A little glass with spiced pepernoten, tangerine, and mascarpone cream feels just right for the holiday table. This Pepernoten Tiramisu with Tangerine is creamy, fresh, and made without alcohol.
Dessert always belongs on the table in my kitchen. But when my three children were still under 18, alcohol in tiramisu was not a good idea. So I used cinnamon coffee syrup mixed with tangerine juice instead. It gives the pepernoten flavor and keeps the dessert soft and bright.
Why You Want to Make This?
This is a lovely dessert when you want something festive but easy to serve. The tiramisu is made in glasses, so everyone gets their own portion.
The pepernoten soften under the tangerine syrup, and the mascarpone cream makes every layer rich and smooth. The tangerine is important here, because it gives freshness between the spiced cookies and the cream.
Make this pepernoten tiramisu for Sinterklaas, a Dutch-themed holiday dinner.
What You Need
- Tangerines: They bring fresh citrus flavor between the creamy and spiced layers. Use orange instead of tangerine for a stronger citrus flavor.
- Pepernoten: These small Dutch spiced cookies replace the classic ladyfingers. Officially this version is called kruidnoten, but most people known them as pepernoten. Make your own kruidnoten (pepernoten). Use speculoos or Biscoff cookies if pepernoten are not available.
- Cinnamon coffee syrup: Gives warm spice flavor without alcohol. Hazelnut syrup also works. Hazelnut coffee syrup can replace cinnamon coffee syrup. You can also use a little extra coffee syrup in the cream if you want a warmer spice flavor.
- Heavy cream: Makes the mascarpone filling light and soft.
- Mascarpone: Gives the tiramisu its creamy, rich texture.
- Honey: Sweetens the cream in a gentle way.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds a warm finish on top.
How to Make It
- Step 1: Peel the tangerines and cut the segments from between the membranes. Squeeze the leftover tangerine pieces and mix the juice with the cinnamon coffee syrup.
- Step 2: Divide half of the pepernoten over the glasses. Spoon the tangerine syrup over them and add tangerine segments.
- Step 3: Whip the cold heavy cream with honey until it is about yogurt thickness. Add the mascarpone and mix briefly until the cream is thick and soft.
- Step 4: Spoon the cream into the glasses. Add another layer of pepernoten, tangerine, and cream, then finish with ground cinnamon.
Top Tips
- Mascarpone: Let the mascarpone come to room temperature. It mixes more smoothly into the whipped cream.
- Heavy cream: Keep the cream cold. Cold cream whips better and gives a softer, fuller filling.
- Tangerines: Cut off the top and bottom first. Then the fruit stands steady while you cut away the peel.
- Pepernoten: Spoon enough tangerine syrup over them. That helps them soften like the cookie layer in tiramisu.
- After Sinterklaas: Use speculoos or Biscoff cookies instead of pepernoten. Orange can also the replace tangerine.
📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
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Ingredients
- 8 tangerines
- 4 tablespoons cinnamon syrup
- 3½ cups pepernoten
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons honey
- ⅔ cup mascarpone
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
- Peel the tangerines and cut the segments from between the membranes.8 tangerines
- Squeeze the juice from the peels and leftover tangerine pieces into a bowl.
- Mix the coffee syrup with the tangerine juice.4 tablespoons cinnamon syrup
- Divide half of the pepernoten over 4 glasses and spoon the tangerine syrup over them.3½ cups pepernoten
- Divide the segments from 4 tangerines over the pepernoten.
- Whip the heavy cream with the honey until it reaches yogurt thickness.1 cup heavy cream, 3 tablespoons honey
- Add the mascarpone and mix briefly until the cream thickens.⅔ cup mascarpone
- Spoon a layer of mascarpone cream over the tangerines.
- Add the remaining pepernoten and tangerine segments.
- Spoon the rest of the mascarpone cream on top.
- Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and serve.⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Notes
- Refrigerator: keep the glasses covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. The pepernoten will soften, which fits the tiramisu texture.
- Make-ahead: you can prepare the tangerine segments and mascarpone cream ahead, then build the glasses a few hours before serving.
Nutrition
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