Brew a strong cup of coffee or pull 2 shots of espresso. Pour into a shallow bowl and let cool completely to room temperature. Warm coffee will make the cookies disintegrate.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cold heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed. Do not over-whip or it will turn into butter.

In a separate bowl, gently whisk the room-temperature mascarpone until smooth and creamy. Cold mascarpone will turn grainy, so make sure it has been out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Microwave the 1/2 cup of Biscoff spread for 15-20 seconds until pourable. Pour into the mascarpone and gently whisk until fully combined and silky.

Add the whipped cream to the mascarpone-Biscoff mixture in three additions. Fold gently with a spatula using a figure-8 motion. The final mixture should be light, fluffy, and warm caramel-colored.

Working quickly, dip each Lotus Biscoff cookie into the cooled coffee for about 1 second per side. Do not soak them — they absorb liquid fast and should be soft, not soggy.

Arrange the dipped cookies in a single layer at the bottom of a 9x9 inch glass dish. Break cookies into smaller pieces to fill any gaps for full coverage.

Spoon half of the mascarpone mixture over the cookies and spread evenly with an offset spatula.

Add a second layer of coffee-dipped Biscoff cookies on top of the cream, then top with the remaining mascarpone mixture. Smooth the surface.

Warm the remaining 1/4 cup of Biscoff spread until pourable, then drizzle in stripes or a swirl pattern over the top. Sprinkle the crushed Biscoff cookies generously over the surface.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Slice into squares with a sharp knife (wipe between cuts for clean lines) and serve cold.