Cranberry Orange Tiramisu (Printer-friendly)

Festive Italian dessert with tart cranberries, zesty orange, and creamy mascarpone layers.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cranberry Compote

01 - 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
04 - 1 tsp orange zest

→ Mascarpone Cream

05 - 1 cup heavy cream, cold
06 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
07 - 8 oz mascarpone cheese, chilled
08 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Assembly

09 - 24 ladyfinger biscuits (savoiardi)
10 - 1/2 cup orange juice
11 - 2 tbsp orange liqueur (optional)
12 - Orange zest, for garnish
13 - Fresh cranberries, for garnish
14 - Powdered sugar, for dusting

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine cranberries, granulated sugar, orange juice, and orange zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and mixture thickens, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
02 - Whip heavy cream and powdered sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat mascarpone and vanilla extract until smooth. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture until fully combined.
03 - Combine orange juice and orange liqueur in a shallow dish. Quickly dip each ladyfinger into the mixture without soaking, then line the bottom of a 9x9-inch dish with half of the ladyfingers. Spread half of the mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers, then spoon half of the cranberry compote over the cream. Repeat layers with remaining ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, and cranberry compote.
04 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Before serving, garnish with orange zest, fresh cranberries, and a dusting of powdered sugar if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cranberry compote strikes this perfect balance between sweet and tart that wakes up your palate after heavy holiday meals
  • It comes together faster than youd expect for something so impressive looking, and you can make it ahead
  • Everyone asks for the recipe, but nobody guesses how simple the technique actually is
02 -
  • Letting the compote cool completely is non negotiable, otherwise it will seize the mascarpone cream into strange little lumps
  • Ladyfingers go from perfectly dipped to disastrously soggy in about two seconds, so work quickly and confidently
  • The tiramisu needs those full 4 hours minimum to set, or youll end up serving beautiful but sad soup instead of distinct layers
03 -
  • Spray your measuring spoon with cooking spray before measuring sticky ingredients like orange zest or liqueur
  • Room temperature eggs in your ladyfingers are not a food safety concern here since they are baked, but if you are worried, buy pasteurized ones

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