresh lemon syrup, layered with a light and creamy mascarpone filling, and finished with a luscious homemade lemon curd.

It is creamy, tangy, refreshing, and not overly sweet—the perfect dessert for summer!

The Ingredients

The ingredients are simple, but each one brings something special to this dessert.

You’ll need savoiardi (Italian ladyfingers), mascarpone, eggs, heavy whipping cream, sugar, fresh lemons, and butter. The lemon syrup is infused with a piece of fresh lemon peel, which gives the syrup a beautiful lemon aroma, while fresh lemon zest adds even more brightness to the mascarpone cream.

And then there’s the lemon curd! Made with fresh lemon juice, eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and butter, it creates a silky, tangy topping that makes this tiramisù extra special. I highly recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.

How to Serve Lemon Tiramisù

One of the things I love most about this recipe is how versatile it is! You can easily make individual portions in different size glasses depending on the occasion.

For a more generous dessert, use 9-ounce cups, which will yield about 6 servings. For slightly smaller portions, 7-ounce cups will yield about 7–8 servings. You can also use smaller glasses or dessert cups to make bite-size portions, which are perfect for a summer party, dinner party, or buffet.

If you prefer to make one large tiramisù, simply assemble it in a serving dish instead of individual cups. The recipe is very flexible, and you can easily double it for a larger gathering or make half the recipe for a smaller group. That’s one of the things I love most about this dessert—you can adapt the size and portions to fit almost any occasion!

9-ounce glass cups: Buy on Amazon

7-ounce glass cups: Buy on Amazon

My Tips for Making the Best Lemon Tiramisù

Make the lemon curd first. The curd needs to cool completely before you assemble the tiramisù, so I recommend making it first and refrigerating it while you prepare the other components.

When cooking the lemon curd, keep the heat at medium-low and whisk constantly. You want it to thicken without boiling, which helps prevent the eggs from scrambling. Once it’s finished, cover the surface directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cool.

If you’re in a rush and don’t want to spend time making the lemon curd, you could technically skip this layer. BUT it’s zest lemony and adds an extra layer of YUMM. So highly recommended!

For the mascarpone cream, cooking the egg yolks and sugar over a gentle hot-water bath is an important step. If you have a kitchen thermometer, the mixture should reach 160°F (71°C). Once cooked, allow it to cool before adding the mascarpone.

When mixing the mascarpone, don’t overmix it. Mix just until smooth and creamy, then gently fold in the softly whipped cream. This keeps the filling light and fluffy.

And when dipping the savoiardi into the lemon syrup, remember: a quick dip is all you need! If you soak them too long, they can become soggy and make the tiramisù difficult to layer.

Finally, make sure the lemon curd is completely cool before spreading it over the mascarpone cream.

Make It Ahead & Storage

Lemon Tiramisù is a wonderful make-ahead dessert. In fact, I recommend preparing it several hours before serving so the layers have time to chill and the flavors can come together.

Cover the individual cups tightly and store them in the refrigerator until ready to serve. They can be made up to 1 day ahead, which makes this recipe perfect when you’re entertaining.

For the freshest presentation, add the lemon zest or thin lemon slices and small mint leaves just before serving.

Serve chilled and enjoy every creamy, lemony bite!

Other Italian dessert recipes you might like:

Video recipe

Easy Lemon Tiramisù Recipe with Mascarpone Cream and Lemon Curd

0, 0 rating(s)

A refreshing twist on the Italian classic! This Lemon Tiramisù combines lemon-soaked ladyfingers, light and creamy mascarpone, and a luscious homemade lemon curd. Bright, creamy, and perfectly refreshing, it’s the perfect make-ahead dessert for summer!

Servings:

8

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

5 min

Resting Time

1 hour

Total Time

1 hour 25 min

Ingredients

Lemon Curd Topping
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (20 g) cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup (115 ml) fresh lemon juice about 2 large lemons
  • 8 tablespoons (110 g) unsalted butter
Lemon Syrup
  • 1 cup (230 ml) water
  • 1/4 cup  (50 g) sugar
  • 1 large piece of lemon peel
  • 1/2 cup ( 115 ml) fresh lemon juice
Mascarpone Cream
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
  • Zest of 1 or 2 lemons
  • 16 oz (450 g) mascarpone
  • 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream
  • about 18 savoiardi cookies (ladyfingers)

Instructions

Make the lemon curd:
  1. In a small saucepan, whisk together the eggs and sugar until smooth.
  2. Whisk in the lemon juice and cornstarch until completely smooth and no lumps remain.
  3. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Do not let it boil, or the eggs may scramble.
  4. Remove from the heat and add the butter, a few pieces at a time, whisking until completely melted and smooth.
  5. Transfer the lemon curd to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface. Refrigerate until completely cool.
Make the lemon syrup:
  1. In a small saucepan, combine water, sugar nand 1 large piece of lemon peel.
  2. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar completely dissolves.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice.
  4. Let the syrup cool completely. Remove the lemon peel before using.
Make the mascarpone cream:
  1. Place the egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl and whisk until smooth.
  2. Place the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mixture is pale and thick. If you can, check the temperature; it should reach 160°F (71°C).
  3. Remove the bowl from the heat and continue whisking for a few minutes. Let it cool to room temperature, or place the bowl over an ice bath and whisk until cooled.
  4. Add the lemon zest and mascarpone and mix until smooth and creamy – don’t overmix!
  5. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until smooth and fluffy.
Assemble:
  1. Quickly dip each ladyfinger cut in half into the cooled lemon syrup—don’t soak them too long. Arrange them at the bottom of your serving cups.
  2. Spread with a layer of mascarpone cream. Repeat with another layer of soaked ladyfingers and one more layer of mascarpone cream.
  3. Top with a layer of lemon curd.
  4. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Decorate with fresh lemon zest or thin slices of lemon before serving.

Explore more recipes