Description
This Gingerbread Tiramisu is a festive twist on the classic Italian dessert, combining spicy gingerbread flavors with creamy mascarpone and a rich coffee soak. Layers of gingerbread cookies, lady fingers soaked in gingerbread coffee, and a luscious mascarpone mixture come together to create a perfect holiday dessert that is best chilled overnight for optimal flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Gingerbread Mascarpone
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup + 3 tbsp (104g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 12 oz mascarpone, cold
- 2 cups heavy cream, divided
- Crisp gingerbread or gingersnap cookies (e.g., Pepperidge Farm gingerman cookies)
Gingerbread Coffee Soak
- 2 cups strong brewed gingerbread coffee (or unflavored coffee)
- 1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 7oz package lady fingers
For Garnish
- Cocoa powder, for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare the gingerbread mascarpone base: Fill a pot with a couple inches of water and set it over medium heat to simmer. In a heat-safe bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Place the bowl over the simmering water, making sure it doesn’t touch the water, and whisk continuously for about 5 minutes until the sugar has fully dissolved (test by rubbing the mixture between fingers).
- Incorporate spices and chill mixture: Remove the bowl from heat and whisk in the molasses, ground ginger, cinnamon, kosher salt, and vanilla extract. To chill the mixture quickly, place the bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice, whisking frequently to cool evenly until completely cold (about 5 minutes). Alternatively, refrigerate until fully cooled.
- Add mascarpone and whip cream: Once chilled, whisk in the cold mascarpone until smooth. In a separate bowl, whip 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream to stiff peaks using a hand or stand mixer. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture to combine, resulting in a fairly thin filling.
- Prepare coffee soak: Stir the granulated sugar into the brewed gingerbread coffee until dissolved and allow it to cool to room temperature before assembling.
- Assemble the tiramisu layers: Quickly dip lady fingers into the coffee soak for just a second, then arrange them in a single layer at the bottom of an 8×8-inch pan. Use cut pieces as needed to cover the entire base evenly.
- Add mascarpone filling and cookie layers: Scoop 5 full scoops (about 1/4 cup each) of the mascarpone filling over the lady fingers and spread evenly. Next, arrange a layer of gingerbread cookies on top without soaking them in coffee so they maintain crispness.
- Continue layering: Add 5 more scoops of mascarpone filling over the gingerbread cookies and spread evenly. Then add another layer of coffee-soaked lady fingers. Top this with 3 to 4 scoops of mascarpone filling spread evenly.
- Finish with whipped topping: Whip the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream to stiff peaks and fold it into the leftover mascarpone filling. Place this whipped filling into a piping bag and pipe dollops decoratively over the top of the tiramisu.
- Garnish and chill: Dust the entire surface with cocoa powder and decorate with additional gingerbread cookies as desired. Cover and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight (a full 24 hours is ideal for the best flavor).
- Serve: Slice and enjoy this festive dessert chilled.
Notes
- You can use store-bought gingerbread coffee from brands like Starbucks, Death Wish Coffee, or Trader Joe’s for authentic flavor.
- For quicker chilling of the egg yolk mixture, use an ice bath while whisking to speed up the process.
- Do not soak the gingerbread cookies in coffee soak as the mascarpone filling softens them enough and prevents sogginess.
- The dessert is best prepared a day in advance to allow flavors to meld and the tiramisu to set properly.
- Use cold mascarpone and heavy cream for the best texture in the filling.
