Limoncello Tiramisu

Ingredients:

• 5:

  large eggs, separated and reserved
• 3/4 cup:

  fresh lemon juice, about 5 or 6 lemon
• 2 tablespoons:

  lemon zest
• 1 cup:

  sugar
• 1 1/2 cups:

  limoncello liqueur
• 1 cup:

  water
• 2 cups:

  mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• 40:

  imported Italian Alessi, more as needed

Directions:

• SYRUP:

• 1:

  Make a Limoncello syrup by placing 1 cup of Limoncello, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup sugar in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil to dissolve all sugar and slightly reduce. This takes 5-7 minutes.

• 2:

  Remove from heat and set aside until completely cool. I make this the day before and refrigerate over night.

• TIRAMISU CREAM:

• 1:

  Separate eggs, putting yolks in the large glass bowl, and the whites in a separate stainlesssteel bowl to be whipped later.

• 2:

  Add 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup Limoncello to the egg yolks and whisk until well incorporated.

• 3:

  Place bowl containing egg mixture in a large sauce pan filled with just enough water so the water level is just below the bottom of the bowl without touching the bowl and set aside.

• 4:

  Bring water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Now set the bowl containing the egg mixture over the simmering water, and whisk constantly, frequently scraping the whisk around the sides and bottom of the bowl. As the egg mixture expands and heats it will become a pale yellow frothy sponge or zabaglione. This will take 5 to 8 minutes. When the sponge has thickened enough to form a ribbon when it drops on the surface of itself, take the bowl out of the pan of simmering water and let it cool to room temperature.

• 5:

  Place the mascarpone and the lemon zest in a large bowl and beat with hand mixer until light and creamyPlace the room temperature mascarpone cheese and 2 tablespoons lemon zest in a large bowl and using a handheld mixer blend until well mixed and creamy.

• 6:

  Now beat the 5 reserved egg whites and 1/4 cup sugar with a hand or stand mixer, beating until they are in moderately stiff peaks.

• 7:

  When the limoncello sponge (or zabaglione) is cooled, scrape about a third of it over the mascarpone, and fold it in with a large rubber spatula. Fold in the rest of the zabaglione in two or three additions.

• 8:

  Now fold in the whipped egg whites in several additions, until the limoncello-mascarpone cream is light and evenly blended.

• ASSEMBLING:

• 1:

  Pour some of the cooled syrup into shallow bowl or container to moisten the ladyfingers (savoiardi). One at a time, roll a ladyfinger in the syrup and place it in the 9" X 13" baking dish. Wet each cookie briefly—Do not over soak or it will fall apart. It will continue to soak in to the perfect consistancy as it is chilling in the fridge.

• 2:

  Arrange the moistened ladyfingers in neat, tight rows, filling the bottom of the pan completely. You should be able to fit about twenty ladyfingers in a single layer.

• 3:

  Scoop half of the limoncello-mascarpone cream onto the ladyfingers, and smooth it to fill the pan and cover them. Dip and arrange a second layer of ladyfingers in the pan, and cover it completely with the remainder of the cream and smooth the cream evenly.

• 4:

  Garnish with sliced almonds and a few chopped candied lemon or orange peels.

• 5:

  Cover tiramisu and refrigerate for 6 hours (or up to 2 days), or put it in the freezer for 2 hours.

• 6:

  To serve, cut portions of tiramisu in any size you like, and lift each out of the pan and onto dessert plate decorated with Raspberry couli.