Recipes
New Year Tangerine Dessert
2025-12-16
Tangerines are as much a part of New Year’s in Russia as fir trees and fireworks — their scent alone signals the holiday well before the salads and champagne come out. This dessert puts them front and center rather than treating them as decoration: fresh segments and juice give the whole thing a bright citrus flavor that plays nicely against the mellow cream layer.
It’s built to be served in individual glasses or cups, which suits a holiday table that’s usually crowded with other dishes already — guests can just grab their own portion instead of waiting for a cake to be sliced. The layers are also visible through the glass, so it looks festive with almost no extra decorating.
This is very much a make-ahead dessert — plan to put it together the day before your gathering. The layers need time to set, and the tangerine jelly on top only firms up after several hours in the fridge, which frees up your hands for other cooking on the day itself.
Cream cheese and mascarpone can be used interchangeably here, or split half and half — mascarpone gives a richer, silkier result, while cream cheese keeps things a touch lighter and less sweet.
Ingredients
- 6-7 large tangerines
- 250 g cream cheese or mascarpone
- 200 ml heavy whipping cream (33%)
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
- 150 g shortbread cookies
- 50 g butter, melted
- 10 g gelatin
- 1 tbsp sugar (for the tangerine layer)
- fresh mint and dark chocolate, for garnish
Instructions
- Peel the tangerines and separate them into segments; set some aside for garnish and juice the rest (you’ll need about 150 ml of juice).
- Crush the cookies into crumbs, mix with the melted butter, and press into the bottom of glasses or dessert cups.
- Whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar to soft peaks, then gently fold in the softened cream cheese.
- Spoon the cream layer over the cookie base and add a layer of tangerine segments.
- Bloom the gelatin according to the package instructions, then dissolve it in the warm tangerine juice and sugar without letting it boil.
- Let the juice cool slightly but stay liquid, then pour it in a thin layer over the top of each dessert.
- Chill for at least 3-4 hours, or overnight, until fully set.
- Garnish with tangerine segments, mint leaves, and grated chocolate before serving.
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