Gelato.  Cannoli.  Biscotti.   When you think of Italian treats, where does your mind wander?  All of these sweet bites are contenders, for sure.  But I would bet that the Italian dessert most “ooo’d” and “aahhh’d” over is tiramisu.  That beautiful, layered dish with lady fingers, espresso, creamy Marscapone, and of course, chocolate.  It’s decadent.  It’s luscious.  And it’s pretty much the expected finale of a good Italian meal.

So with the final installment of last week’s Italian Wine Dinner menu, I just had to go with this classic.  But how to change up this well-known recipe, yet still pay homage to the traditional ingredients?  After a cooking class in the heart of Tuscany with the delightful Stefania Balducci, I had a revelation–I could change the ingredients at whim and create new delights without disappointing the expectations of this dish!  This is a result of that experiment.

Citrus Tiramisu

Full disclosure here: I am not normally a big dessert person.  I mean, I like them and all, but I’m the person who is more inclined to add a little more salty/crunchy/carb-y to my plate instead of making room for dessert.  However, anything with fruit or citrus automatically gets a second look from me.  So when the thought of replacing a couple ingredients with a citrus element smacked me in the head, I went with it.  And add to it that it’s really more of an “adult dessert” because of the wine in it, I promise you this is the perfect ending to your Italian Wine dinner.

As for the wine pairing, the recipe calls for use of a Vin Santo dessert wine.  Now don’t think that this is a super sweet wine–it’s got a bite to it, but in a smooth, rich manner (I know that may not make sense, but trust me on this).  Since it’s in the dessert, it stands to reason that a small apperitif of the same wine served along with the tiramisu is the perfect pairing.  As with my earlier recommendations from one particular winery in Tuscany, I use the Vin Santo Dolce Arianna.  However, if you can’t find that particular wine, ask your wine shop for a recommendation.  Let them know what you will be using it for, and they can guide you to one that fits both the needs of the recipe and for drinking as well.

Salute!

 

Mascarpone onto Lady Fingers
Tiramisu, with a (Lemon) Twist
Print Recipe
I love the combination of the citrus and the Vin Santo wine in this version of a classic. While it's clearly not for the little ones, as an "adult" version of an Italian sweet treat, it's a winner in my book. The Mascarpone mixture will make a lot, which means you will have extra to dollop on waffles or french toast the next morning, or use to layer in a mini trifle with crispy biscotti cookies. Delicioso in whichever way you choose to use it up!
Servings Prep Time
12 people 30 minutes
Passive Time
1 hour
Servings Prep Time
12 people 30 minutes
Passive Time
1 hour
Mascarpone onto Lady Fingers
Tiramisu, with a (Lemon) Twist
Print Recipe
I love the combination of the citrus and the Vin Santo wine in this version of a classic. While it's clearly not for the little ones, as an "adult" version of an Italian sweet treat, it's a winner in my book. The Mascarpone mixture will make a lot, which means you will have extra to dollop on waffles or french toast the next morning, or use to layer in a mini trifle with crispy biscotti cookies. Delicioso in whichever way you choose to use it up!
Servings Prep Time
12 people 30 minutes
Passive Time
1 hour
Servings Prep Time
12 people 30 minutes
Passive Time
1 hour
Ingredients
Servings: people
Instructions
  1. Assemble ingredients so that you don't have to go hunting for items as you begin to put the dessert together.
    Citrus Tiramisu Ingredients
  2. Using mixer, combine eggs and sugar until incorporated.
    Eggs and Sugar
  3. After eggs & sugar are combined, make sure no lumps of sugar remain. Mixture should be smooth.
    Smooth Egg & Sugar Mixture
  4. Add Mascarpone cheese to mixture.
    Mascarpone into Mixture
  5. Mix on low speed until fully incorporated, again making sure there are no lumps in the mixture.
    Smooth Tiramisu Mixture
  6. Zest one lemon into mixture. Fold zest into batter until fully incorporated. Set bowl aside while you assemble the ladyfingers.
    Lemon Zest into Mixture
  7. Use 8 small individual serving bowls for a half batch, or one large 8x8 pan if serving a full batch. For the smaller bowls, break lady fingers in half so that they will fit in each bowl.
    Lady Fingers in Individual Servings
  8. Pour 1/4 inch of Vin Santo wine into a shallow bowl. You will need to refill the dish as you determine the amount needed for each lady finger.
    Vin Santo Wine
  9. Quickly run each lady finger through the wine, making sure that the lady fingers aren't completely absorbed with wine. It will continue to permeate the delicate cookies as the dessert sets, so you don't want to overdo it and wind up with soggy bites in the dessert.
    Lady Fingers in Vin Santo Wine
  10. Drizzle citrus Mascarpone batter over lady fingers, nearly covering the top of the dessert bowl or pan.
    Mascarpone onto Lady Fingers
  11. Zest the other half a lemon over the completed dessert. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours. Serve with small glass of Vin Santo wine as a perfect pairing.
    Individual Citrus Tiramisu
Recipe Notes

Even as this version uses lemon zest, you could try other citrus in this as well.  I'm sure that orange or lime would work well, too. Don't have a zester?  I use an inexpensive yet durable one from Microplane

Another use for the left over Mascarpone cream is to build what I call a "poor man's tiramisu".  Using vanilla wafers, layer them in an 8x8 dish and top with the remaining cream, zest, and crumbled vanilla wafers. This is a fun, kid-friendly version as well, and is a great surprise of flavors and textures when you show up with it at a potluck.  Enjoy!

Poor Man's Tiramisu

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