Limoncello Dome Recipe

Prepare batter

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease and line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan (or two 6-inch pans) with parchment. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and 2 tablespoons lemon zest. In a large bowl whisk eggs and granulated sugar vigorously until pale and slightly thickened, about 2–3 minutes. Mix in milk, melted butter and 1/4 cup limoncello until combined. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet with a spatula just until no streaks remain—do not overmix.

Bake sponge

Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18–22 minutes for 6-inch pans or 25–30 minutes for a 9-inch pan. Let cool in the pan 10 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely.

Soak sponge

Combine cooled simple syrup and remaining 2 tablespoons limoncello. When sponge is completely cool, brush the syrup evenly over the top to soak. If making domes, trim cakes into rounds slightly smaller than your dome molds and reserve.

Bloom gelatin

Place 2 tbs cold water in a small bowl and sprinkle 1 tsp powdered gelatin evenly over the surface. Let sit 5 minutes to bloom. Warm gently (either 5–8 seconds in the microwave or over a double boiler) until dissolved but not boiling. Set aside to cool slightly.

Whip cream

In a chilled mixing bowl, whip 1 cup cold heavy cream to soft peaks. Add 1/4 cup powdered sugar and continue to whip to medium peaks. Transfer whipped cream to a separate bowl and chill briefly.

Mix mascarpone base

In another bowl, whisk mascarpone with remaining 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 3 tablespoons limoncello and 1 tablespoon lemon zest until smooth and loose. Stir in the dissolved gelatin quickly until fully incorporated (if gelatin is too hot, let cool until slightly thickened).

Fold mousse

Fold about one-third of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until smooth and airy. Chill the mousse 15–20 minutes to set slightly before assembly so it holds shape in molds.

Make curd

In a heatproof bowl whisk together 3 egg yolks and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until pale. Whisk in 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice and 1 tablespoon lemon zest. Place bowl over a simmering pot of water (double boiler) and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and it coats the back of a spoon, about 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the 3 tablespoons cubed butter until smooth. Strain curd through a fine sieve into a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap and chill until cool and firm, about 1 hour.

Portion curd

Spoon or pipe small rounds of chilled curd (about 2 teaspoons each) onto a parchment-lined tray and freeze briefly so they hold shape for insertion into domes (10–15 minutes).

Line molds

If using silicone half-sphere dome molds (about 3–3.5 inches diameter), lightly brush the interior with a little softened butter or nonstick spray. Place a trimmed sponge round in the bottom of each mold so it fits snugly (this is the base). Brush each sponge base with any remaining limoncello-syrup mixture or the extra 2 tbs limoncello reserved for brushing.

Fill with mousse

Spoon or pipe the chilled mascarpone mousse into each mold, filling about two-thirds of the cavity. If using lemon curd core, press one frozen curd round into the center of each mousse-filled dome so it's slightly embedded but not touching the sponge base. Top with more mousse to fill the mold, smoothing the surface so it is level.

Chill to set

Transfer filled molds to the refrigerator and chill at least 3–4 hours, preferably overnight, until mousse is fully set and slightly firm to the touch. For faster setting, place molds in the freezer 30–45 minutes then transfer to fridge.

Unmold & finish

To unmold, place the silicone mold on a work surface and gently press from the bottom of each dome to release. If resistance, warm exterior briefly with a hair dryer on low or dip the bottom of the mold in warm water for 5–10 seconds, then invert onto serving plates. Dust lightly with powdered sugar, garnish with a lemon curl and a mint leaf, and brush the sponge edge with the extra 2 tbs limoncello if desired. Serve chilled.