Look no further - this festive Cranberry Tiramisu is your next ultimate holiday dessert that will WOW your guests. Combining sweet and tart cranberries with creamy layers of mascarpone and cranberry-dunked ladyfingers, this twist on the classic is perfect to add to any party dessert table. Skip the oven (that's right, no baking required), convenient to make in advance, and so delicious your friends will be asking you for the recipe!
As much as I enjoy classic tiramisu, I absolutely LOVE making them with different flavors. Have you tried my Pistachio Tiramisu yet? Before we start, let me apologize in advance to my Italian friends reading this. If you are very proud of your beloved grandmother's tiramisu made the traditional way, and upset that I deviated from the "true" way of making it, please forgive me. Join me and have a slice of this... cranberry layered ladyfinger cake? I promise, it's absolutely delicious.
I saw Carolina Gelen share this Cranberry Tiramisu last year, and I was immediately in awe! Inspired by her recipe, I made some quick adjustments and got to work. Many people (tiramisu lovers at that) are not aware that classic tiramisu is typically made with raw eggs. They are usually quite shocked to discover this, and they've been ordering tiramisu at their favorite Italian restaurant for years! So we will temper the eggs for this recipe. It's absolutely optional, but I know many will feel reassured to know there are no raw eggs.
Another cranberry favorite is my Starbucks Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars - perfect to add to your holiday treat boxes! It's usually holiday exclusive at Starbucks, but this way you can make them year round.
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Notes About A Few Ingredients
- Whole cranberries: Fresh or frozen.
- Granulated sugar: Used to sweeten the cranberry sauce, mascarpone filling, and topping.
- Vanilla extract: Add warm flavoring to cranberry sauce.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed.
- Mascarpone cheese: Best for this recipe. Use cream cheese as a substitute.
- Egg yolks: Use large eggs, separate egg whites and save for other recipes.
- Heavy cream: Or heavy whipping cream.
- Ladyfingers: Use homemade or store-bought.
- Orange liquer: Use orange juice for non-alcoholic version.
- Cranberry juice: To use in syrup to dunk the ladyfingers.
- Freeze-dried strawberries: Pulse with sugar to decorative topping.
How To Make Cranberry Tiramisu
Cook cranberries, sugar, water, and vanilla until thickened, then add lemon juice.
Continue to simmer until it's a thin jam consistency. Some cranberries will burst, some will stay whole. Set aside to cool.
To temper the eggs, whisk yolks with sugar over a double boiler on low heat.
Once sugar granules have dissolved, take eggs off the heat.
Whip eggs and sugar, then whisk in mascarpone cheese on low speed.
Pour in heavy cream, continue to whip, and increase speed.
Mix until it's thickened to this consistency.
Make the cranberry dunking syrup. Use orange liqueur or orange juice.
Dunk ladyfingers in syrup only once, or they will be too soggy once layered in pan.
Place down the first layer of ladyfingers, then a layer of cooled cranberry sauce.
Pour in first layer of mascarpone filling.
Final spread of cranberry sauce.
Repeat layers and finish with top layer of mascarpone filling. Chill in fridge until ready to serve.
Pulverize freeze-dried strawberries and sugar until it's a fine powder.
Place parchment paper underneath pan for easy clean-up. Sieve strawberry sugar evenly on top.
Serve yourself a big piece - you deserve it!
Suzy's Tips For Success
- Prep a day in advance: The ladyfingers in almost any tiramisu always benefit from chilling overnight. It allows them to absorb the syrup and soften to almost a cake-like texture.
- Dunk ladyfingers for only 1 second: This may sound oddly specific, but you get the idea. Dunking them for any longer, and your ladyfingers will become unpleasantly soggy once they are layered.
- Tempering the eggs is optional: Most tiramisu are prepared with raw eggs. I included the steps for those who wish to temper their eggs, but it is not mandatory. If you're reading this recipe, I'll bet good money you've consumed tiramisu made with raw eggs and you are fine.
