Marzipan Cherry Tiramisu: A Christmas Variation On The Classic Italian Dessert

One of the best things about Advent is all the traditional sweet treats that make a return to our tables, ready to be enjoyed in the run up to Christmas. Whoever decided to combine seasonal favorites like marzipan with that dessert classic, the tiramisu, really deserves a medal. 

You'll need:

For the cherry sauce:

  • 12.3 oz sour cherries
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch

For the mascarpone cream:

  • 2¼ cups mascarpone
  • 1 fl oz amaretto
  • ⅖ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla flavoring

For the coffee mixture:

For the biscuit layers:

  • about 12 ladyfingers

For the marzipan balls:

  • 1⅕ cup icing sugar
  • 1⅔ cups ground almonds
  • 2 tbsp amaretto
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon

For the decoration:

  • cocoa powder (as much as you like)

Here's how:

  1. First prepare the cherry sauce. For this, strain the sour cherries through a sieve and collect the juice. Dissolve the cornstarch with a tablespoon of the juice. Heat the rest of the juice and wait until it comes to the boil. Then stir in the dissolved cornstarch. Let the whole thing thicken and then add the cherries back in.
  2. For the mascarpone cream, mix the mascarpone, amaretto, sugar and vanilla flavoring together. Be aware: mascarpone is not something that can be replaced in consistency or taste with any other product. It might not be available in your local supermarket, but you should be able to find it online.
  3. For the coffee mixture, first brew the coffee, then mix it with the gingerbread spices before allowing it to cool.
  4. Next, lay the first layer of the tiramisu in the bottom of a casserole dish, using half the ladyfingers. Pour half the coffee over them and then spread half of the mascarpone cream on top. Then add a layer using the cherries, before repeating the first two steps with the biscuits and the cream. Refrigerate the whole thing for six hours.
  5. The standout feature of this recipe is the decoration with the marzipan balls. To create these, knead the icing sugar, almonds and amaretto into a large marzipan ball. Pull off chunks and shape them into smaller balls. Put cocoa powder and cinnamon in a bowl and shake the marzipan balls in it until they are covered in it.
  6. Now you just have to decorate your dessert. Place the marzipan balls on the top layer of cream at regular intervals and then sieve as much cocoa powder as you wish over the top.

The combo of a tiramisu structure with traditional Christmas flavors makes a fruity dessert that is simply irresistible. Now you have just one problem: don't eat so much main course that you have no room left for this!

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