Celebrate the flavors and spirit of winter with a merry twist on dessert tradition.
I am a firm believer that the most enjoyable and memorable holiday celebrations employ a savvy combination of heirloom tradition with a sprinkle of novelty. Winter Cranberry-Orange Tiramisu reads like a storybook winter comfort with a delicious twist of elegance and intrigue. Alternating layers of glossy jewel-toned compote glimmer like a crimson holiday ornament sandwiched between fluffy white mascarpone cream. It’s a vibrant holiday departure from the classic coffee-flavored dessert.
This tiramisu is entirely unexpected yet a perfect pairing with frosty days and festive gatherings. Its richness in flavor and texture is balanced by a bright, sweet, tart, fruit-forward profile, highlighting two of the season’s most recognizable fruits.
Cranberry-Orange Tiramisu embraces the charm of Old Man Winter, promising a delicious and memorable finish to the seasonal table.
Highlights for the no-bake winter dessert
- Make-ahead
- No-bake
- Eggless
- Decorative style
Notes on this modern & festive cranberry-orange tiramisu
- This recipe is for a round tiramisu. If you prefer tiramisu in classic squares, you can make this tiramisu in a 9×9 square pan. You can also serve tiramisu in a decorative trifle bowl. Both methods allow you to serve your dessert straight from the pan or bowl, avoiding the unmolding process of the rounded style.
- When building your tiramisu, set up an assembly line to expedite the process. My flow is ladyfingers, dipping compote, ring mold on serving dish, mascarpone cream.
- Cranberry-orange compote can be made and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks, or in the freezer for 3 months.
- Fully assembled tiramisu can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- When unmolding, if the tiramisu sticks to the sides of the spring form ring, take a long, thin knife, warm it using warm water, wipe off the excess water, and run it around the outside of the tiramisu to help it come away from the sides.
Tis the season for Winter Cranberry-Orange Tiramisu and Citrus Pomander Balls. I wish you happy gathering, feasting, and crafting this holiday season!
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Winter Cranberry-Orange Tiramisu
Description
Serves: 8-12
Special equipment: Microplane for zesting, offset spatula, 9-inch springform pan, blender
Ingredients
- 30–32 ladyfingers
Cranberry-Orange Compote
- 24 ounces cranberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup orange juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- orange zest from two medium oranges
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup Grand Marnier, Cointreau or other orange liquor
Mascarpone Cream
- 2 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 16 ounces mascarpone, cold
- orange zest from two medium oranges
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
Garnish
- 1 ounce freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
Cranberry-Orange Compote
- In a medium saucepan, combine the first eight compote ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the compote becomes the consistency of a runny jam. Use a potato masher to gently press down on the cranberries to help them burst as they cook, being careful to avoid any hot splatter.
- Pour into a heat-proof bowl. Press a piece of parchment paper directly onto the surface of the compote. Cool to room temperature.
- Once cooled, add the vanilla extract and orange liquor. Stir to combine, cover with plastic wrap or another piece of parchment paper, and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
Mascarpone Cream
- Whip the cold mascarpone until it becomes smooth. Add 1 cup of the heavy whipping cream and whip until fully combined and just begins to thicken.
- Add the remaining 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, orange zest, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, pinch of sea salt, and continue whipping until stiff peaks begin to form.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.
Assembly
- Separate and remove the bottom of the spring form pan. Place the springform ring on your chosen serving dish or platter.
- Briefly submerge a ladyfinger in the compote, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. Do not soak completely through. The ladyfinger should be slightly moist, with a dry interior, and hold its shape.
- Place the lady finger inside the spring form ring on your serving dish. Repeat until the bottom of your springform ring is completely covered in one layer of soaked ladyfingers. Do not be afraid to break ladyfingers into pieces to fit into gaps. This will not affect the final presentation.
- Spoon about a 1/3 cup compote evenly over the ladyfingers.
- Using half of the mascarpone cream, smooth an even cream layer over the top of the ladyfingers and compote. An offset spatula is helpful here.
- Add a second layer of dipped ladyfingers and 1/3 cup of cranberry compote on top of the mascarpone.
- Smooth the remaining half of the mascarpone cream over the top of the second layer of ladyfingers and compote for the final layer.
- Cover tightly with cling wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least six hours, preferably overnight. Reserve the remaining cranberry-orange compote for later use.
- Just before serving, powder your freeze-dried strawberries in a blender, combine with granulated sugar, and sprinkle over the top of the tiramisu.
- Gently release the tension buckle on the springform ring to reveal your beautifully molded Cranberry-Orange Tiramisu. Wipe away any drips on the serving dish, slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- For a refined presentation, pipe decorative rosettes or dollops of whipped cream on top of your tiramisu. You can also add edible glitter or luster dust for sparkle and shine. Other garnish ideas include sugared cranberries, rosemary, or candied citrus peel.
- Serve reserved cranberry-orange compote in a decorative pitcher for guests to drizzle over their tiramisu if they please.
- My favorite beverages to serve with Cranberry-Orange Tiramisu include a few alcoholic and non-alcoholic options.
- Alcoholic: port, rosé, and prosecco
- Non-alcoholic: coffee, espresso, chai, rooibos or chamomile tea, sparkling water with a splash of cranberry juice, and an orange wheel.
- To elevate the conclusion of a long, hearty meal, offer guests an interactive experience along with dessert. A great experiential accompaniment to Cranberry-Orange Tiramisu are DIY pomander balls.
You may not have heard of Pomander balls before but I bet you’ve seen them. They are aromatic balls; traditionally, an orange studded with cloves, often in decorative patterns, synonymous with the holiday season for decoration and aroma.
Citrus Pomander Ball Experience
Along with after dinner drinks and dessert, provide each guest with a small plate outfitted with materials to make their pomander ball.
- medium orange or clementine (for a miniature version)
- 1-2 ounces of whole cloves
- small jar of ground cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice
- small piercing tool like a toothpick
- paper towel or napkin
- small paper bag big enough to enclose the finish pomander ball
- visual instructions and examples of patterns via printed material or virtual group invitation or text
- Over the plate, using a piercing tool, poke holes spaced apart in the skin of the orange. This can be whimsical or a deliberate pattern. The holes do not need to be close together, as the orange will shrink while drying.
- Use a paper towel or napkin to clean up juice that is released.
- Gently insert a whole clove into each hole.
Fresh pomander balls make excellent holiday decorations in a table centerpiece or hung as ornaments. Fresh pomander balls only have a “shelf” life of a few days. To prolong their freshness, refrigerate them at night to avoid mold.
Dried pomander balls are long-lasting, sometimes preserving fragrance for over a year. They are perfect for use as an all-natural sachet in drawers, cupboards, and closets, or as a hanging ornament.
A dehydrator is the quickest way to dry your pomander ball. To create dried pomander balls without a dehydrator, coat the pomander balls in a ground spice mixture of cinnamon and nutmeg or allspice. Place in a paper bag in a cool, dry nook out of direct light, to dry for several weeks. The spices have antibacterial properties that hinder bacterial growth, and the bag hastens the drying process.