- Sprinkle strawberry sugar topping when you're ready to serve: In time, the strawberry sugar will slowly start to marry with the top mascarpone filling. So prep the strawberry sugar and sprinkle on top when you're ready to slice and serve.
- Pour in heavy cream directly into mascarpone filling: You may have read similar tiramisu recipes where the heavy cream is whipped in a separate bowl, then added to the mascarpone. Feel free to do this, but I find that adding the heavy cream directly will give you more control to achieve the desired consistency. Some of us have a tendency to over-whip our cream, myself included! If this happens, then your heavy whipped cream and mascarpone are two different consistencies trying to blend together. If you whip your heavy cream together with the mascarpone filling, you will be able to gauge a smoother consistency without over-whipping.
Best Way To Store Cranberry Tiramisu
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
FAQ
100%. The only ingredient in tiramisu usually are the ladyfingers. If you cannot find gluten-free ladyfingers easily, you can always make them at home! I've used this gluten-free ladyfingers recipe from the Loopy Whisk numerous times and it's better than any ladyfingers I've ever bought in stores!
Yes, I encourage it! An overnight rest or 4 hours minimum will give the ladyfingers a chance to soften and soak in all that cranberry flavor.
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Equipment
- stand or handheld mixer
- 8.5x6.5x3-inch pan or similar deep 8-inch square pan
- heat-safe or glass bowl to temper eggs
- medium saucepan
- offset or rubber spatula
- mortar & pestle or grater
Ingredients
Cranberry Sauce
- 16 oz cranberries fresh or frozen
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
Mascarpone Filling
- 4 egg yolks
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 16 oz mascarpone cheese
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Cranberry Syrup
- 1 cup cooled cranberry sauce
- ¼ cup orange liquer or orange juice
- ¾ cup cranberry juice
- 24-28 ladyfingers store-bought or homemade
Topping
- 1 oz freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- Combine cranberries, sugar, water and vanilla In a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 mins until it starts to thicken. Add the lemon juice, and continue to cook down until it reaches the consistency of thin jam. Some of the cranberries will burst. Remove from heat and allow to cool.16 oz cranberries, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 2 cups water, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- To temper the eggs, combine egg yolks and sugar in a glass or heat-safe bowl over a double boiler. Whisk on low heat until sugar granules feel dissolved to the touch. Remove bowl from heat.4 egg yolks, ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- Beat yolk/sugar mixture on medium speed for 3 minutes until it turns paler in color. Add in the mascarpone cheese and mix until combined. Pour in the heavy cream and whip on high until you see ribbons. The consistency should be light, fluffy, thick, but spreadable. Set aside.16 oz mascarpone cheese, 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together 1 cup of the cooled cranberry sauce, orange liqueur (or orange juice), and cranberry juice.1 cup cooled cranberry sauce, ¼ cup orange liquer, ¾ cup cranberry juice
- Use a baking dish 8.5x6.5x3-inch pan or similar. A deep 8-inch square pan will also work.
- To assemble, dip and fully submerge each ladyfinger into the cranberry syrup for 1 sec, then line up in baking dish to create the first layer. With the cranberry sauce remaining, scoop out ¼ of it and spread evenly on top the ladyfingers. Pour in half of the mascarpone filling and spread in an even layer. With half of the remaining cranberry sauce, dollop small spoonfuls on top.24-28 ladyfingers
- Repeat each layer - the dunked ladyfingers, the last of the cranberry sauce, and finally the top mascarpone filling. Use an offset or rubber spatula to help you create even layers. Chill pan in fridge for 4 hours minimum, or preferably overnight.
- Once ready to serve, use mortar & pestle or grater to turn freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. Whisk together with sugar. Place pan onto large parchments to catch excess sprinkled powder for easy clean-up. Sieve strawberry sugar over mascarpone filling until fully covered. Slice into squares and serve.1 oz freeze-dried strawberries, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Nutrition
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