This Vegan Lemon Tiramisu is light, refreshing, and super easy to make! It has layers of Earl Grey tea-soaked ladyfingers, homemade lemon curd, and lots of lemony dairy-free cream. This vegan lemon tiramisu is a must for lemon lovers!
I had few boxes of silken tofu in the fridge, so I thought I’d experiment by adding them to the tiramisu cream, and the results were delicious! The versatility of tofu never ceases to amaze me, and this tiramisu recipe is proof that you can turn tofu into almost anything, and the best part is, this cream is just as rich and creamy as any other tiramisu recipe, but it’s a much healthier alternative. If you’re a fan of creamy, citrus flavoured desserts, then you’ll love this tiramisu! It’s dairy-free, eggless, alcohol-free, and flavoured with lemon and earl grey tea instead of the more popular espresso and Amaretto combination. This is the perfect make-ahead dessert as it’s quick and easy to prepare and can be whipped up a day or two in advance.
Why you'll love this Lemon Tiramisu
Smooth & Creamy Texture --- The lemony silken tofu and coconut cream is whipped to a velvety, creamy consistency.
A healthier alternative –- The majority of the cream is made from silken tofu, making this tiramisu higher in protein in lower in calories.
Perfect for preparing in advance --- 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 Lemony flavour ---- The combination of fresh lemon zest and lemon curd make this dessert a lemon lover’s dream! It is light, zingy, and refreshing, everything you could possibly want from a lemon dessert.
What is Tiramisu?
A traditional Tiramisu is a coffee-flavoured Italian dessert. It is made of ladyfingers dipped in coffee or espresso, and layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese, flavoured with cocoa. My lemon tiramisu recipe is a vegan and lemony spin on this traditional Italian dessert.
How does Lemon Tiramisu taste?
This Lemon Tiramisu isn’t overly sweet so you can have a big slice without finding it sickly. It’s bursting with fresh, citrussy flavour and a slight hint of Earl Grey tea from the soaked ladyfingers . It’s deliciously light, velvety, and refreshing.
Lemon Tiramisu Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need for this recipe – consider it your shopping list!
Vegan Ladyfingers – it’s a little difficult to find vegan ladyfingers, but you can use storebought if available. I personally think homemade ladyfingers taste better, so I recommend my homemade vegan Ladyfingers recipe which is made without eggs or dairy.
Vegan Lemon Curd – you’ll need some store-bought or homemade vegan lemon curd.
Silken tofu – You’ll need 2 packs of silken tofu to make the lemon cream. This is the softest tofu in texture among all the tofu. Silken tofu is not pressed and hence it’s very soft, wobbly, and fall apart easily. Soft tofu and other types of tofu has been pressed and more compact in texture. If you substitute with firm tiofu, soft tofu or medium-soft tofu, the texture won’t be as creamy and it'll be quite grainy.
Lemons ---- You’ll need 1 good quality unwaxed lemon. Make sure to use an unwaxed lemon as you’ll be using the lemon zest and juice.
Coconut cream ---- I'd recommend using a thick coconut cream, but if you're using coconut milk instead, make sure to store the can of coconut milk in the fridge at least a hour before using it; you'll find the solids and liquid have separated, so drain away the liquid and use only the thick coconut milk to make the lemon cream.
Caster sugar ---- I've used caster sugar as it dissolves faster than granulated sugar. I wouldn't recommend using brown sugars or fruit syrups as they'll darken the colour of the cream.
Vanilla extract – This will add a lovely flavour and aroma to the tiramisu.
Earl Grey tea – you’ll need some good quality Earl Grey tea to make the soaking liquid for soaking the ladyfingers in. You can use black tea as an alternative. For an extra kick, you can also add a dash of limoncello to the soaking liquid.
Dark brown sugar – you’ll need some dark brown sugar for adding into the soaking liquid. You could use regular granulated sugar, but I prefer to use dark brown sugar as it has a rich molasses flavour.
How to make Lemon Tiramisu
STEP 1:
Make the lemon cream: Add the sugar, silken tofu, coconut cream, vanilla extract, and lemon zest to a large mixing bowl and use a hand blender to blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
STEP 2:
Make the Earl Grey soaking liquid: Add the hot water, dark brown sugar and Earl Grey tea bags to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and remove from the heat.
STEP 3:
Assembly: Quickly and individually dip half of the ladyfingers in the Earl Grey soaking liquid, immediately arranging each one on the base of a 9x9 inch baking dish.
STEP 4:
Pour half of the lemon cream in an even layer on top of the ladyfingers, then use a spatula to smooth out the top. Spoon or pipe half of the vegan lemon curd on top of the cream layer, making sure to spread it evenly.
STEP 5:
Repeat this process with the remaining ladyfingers and lemon cream so that you have 2 layers. For the final layer of vegan lemon curd, I would suggest piping it on top of the tiramisu in a lattice pattern as it’ll look more aesthetically pleasing.
STEP 6:
Set in the fridge: Carefully cover the baking dish with some cling film and refrigerate the tiramisu for at least 5 hours, or preferably overnight.
STEP 7:
Garnish: Take the Tiramisu out the fridge and finish it off with a grating of fresh lemon zest. Cut into slices and enjoy!
How to store Lemon Tiramisu
This is the perfect make-ahead dessert that can be made a day or two in advance and then stored in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it. Place the tiramisu in a sealed container or wrap the baking dish really well with cling film so that no part of the lemon tiramisu is exposed to the air. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Can Lemon Tiramisu be frozen?
Absolutely! You can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Simply defrost it in the fridge overnight before serving.
Notes and Tips
Alcoholic version: add a dash of limoncello to the soaking liquid for an extra lemony kick.
Use a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle tip to pipe the lemon curd topping for the tiramisu.
Make homemade ladyfingers – I’ve shared a super simple recipe of homemade ladyfingers, so I’d suggest you give that a try. They can be prepared a week in advance and stored in an airtight container. They’re also suitable for freezing for they can be made a month in advance.
Give the tiramisu at least 5 hours to set – this vegan tiramisu doesn’t contain any mascarpone or egg, so it’ll take a little longer to set. I’d recommend leaving it in the fridge to set for at least 5 hours, or preferably overnight.