Introduction

This egg-free baked apple tiramisu with speculoos combines tender cinnamon apples, creamy mascarpone and quark layers, and crunchy speculoos cookies for a delightful festive treat. It’s perfect for Christmas or Advent and can be made well in advance, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully overnight.

A square dessert with three clear layers sits on a white plate, placed on a white marbled surface; the bottom layer is a creamy white base, the middle layer consists of cooked apple pieces in a warm golden brown color, and the top layer is made of thick white whipped cream piped into swirls, sprinkled with light brown cinnamon and thin almond slices. The dessert has a soft, textured look with visible cream folds and fruit chunks, and a small portion of a biscuit with a light brown, patterned surface is on the plate’s side. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

6 apples

2 tbsp butter

150 g brown sugar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cookie spice

1 pinch of salt

30 g raisins soaked in rum (include soaking liquid)

500 g mascarpone

500 g quark (low-fat or 20% fat)

200 g liquid cream (not whipped)

150 g sugar

2 packets vanilla sugar

200 g speculoos cookies

150 ml white mulled wine or apple juice (for diluting, if needed)

200 g cream (for decoration)

Speculoos cookies (for decoration)

Almond flakes or chopped almonds (for decoration)

Instructions

Step 1: Peel, core, and finely dice the apples, then mix them with the lemon juice.

Step 2: Melt butter in a pan, add the apples and lemon juice, then stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, cookie spice, salt, and rum-soaked raisins along with the soaking liquid.

Step 3: Simmer gently, stirring occasionally until the apples are tender. Drain the apple mixture in a sieve and collect the liquid; let the apples cool completely.

Step 4: Remove mascarpone and quark from the refrigerator 30 minutes before mixing to soften. In a bowl, combine mascarpone, quark, sugar, vanilla sugar, and liquid cream, stirring until smooth and creamy.

Step 5: Briefly dip the speculoos cookies into the warm apple syrup for about 3 seconds each. If the syrup is low, dilute with white mulled wine, rum, or apple juice.

Step 6: Arrange a first layer of dipped cookies in a casserole or dessert dish. Spread half of the cream over the cookies, then evenly distribute the cooled cinnamon apples on top.

Step 7: Dip the speculoos cookies again and place them over the apples. Spread the remaining cream on top and smooth the surface.

Step 8: Cover and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight to allow flavors to meld and the cookies to soften.

Step 9: Before serving, whip the cream until stiff, pipe it decoratively over the tiramisu, then sprinkle with crushed speculoos cookies and almond flakes or chopped almonds.

Tips & Variations

If you prefer a non-alcoholic version, use apple juice instead of rum or mulled wine to soak the raisins and dilute the syrup.

For extra texture, add chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans into the apple mixture or sprinkle on top.

Make sure to soak the speculoos cookies briefly to avoid them becoming too soggy in the final dish.

Use low-fat quark for a lighter dessert or full-fat for a richer cream layer.

FAQs

Can I make this dessert ahead of time?

Yes, it is ideal to prepare the tiramisu at least the night before serving. This allows the flavors to develop and the speculoos to soften perfectly.

Can I substitute other fruits for the apples?

While apples work best due to their texture and flavor, pears or peaches could be used as alternatives, but adjust cooking times accordingly.

Dessert

Baked Apple Tiramisu with Speculoos (Egg-Free Christmas Dessert) Recipe