Yuzu Sake-Kissed Citrus Tiramisu

Yuzu-flavoured sake  | Aichi, Japan 

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I found these impossibly cute pink savoiardi cookies at my local Italian supermarket and, naturally, couldn’t resist. They came back to haunt me later, right when I was planning dessert for our Christmas Eve dinner. With their subtle hint of strawberry, the classic coffee pairing suddenly felt wrong.

By then, the menu had already taken a citrusy turn: our pescatarian table revolved around yuzu sake, first introduced through cured salmon gravlax. So why should it stop there?

That small bottle of citrusy Japanese liqueur had already proved its charm. Letting a little of it slip into dessert felt less like improvisation and more like good manners: continuity, not excess. And just like that, a citrusy, sake-kissed tiramisu quietly joined the table, where lemon curd meets mascarpone and a gentle splash of yuzu sake adds floral lift and understated sophistication. No coffee, no cocoa—just winter sunshine, layered.

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Yuzu Sake–Kissed Citrus Tiramisu

SERVINGS 8 | Preparation: 30 minutes | Chill time : 24 hours

Ingredients

For the Lemon Curd (about 1.5 cup)

• fresh lemon juice and lemon zest from 2 large lemons

• ⅔ cup granulated sugar

• 4 large eggs

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

• pinch of salt

For the Lemon–Yuzu Syrup

• 240 ml / 1 cup yuzu sake (Obaachan’s Yuzu works beautifully)

• fresh lemon juice and lemon zest from 1 large lemon

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

For the Cream Filling & Assembly

• 16 oz mascarpone cheese

• ¼ tsp kosher salt

• 1½ cups cold heavy cream

• Lemon curd (from above)

• 24 crisp savoiardi ladyfingers (200 grams/7 oz)

• Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

  
  

  
  

Instructions

Make the Lemon Curd

Whisk the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a medium saucepan until smooth. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (8–10 minutes). Do not boil.

Remove from heat and stir in the butter until glossy and smooth. Transfer to a bowl or jar and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Cool completely (about 1 hours).

Make the Lemon–Yuzu Syrup

Combine sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves (3–4 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the yuzu sake. Cool completely in a shallow dish.

Make the Cream Filling

Beat mascarpone and salt briefly until smooth, do not overmix. With the mixer running, slowly add cream, beating just until soft peaks form.

Gently fold in about 1 cup or the 2/3 of the lemon curd you made, keeping the mixture airy.

Assemble

Dip ladyfingers quickly into the lemon–yuzu syrup (a confident dip, not a swim) and arrange in a snug single layer in a 9×13-inch dish.

Spread half the mascarpone mixture evenly over the top. Repeat with a second layer of soaked ladyfingers, using any remaining syrup, then finish with the remaining cream. Spread the lemon curd evenly over the top.

Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

Serve with fresh strawberries to echo the subtle strawberry notes of the savoiardi cookies.

Notes

• The yuzu sake should whisper, not shout. This is dessert, not a spritz.

• Can be assembled up to 24 hours ahead (add the final curd layer just before serving).

• Keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days, if it lasts that long.

  
  
  
  

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Wine Pairing Suggestions

This dessert lives in the bright, aromatic, low-tannin world. Think freshness, finesse, and restraint; anything too sweet or oaky will step on the citrus.

Champagne & Sparkling (The Obvious, Correct Choice)

• Blanc de Blancs Champagne (especially Côte des Blancs)

  Crisp acidity mirrors the lemon curd, chalky minerality reins in the cream, and fine bubbles keep everything lifted. Pierre Péters, obviously, but you knew that. Full post here!

• Crémant de Loire or Crémant de Bourgogne

  A more relaxed sparkle, still citrus-friendly and quietly elegant.

  My pick: Le Domaine des Terres Dorées (Chermette) Crémant de Bourgogne is a brut Blanc de Blancs, made from 100% Chardonnay, fresh and elegant, and produced using the traditional method. Sourced from the clay-limestone soils of the Mâconnais and blended from several vintages, it offers lively, precise bubbles with a perfectly balanced profile.

Lightly Sweet, Aromatic Whites

German Kabinett Riesling (Mosel or Rheingau)

Just enough sweetness to soften the lemon, electric acidity to keep it precise. A very good idea.

My pick: Sybille Kuntz Riesling Kabinett (Mosel, Germany) is a precise, aromatic white from steep, blue-slate vineyards in the Lieser Schlossberg. Dry and mineral-driven, it shows racy citrus and lime leaf with flashes of apricot, carried by vivid acidity and elegant tension.

Japanese-Inspired Pairings (Staying on Theme)

• Yuzu Sake (served very cold)

  A small glass alongside the dessert, continuity, not repetition. Think echo, not encore.

  Full post here!

• Sparkling Sake (dry or lightly off-dry)

  Surprisingly excellent with citrus desserts, especially when chilled to Champagne temperatures.

  My pick: Hakutsuru Sayuri Nigori in a cute pink bottle, is a creamy, gently sweet Junmai sake with a soft, cloudy texture from its coarse filtration. Made from Japanese rice and koji with no added alcohol, it shows delicate aromas of banana and melon, with flavours of white grape, ripe pear, and a faint coconut note, smooth, balanced, and quietly comforting.

  
  
  
  

What to Politely Avoid

• Heavy dessert wines (Sauternes, late-harvest monsters): too rich, too loud.

• Red wine of any kind (dry, sweet, fortified). This is not the moment.

• Anything aggressively oaked, leave the vanilla to the mascarpone.

  
  

In short: Bright, mineral, and composed wines win here. If the bottle feels like it’s whispering rather than performing, you’re on the right track.

Happy sipping and savouring!