Sweet white chocolate ganache, tart cranberry jam and spiced gingerbread crust make this dessert an absolute holiday knockout! This has all the flavors of Christmas, but is light enough not to overwhelm - even after all the holiday snacking. If you want a dessert that will truly impress your guests this is it!
The Ingredients
Heavy Cream - Make sure not to scorch the heavy cream when heating - it is ready once it comes to a simmer
White Chocolate Chips - My personal favorites are Ghiradelli white chocolate chips if you can find them
Cream Cheese - Make sure to use full fat cream cheese for the best texture and flavor
Vanilla Bean Paste - I love the look that vanilla bean specks add to this dessert, but vanilla extract can be swapped in equal proportion if that's what you have on hand
Fresh Cranberries - This dessert is best made during the winter months when cranberries are in season, but frozen cranberries can also be used if fresh aren't available
Orange Juice - I like to use fresh squeezed for this recipe, and since you'll need orange zest anyway this allows you not waste any of the fruit
Granulated Sugar
Orange Zest - Make sure when zesting the orange you are constantly rotating it so you only get the outside and not too much of the bitter white pith
Ginger Cookies - I used Milano gingerbread cookies in this recipe, but any brand you like will do
Unsalted Butter - Unsalted butter is key when baking, so you can control the saltiness of the recipe
Variations of This Recipe
Part of the reason I love this recipe so much is because it is so versatile! The white chocolate ganache pairs well with many other flavors, so you can easily make this a summer dessert by swapping the cranberry jam for strawberry or blueberry!
Gingerbread cookies make this dessert taste warm for the holiday season, but you can get creative and swap out the gingerbread cookies for a variation in flavor. Just sub in an equal proportion of cookies - some of my favorite swaps are Oreos, graham crackers or shortbread cookies.
Make Ahead Tips and Tricks
If you'd like to break this recipe up over a few days, some of the components can be made ahead of time to make this recipe more convenient. The jam and ganache can be made up to 2 days in advance - which I usually recommend since they both need time to cool before using.
When making the ganache you can combine the white chocolate chips with the heavy cream - but wait to beat it together with the cream cheese until you are ready to assemble. When you add the ganache while cold make sure to add it in small increments to the well beaten cream cheese. This ensures the cream cheese and ganache incorporate evenly together.
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