Instructions

for the cranberry curd

Bring 1 pound cranberries, 1¼ cups (8¾ ounces) sugar, ½ cup water, 1 star anise pod, 1 cinnamon stick, ½ teaspoon ground cardamom, and pinch table salt to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, adjusting heat as needed to maintain very gentle simmer. Cover and cook until all cranberries have burst and started to shrivel, about 10 minutes.
Whisk 3 large egg yolks, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar together in bowl. Discard star anise pod and cinnamon stick from cranberry mixture and transfer to food processor. Immediately add yolk mixture and process until smooth (small flecks of cranberry skin will be visible), about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, cut into pieces, to bowl and process until fully combined, about 30 seconds.
Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over medium saucepan, pressing on solids with silicone spatula to extract puree. Heat mixture over medium heat until bubbling, stirring and scraping sides constantly until mixture registers 165 degrees, about 5 minutes. Transfer curd to bowl, lay parchment paper directly on surface of curd, and refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours. (Curd can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

for the pastry cream

Combine 2 cups whole milk, 6 tablespoons sugar, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, and pinch salt in medium saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
Whisk 5 large egg yolks, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar together in medium bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk 1 cup of hot milk mixture into egg mixture in bowl, then slowly whisk egg mixture into remaining milk mixture in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until pastry cream is thickened and bubbles begin to burst on surface, about 30 seconds. Off heat, whisk in 4 tablespoons unsalted butter pieces until combined.
Transfer pastry cream to clean bowl. Lay parchment directly on surface of pastry cream and refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours. (Pastry cream can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
Stir cranberry curd and pastry cream well. To assemble parfaits, layer half of pastry cream and cranberry curd into 8 individual 1-cup serving dishes (about 2 tablespoons each per cup). Sprinkle with 8 crumbled Biscoff cookies, then repeat layering with remaining pastry cream and cranberry curd. (Assembled parfaits can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.) Sprinkle with remaining 8 crumbled Biscoff cookies and serve.