Matcha Tiramisu

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This Matcha Tiramisu, is the perfect fusion of earthy matcha flavor with the creamy decadence of one of Italy’s classic desserts. It’s the perfect companion to a warm latte at a cozy coffee shop or an elegant finale to a fancy birthday dinner.

When you think of Matcha, you typically imagine a hot cup of herbily, slightly bitter, yet vibrant tasting tea. It’s also found it’s way in smoothies, ice cream and pastries – but none of them capture and accentuate the umami of matcha flavor quite like this combination of Matcha Tiramisu.

What is Matcha?

Matcha is a finely ground tea powder used in eastern Asia, most commonly produced in Japan. The origin of the ground powder are the leaves of Tea Trees (Camellia Sinensis) and they exhibit a slightly bitter, earthy taste that is both palette cleansing and refreshing.

The matcha powder we’ll be using in this recipe is the Jade Leaf Brand – which I’ve found to be good quality. Match powder typically lasts for about 2-3 weeks, if it is stored properly in an air tight jar.

What is Tiramisu?

Tiramisu is a classic Italian custard dessert made of layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers (sponge cake biscuits) and a creamy whipped custard filling. In Italian, tiramisu literally translates to “pick me up” or “cheer me up” and is rumored to have been invented in the late 1960s, near the Treviso region of Italy.

The Ingredients for Matcha Tiramisu

Scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements and directions.

• 3 Egg Yolks
• Granulated Sugar
• Captain Morgan Rum
• Mascarpone Cheese
• Heavy whipping cream
• Coffee
• Vanilla Extract
• Package of Ladyfingers

The Equipment Needed

• Shallow pan
• Regular mixing bowl
• Heatproof mixing bowl
• Electric Handheld Mixer
• Spatula

Prepping the Tiramisu Cream

Soften the Mascarpone Cheese by placing it into your regular mixing bowl and allowing it to come up to room temperature. Once at room temperature, whisk briefly to make the cheese pliable.

In a separate, heatproof mixing bowl, add in the 3 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of rum, 2 teaspoons of matcha powder and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Whisk briefly with an electric mixer until ingredients start to incorporate (no more than 15-20 seconds).

Then create a double boiler by placing your saucepan on the stove and adding in a couple of inches of water. Heat the water to a low simmer.

Next, set your heatproof mixing bowl (with your already whisked ingredients) on top of the sauce pan – and check to make sure the bowl sufficiently covers the top of the sauce pan and that the bowl does not touch the water in the pan.

Whisk the egg mixture again until it becomes light and frothy – it should grow in volume and become slightly lighter in color as you whisk. This process should take about 3-5 minutes (do not overmix) – be careful not to keep your mixture on the double boiler for too long, or else the eggs in the mixture will start to scramble.

Remove from heat and add in the Mascarpone cheese and vanilla extract – and fold gently into the mixture with a spatula until everything is well incorporated.

Craft Your Whipped Cream

Next, in a separate bowl, make the whipped cream by adding in 1.5 cups of heavy whipping cream and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Whisk with the electric mixer until it becomes a soft and foamy consistency. When you pull out the whisk, you should see some peaks forming and holding its shape.

Then add the whipped cream into the previous mixture and fold in gently with your spatula, until all components are fully incorporated.

Set aside and let rest.

Prepping the Lady Fingers

In a small mixing bowl, add in 1/2 a cup of coffee, 1 tablespoon of rum and 1 teaspoon of matcha powder. Whisk until the ingredients are fully incorporated.

Using a pair of tongs, dip your ladyfingers about 1/2 way into the coffee solution, then placed the dipped ladyfingers into a separate baking tray (put them in upside down so that the coffee soaked 1/2 of the ladyfinger is facing up), which will be the tray you assemble your Tiramisu in.

Repeat until you have fit enough ladyfingers into your baking tray to cover the bottom completely.

Pro Tip: Squeeze in as many ladyfingers as you can in this bottom layer. The more compact this layer is, the less the cream filling will bleed into this area. Separation of the ladyfinger layer and the cream layer will make for a cleaner presentation.

Putting It All Together

After setting down your first layer of ladyfingers, create the second layer by spreading the tiramisu cream on top of the ladyfingers. Make sure you make this layer of cream just a 1/2 inch thick. (Too much cream will turn your tiramisu into a pudding, and not enough will make it too dry).

Add in the next layer of ladyfingers, making sure the direction of the ladyfingers is perpendicular to the first layer. (You want the ladyfingers to cross on top of each other. When you cut into the tiramisu, it should show an alternating grid of the ladyfingers, kind of like Jenga.)

Repeat until you have 4 total layers. (You should have 2 layers of lady fingers and 2 layers of cream – the top layers should be cream.)

Lastly sift matcha powder on top of the cream layer, enough to create a thin layer of matcha.

Then cover the matcha tiramisu in plastic wrap. Set it in the fridge to chill for at least 5 hours before serving.

Pro Tip: You can use any vessel to construct your Matcha Tiramisu – even a wine glass!

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