Tiramisu with poached pears and spiced cookies (no eggs)

What could be more festive than a really good tiramisu, and this tiramisu with poached pears is perfect for the season. I have used Dutch kruidnoten for this recipe, but you could substitute with ginger bread cookies or small amaretti cookies if you like. Tiramisu for me is the perfect simple dessert for any dinner party. it’s also a great recipe to prepare in advance.

Tiramisu with poached pears and spiced cookies

I had the idea for the tiramisu with poached pears for a while, but when Anniek gave me a bottle of sea buckthorn liqueur, it seemed like the perfect combination. You can, of course, make this without the liqueur. It is certainly just as tasty on its own with the juice of the poached pears, but the sea buckthorn liqueur gives it an extra kick.

The liqueur I used comes from Ameland. If you happen to live near there, you can use it, but an alternative is amaretto. In terms of flavor, that works well too. Or leave the alcohol out entirely.

Whipped cream and mascarpone

Of course for making this tiramisu you will need poached pears. I use this recipe for poached pears from the slowcooker always. The good news is that you can make it easily without a slowcooker too. Just peel the pears and slice them into quarters, removing the cores. You won’t need to keep them whole for this recipe. And it cooks quicker once sliced. Place the pears with a cinnamon stick, orange zest, star anise and cranberry juice in a medium saucepan.

Follow the recipe but place it on a stove and let it on a gentle simmer for around 30 minutes or so or until they pears are cooked through. Let them cool completely in the liquid as that will enhance the flavor. Best to make the pears the day before.

To make the tiramisu, start by making your whipped cream and mascarpone mixture. What happens sometimes if you mix the mascarpone and the heavy cream for too long together the end result is quite soft. The best way to do this is to mix mascarpone and the cream together at the same time. But don’t worry if it is too soft, it will firm up in the fridge.

Once the mascarpone mixture is ready, it’s time to make the assemble the poached pear tiramisu.

How to build the tiramisu

Start with a layer of lady fingers. I make a mixture of the poaching liquid and the liqueur and dip each lady finger briefly in it. Not too long, but not too short. You want the flavors to soak in, but you don’t want the lady finger to be so limp that it falls apart before it reaches the dish. Cover the entire bottom of the dish with the mascarpone mixture.

Cut the poached pears into smaller pieces. You can make cubes or slices, whichever suits you best. Spread these over the mascarpone. There will only be 1 layer, so don’t be too sparing with the poached pear.

Sprinkle the ginger cookies (or make your own Dutch kruidnoten) over the pears and cover with the second layer of mascarpone cream. Smooth over the top and refrigerate until ready to serve (at least 4 hours).

How to freeze tiramisu

Now this bowl of tiramisu with poached pears is quite a lot so you might want to freeze some of the leftovers. You can freeze tiramisu but there are a couple of things to keep into account.

• Use a freezer safe dish and wrap the tiramisu tightly in cling film or plastic wrap.
• If possible it helps to already cut the tiramisu into portions so it defrosts easier.
• If at all possible freeze the portions without the topping as that will get soggy and loose all it’s crunch.
• For thawing the tiramisu place it in the fridge and let it slowly defrost overnight or at least in a couple of hours.
• Don’t place it in the microwave as the cream will split if you do.
• Consume the tiramisu within 2-3 months