With all those layers of limoncello-soaked ladyfingers, lemon curd, and non-dairy mascarpone this vegan limoncello tiramisu is a must for lemon lovers.
Homemade ladyfingers (savoiardi cookies) are quickly dipped in limoncello sugar syrup. And being the spongey consistency they are, allows them to soak in so much of that lemony flavor.
The intense lemon flavor of this dessert is quite fitting to the Italian translation of tiramisu meaning "pick me up"!
This is not your traditional tiramisù recipe. It's dairy-free, eggless, and flavored with lemon and limoncello instead of the more popular espresso and Amaretto combination. If you're more of a coffee fan then this classic vegan tiramisu is for you.
Yes, it is quite the rebellious dessert, but it is rich and light all at once, and quite undetectably vegan!
Jump to:
📖 Recipe Overview
- Perfect Prep-Ahead Dessert Recipe - Most of the elements of this dessert can be made a few days in advance. This makes it the perfect dessert to prepare ahead of a dinner party or special event, where you want to save time in the kitchen!
- Intense Fresh & Zesty Lemon Flavor - The combination of limoncello, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon curd make this the lemoniest dessert ever! It is light, zingy, and fresh, everything you could want from a lemon dessert.
- Smooth & Creamy Texture - The lemon curd mascarpone is whipped to an incredibly creamy consistency.
If you love vegan lemon desserts, make sure you also try my Lemon Lasagna, Lemon Loaf Cake, Lemon Tart, Lemon Cheesecake, and Lemon Meringue Pie!
🧾 Ingredients Needed
Here's everything you need to make this vegan lemon tiramisu recipe:
- Limoncello - An Italian lemon liqueur made by infusing lemon skins in alcohol. It's commonly served as a digestif or in desserts. It's usually readily available in supermarkets but you can always try your hand at homemade, this Limoncello by Cinnamon & Coriander looks amazing!
- Vegan Lemon Curd - Although you can use storebought if available, I recommend my homemade lemon curd recipe which is made using lemons, non-dairy milk, sugar, cornstarch, and vegan butter.
- Vegan Mascarpone - Again, you can go for storebought vegan mascarpone if available to you, or make it from scratch using my easy mascarpone recipe, which is perfect for making plant based tiramisu.
- Lemons - This recipe uses both fresh lemon juice and zest, so it's important to go for unwaxed or organic lemons to avoid any nasty chemicals or pesticides.
- You can also opt to top your lemon tiramisu with some vegan whipped cream, though this is completely optional.
🥣 How To Make Limoncello Tiramisu
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
This vegan limoncello tiramisu is all about preparing ahead. The best thing is you can make all the different elements (ladyfingers, lemon curd, and mascarpone) up to 3 days in advance. Then it's just a case of assembling the tiramisu on the day of or the day before serving!
Step 1: Whisk the lemon curd for 1-2 minutes until light and airy.
Step 2: Slowly whisk in the dairy-free mascarpone in 3-4 increments, whisking to incorporate each time.
Step 3: Heat sugar and water in a saucepan to make a sugar syrup, and whisk until the sugar dissolves.
Step 4: Add in the limoncello and freshly squeezed lemon juice, and stir.
Step 5: Dunk the ladyfinger cookies into the limoncello syrup and arrange them in a layer in the base of a baking dish.
Step 6: Pipe a layer of lemon mascarpone on top, and use an offset spatula to smooth it out in an even layer.
Step 7: Add a second layer of limoncello-soaked ladyfingers.
Step 8: Add a second layer of dairy-free lemon mascarpone.
Step 9: Pipe vegan whipped cream on top of the tiramisu.
Step 10: Top with freshly grated lemon zest.
📝 Recipe Tips
Use fresh lemons and juice them yourself. Storebought lemon juice is just not the same and can give off an essential-oil flavor.
Buy organic or unwaxed lemons. As we're also using the peel of the lemons, I recommend buying them organic if you can. Otherwise, look for unwaxed lemons and wash them really well before zesting.
Make a small batch. If you're not planning on serving a crowd, simply half the recipe and make it in a loaf pan instead. You make need to cut the ladyfingers to size depending on the width of your pan.
💬 FAQs
The majority of brands are vegan-friendly however I always recommend you check. You can find quite a lot of information about which Limoncello brands are vegan on Barnivore.com.
Place it in a sealed container or wrap the baking dish really well with plastic wrap so that no part of the lemon tiramisu is exposed to the air. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Absolutely You can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Simply defrost it in the fridge overnight before serving.
🇮🇹 More Italian-Inspired Desserts
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ★★★★★ rating in the recipe card below and consider leaving a comment as well, thanks!
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook. And subscribe via email to get all our new recipes!
Description
Equipment
Ingredients
- 24 vegan ladyfingers, ¾ batch
- 700 g (3 cups) vegan mascarpone, 2 batches
- 580 g (2 ½ cups) vegan lemon curd, 1 batch
Limoncello soak
- 118 ml (½ cup) water
- 80 g (⅖ cup) granulated sugar
- 90 ml (⅓ cup) limoncello, or lemon juice
- 45 ml (⅕ cup) lemon juice, roughly half a lemon, freshly squeezed
Topping
- 1 batch vegan whipped cream , optional
- lemon zest, freshly grated
Instructions
- Prepare the vegan mascarpone, vegan ladyfingers, and vegan lemon curd up to 2-3 days ahead of time.
- Make the lemon mascarpone: Add the lemon curd to a large mixing bowl and whisk for 1-2 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Slowly add the vegan mascarpone to the curd, in 3-4 increments, whisking between each one to incorporate it into the mixture. Transfer it to one large or two small piping bags and secure the tops with an elastic band - (you can skip the piping bags and just use a spoon later if preferred). Set aside in the fridge while you make the syrup.
- Make the limoncello syrup: Add the water and sugar to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and remove from the heat. Whisk in the limoncello and lemon juice.
- Assembly: Quickly and individually dip half of the ladyfingers in the limoncello syrup, immediately arranging each one on the base of the baking dish. Pipe half of the lemon mascarpone in an even layer on top of the ladyfingers, then use an offset spatula to smooth out the top. You can simply spoon the mixture instead of using a piping bag if you like.Repeat this process with the remaining ladyfingers and lemon mascarpone so that you have 2 layers.
- Set in the fridge: Carefully cover the baking dish with some plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
- Garnish: Pipe whipped cream on top of the tiramisu and finish it off with a grating of fresh lemon zest.
- Storage: Place in an airtight container and refrigerate. The quality is best if eaten in the first two days.
Notes
- Alcohol-free version: Swap the limoncello for additional lemon juice.
- Use a piping bag fitted with a medium round nozzle tip to pipe the beautiful topping for the tiramisu.
- Make a small batch of tiramisu by reducing the recipe. For an 8"x8" pan reduce the recipe to ¾ (this will feed around 10 people), or for a loaf pan version (feeds 5-6), cut the recipe in half.
- You can also simplify the recipe further by using store-bought vegan cookies, lemon curd, and mascarpone in place of the homemade versions.
Nutrition
© addictedtodates.com. All content and images are protected by copyright. If you want to share this recipe, please do so using the share buttons provided. Do not screenshot or republish the recipe or content in full. instead, include a link to this post for the recipe.
