Recipe for: Quick cups with mascarpone cream and candied mandarins - photo 1
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Recipe for: Quick cups with mascarpone cream and candied mandarins

Desserts Dishes for Special Occasions 30 min Easy 190 views ~40.76 PLN - (0)
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Description

A light, elegant layered dessert combining creamy mascarpone with delicately sweet candied mandarins and a crunchy crumble made of almonds and buttery biscuits. Perfect for winter days — mandarins are in season during winter, their juiciness and tartness balance the creamy, rich texture of the mascarpone, while the crunchy crumble adds a contrast of textures. Serve in clear cups as a quick dessert after lunch, an elegant touch for dinner, or for a half-hour gathering with friends. It looks impressive and delights with its taste and appearance — shiny slices of candied fruit against the backdrop of white cream and golden crumble.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (13)

Servings:
4
  • Mascarpone 300 g
  • 30% cream 100 ml
  • Powdered sugar 40 g
  • Water 50 ml
  • Butter 50 g
  • Blanched almonds (flakes or chopped) 80 g
  • Fresh orange juice 60 ml
  • Mandarin 400 g
  • Biscuits 100 g
  • Sugar 50 g
  • Orange zest 6 g
  • ✨ Optional
  • Mint leaves 5 g
  • Orange liqueur 20 ml
💰 Estimated dish cost: ~40.76 PLN (10.19 PLN/serving)

💡 Click an ingredient to mark it as used

Preparation steps

Preparing mandarins

1

Wash the mandarins under running water and dry them. Peel the mandarins. Keep the citrus juice that forms during peeling separately (collect it in a small bowl). Then, individually separate the clean segments of the flesh: hold the segment in your hand and gently separate the white membranes if they are large, so the segments look nice. Remove seeds if necessary. Transfer the prepared segments to a bowl and weigh — there should be about 400 g of ready segments.

Ingredients: Mandarin
Use a paring knife or a citrus peeler if the skin is difficult to remove. Use a strainer to collect the juice if you want to remove larger pulp fibers. A common mistake: peeling too vigorously leaves a lot of the white part (albedo) — try to remove only the thin skin.

Candied tangerines

2

In a small wide pan or saucepan, pour in 50 ml of water and add 50 g of sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring with a spoon, until the sugar completely dissolves and the syrup starts to bubble slightly (about 3-4 minutes). Reduce the heat to low. Gently place the mandarin segments into the syrup and after 2-3 minutes, carefully turn them to coat with the syrup. Cook for another 2-3 minutes — the segments will become slightly translucent and shiny. Remove from heat and cool in the syrup for 5-10 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess syrup. Reserve some syrup for soaking the layers (about 1-2 tablespoons).

Ingredients: Sugar, Water, Mandarin
Use a wide pan so that the segments lie next to each other and do not crush. The syrup should not be too hot (avoid intense boiling), as the fruits will break down. The desired effect: the fruits are shiny, slightly translucent, retain their shape, but are soft.

Almond Crumble

3

Preheat the oven to 180°C (top-bottom) or prepare a pan for quick toasting. Crush the biscuits: place them in a plastic bag and hit them with a rolling pin or briefly pulse in a food processor — not to dust, we want pieces. In a bowl, combine the crushed biscuits (100 g) with 80 g of almonds. Add 50 g of soft butter and rub it with your fingers or use a fork to combine the ingredients into a crumbly mixture. Spread the crumble on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place it in the oven for 8-10 minutes, stirring once halfway through — the crumble should be golden-brown and crunchy. If using a pan: toast over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring often, until the dry ingredients turn golden.

Ingredients: Biscuits, Blanched almonds (flakes or chopped), Butter
Use a wide baking tray and parchment paper to ensure the crumble browns evenly. Do not leave the crumble without stirring — it can easily burn. The desired effect: a golden color, a pleasant buttery-almond aroma, and a crunchy texture after cooling.

Cream

4

Pour the chilled 30% cream (100 ml) into a cold metal or glass bowl and whip with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form — this will take about 2-3 minutes. In a separate bowl, place the mascarpone (300 g), add 40 g of powdered sugar, grated orange zest (6 g), and 60 ml of orange juice. Mix with a spatula or whisk until the mixture is smooth and uniform — be careful not to overbeat the mascarpone (do not whip too vigorously). Add 1/3 of the whipped cream and gently mix, then add the rest of the cream and gently fold everything together with a spatula to keep the cream fluffy. If using liqueur, add 10-15 ml to the cream at the end.

Ingredients: 30% cream, Mascarpone, Powdered sugar, Orange zest, Fresh orange juice, Orange liqueur
Use a cold bowl and cold tools — cold cream whips faster. Gently mix, folding the cream into the mascarpone with an upward motion from the bottom. The correct result: the cream is light, fluffy, smooth, and free of mascarpone lumps.

Assembly of the cups

5

Prepare 4 transparent cups or glasses. Evenly sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of crumble (about 25 g) at the bottom of each. Then add 2-3 tablespoons of mascarpone cream (about 60-70 g). On top of the cream, place a few candied segments of tangerine (3-4 segments per serving). Repeat the layer: a bit of crumble, cream, and aesthetically arrange 2-3 halves of candied tangerine on top. If you saved the syrup from the candied tangerines, gently soak the crumble (1/2 teaspoon per serving) — it will add moisture and flavor. Finally, sprinkle a bit more crunchy crumble on top and decorate with a mint leaf.

Ingredients: Mandarin, Water
For dosing, use a tablespoon and a teaspoon for even portions. Aesthetics: arrange the segments of tangerines so they shine and are facing cut sides up. Additionally, you can add a minimal amount of liqueur on top to enhance the aroma.

Cooling and serving

6

Place the finished cups in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes so that the cream thickens slightly and the flavors meld. Remove them 2-3 minutes before serving. Serve chilled, garnished with a mint leaf and possibly a thin spiral of orange peel.

Ingredients: Mint leaves, Orange liqueur
If you prepare the dessert in advance, chill it for no longer than 2 hours — mascarpone may release water after being stored for too long. The desired effect: the dessert is slightly chilled, the cream holds its shape but is soft when scooped with a spoon.

Fun Fact

💡

Mandarins and other citrus fruits are traditionally symbols of the winter months in Europe and Asia — their fresh aroma has long been used in holiday desserts to bring a touch of sunshine on cold days.

Best for

szybkie przyjęcie kolacja romantyczna święta zimowe

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve in transparent cups to showcase the layers. Strong espresso or bergamot tea pairs well with the dessert. For a non-alcoholic version, omit the liqueur and use a bit of extra orange juice.

🥡 Storage

Store in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap for up to 2 days. The crumble will lose some of its crunch over time - to refresh it, store the crumble separately in an airtight container and add just before serving. Reheating is not necessary; if the crumble softens, it can be lightly toasted in a dry pan before adding.

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