Festive Frozen Tiramisu

Looking for a dessert that you can make ahead of time? This is it...put it all together and pop it in the freezer.  Just remember to take it out 20-30 minutes before serving.

2 pkgs lady finger cookies
a tin of hazelnut-filled wafer sticks (like Pirouette)

Crust:
1  1/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter

First layer:
3 cups cappuccino frozen yogurt

Second layer:
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
Ladyfingers

Third layer:
8 oz mascarpone
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla (or Galliano or Tia Maria liqueur)

Topping:
Cool Whip (in the fridge)
Chocolate snowflakes 
     1 oz Baker's chocolate squares
     less than 1/8 tsp shortening

Prepare 1 9-inch springform pan, or both a 5 and 6-inch pan by lining with parchment paper.

Melt the butter and mix with the chocolate crumbs. Press into the pan to form the crust. Place in the freezer 5 minutes.

Take the cappuchino frozen yogurt out of the freezer and measure out 3 cups. Or 2 cups and 1 cup if using the two smaller pans like I did here. Stir a few minutes just until it is spreadable, but you don't want it to melt. Put a few dollops of the froyo in the pan and start placing the ladyfingers and wafer sticks around the side using the froyo to hold it in place.

You can use either ladyfingers or wafer sticks but I couldn't make up my mind what I wanted so I used both. Once you have the sides done, fill in the middle and level off. Pop it back in the freezer to set.

Take some ladyfingers and dip them into the strong brewed coffee. Place them in a single layer on top of the froyo.

Drizzle some Galliano over them too. For extra coffee flavour, sprinkle some instant coffee granules too.

For the third layer beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla (or Galliano) and icing sugar and continue to beat just until stiff peaks form. Fold in the mascarpone. Add this next layer and freeze 10 minutes.

Finally dollop the Cool Whip topping over the mascarpone layer and decorate with chocolate snowflakes. Have the chocolate decorations prepared to go onto the cool whip before freezing it. Return to the freezer for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.

Let stand on counter 20-30 minutes before serving.

How to make chocolate snowflakes:
Melt 1 oz Baker's chocolate in microwave 10 seconds at a time until almost melted. Stir in the shortening and mix until there are no more lumps in the chocolate. Don't overheat it.

Print small snowflake images or other shapes you like, lay a sheet of parchment on top and tape the corners to keep sheets in place. Do this on a tray or cookie sheet so you can easily move them away to set. I only remembered this after a couple were done : (
Scoop up the melted chocolate into a small ziplock bag, snip a small corner off and squeeze chocolate over your image. Leave to set well at room temperature then decorate your lovely dessert.