Lemon Tiramisu

This is a party-perfect recipe that looks like you slaved for hours - but you don't even have to turn on the oven. It's all made with purchased savoiardi biscuits - kind of like ladyfingers but crispy and hard with a coating of sugar. After a soaking, they're as tender as a sponge cake. The recipe is elegant and luscious. And it all comes together in about 10 minutes.

My cousin Lucia made this for us on our recent visit to Italy. She's the cousin who won the "Miss Tagliatella" contest in her region. I kid you not. So you can be sure she knows her way around the kitchen. One of these days, I'll make a video of her making pasta and then we'll both know the secret of her success.


For now, you'll have to be content with her lemon tiramisu. It was delicious all by itself but I thought I'd add the raspberry sauce to jazz it up a bit and add some color.

Lemon Tiramisu

24 savoiardi biscuits
juice of two to three lemons

8 oz. mascarpone cheese
8 oz. ricotta cheese
1 cup sugar
grated rind of one large lemon

Mix together the mascarpone, ricotta, sugar and lemon rind.

Line a meat loaf pan with plastic wrap. Dip 8 savoiardi biscuits (on both sides) in the lemon juice and place along the bottom, squeezing to fit. Cover with half of the cheese mixture. Repeat with another level of savoiardi, then the other half of the cheese mixture. Finish with a layer of savoiardi. Wrap tightly and refrigerate a minimum of four hours; preferably overnight.

Flip over, remove plastic wrap and serve with raspberry sauce if desired.

Raspberry Sauce

10 or 12 ounce package of frozen raspberries
2 T. water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice

Bring the raspberries, water and sugar to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes. Put through a strainer, add the lemon juice and refrigerate.