Matcha Tiramisu

Name: Matcha Tiramisu
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 285 min
Ingredients: 3 large egg yolks; 70 g granulated sugar; 225 g mascarpone cheese (room temperature); 350 g whipping cream; 2 teaspoons matcha powder (sifted); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 teaspoons matcha powder (sifted); 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; 120 g hot water; 24-30 ladyfingers; 2 teaspoons matcha powder

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This matcha tiramisu is a delicious twist on a classic Italian dessert with layers of creamy matcha mascarpone cream and soft, spongey ladyfingers soaked in matcha. It all comes together in a heavenly, rich, and decadent bite with plenty of green tea flavour.

A scoop of matcha tiramisu resting in its container.

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Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients
How to make matcha tiramisu
Storage
Freezing
Tips & tricks
Frequently asked questions
More matcha recipes to try
Recipe

Tiramisu is one of my favourite desserts for its amazing flavour and textures. Once tiramisu rests in the fridge overnight, the mascarpone cream transforms into a thick and rich cream while the ladyfingers turn into soft sponge cakes. It's like eating a layer cake made with sponge cake but it's so much easier to make and serve. And the overnight chilling time is worth the wait - I promise!

You can serve this matcha tiramisu in individual containers, scoop it from a bigger dish, or cut perfect squares of it out of a sheet pan like a slice of cake. I love that this dessert is so low maintenance. You don't have to be super careful placing anything because it all just comes together in one deliciously messy and creamy bite in the end.

Why you'll love this recipe

This matcha tiramisu is rich and creamy without being too heavy.
It's full of matcha flavour in both the mascarpone cream and the ladyfinger soak and so delicious!
This recipe is easy to make and no fuss to serve in individual containers or one big dish.

Ingredients

Egg yolks - You'll only need the yolks for this recipe to add richness and creaminess. Save the egg whites for lunch or another recipe like a pavlova or macarons.
Granulated sugar - We're using just enough sugar in the mascarpone cream and a little bit for the matcha soak without making this tiramisu too sweet.
Mascarpone cheese - A soft and rich Italian cheese that can be found at some supermarkets or Italian specialty/grocery stores. This must be room temperature otherwise it won't combine smoothly with the rest of the ingredients. Leave it out at room temperature at least 1-2 hours before using it.
Whipping cream - Use whipping cream (30-36% fat content) for a light and airy cream or heavy cream (36%+ fat content) for a richer taste and thicker texture.
Matcha powder - Use a high-quality matcha powder. I usually use a ceremonial grade matcha powder for all no-bake desserts for its vibrant green colour and sweet matcha flavour.
Vanilla extract
Hot water
Ladyfingers (savoiardi) - These are crunchy Italian biscuits with a hard, spongey texture and lightly sweet sugar coating. You can find them in most grocery stores. You want to get the hard and crunchy ladyfingers, not the soft ones. You can also bake your own ladyfingers but I personally don't think it's worth the effort when the store-bought ones are perfect and easy!

A spoonful scooped out of a box of matcha tiramisu to show the layers inside.

How to make matcha tiramisu

For the matcha mascarpone cream

Make a double boiler - Fill a pot with about 1" of water and bring it to a boil. In a large mixing bowl that fits into the pot perfectly without touching the water, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar. When the water starts boiling, turn off the heat and place the bowl on top of the pot to create a double boiler.

Heat the egg mixture - Continuously whisk the egg mixture until the sugar dissolves and it becomes pale in colour, about 5 minutes.

Whisk in mascarpone cheese - Remove the bowl from the pot and immediately add in the softened mascarpone cheese. Whisk together until smooth and silky. Set aside.

Whisking mascarpone cheese into pasteurized eggs.

Whip cream - In a separate mixing bowl, add the whipping cream, matcha powder, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment to whip the cream until it becomes medium peaks. It should have structure and leave trails but still fluid and not completely stiff peaks.

Whipping up matcha whipped cream with an electric mixer.

Fold together whipped cream & mascarpone mixture - Add the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture and fold together with a spatula until no streaks remain. Set aside.

Folding whipped cream into mascarpone mixture.

For the matcha soak

Whisk matcha - In a shallow bowl, combine matcha powder, granulated sugar, and hot water. Use a matcha whisk, milk frother, or regular whisk to whisk until slightly frothy, about 30 seconds.

Dip ladyfingers in matcha - Very briefly dip a ladyfinger in the matcha soak just enough to coat both sides. Let any excess drip off. Do NOT let it sit in the liquid or soak all the way through or it will quickly turn into mush.

Assemble the matcha tiramisu

Alternate layers of ladyfingers & mascarpone - Place the ladyfinger in the bottom of a serving container of your choice. Repeat until you have a flat, even layer of ladyfingers. Add a generous layer of mascarpone cream on top of the ladyfingers and use a spatula to smooth it evenly. Repeat with another layer of soaked ladyfingers and another layer of mascarpone cream.

Dipping ladyfingers into matcha and assembling matcha tiramisu in a box.

Chill matcha tiramisu - Cover and chill your matcha tiramisu in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight, preferably, to allow the cream to firm up and ladyfingers to soften.

Sprinkle with matcha powder - Right before serving, sprinkle the top of your tiramisu with matcha powder.

Storage

Matcha tiramisu can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. It can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 1-2 days before serving.

Freezing

This matcha tiramisu can be stored in an airtight container and frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.

Matcha tiramisu layers in a clear box on a wooden plate.

Tips & tricks

Use a double boiler. If you've never created a double boiler before, you might be tempted to skip this step but it's essential for gently heating the eggs so that they're safe to consume without turning them into scrambled eggs.
Use room temperature mascarpone cheese. Be sure to leave your mascarpone cheese at room temperature for at least 1-2 hours before using. This helps it mix seamlessly into the egg mixture to become smooth and glossy.
Don't completely soak your ladyfingers. You only need to quickly dip both sides of the biscuits and that's it! Chilling the tiramisu overnight will soften the rest of the ladyfingers. Don't let the ladyfingers sit in the liquid or soak all the way through because it will turn mushy.
Use a high quality matcha powder. Since this dessert isn't baked, what your matcha tastes like is how it will taste in the finished dessert. The majority of this tiramisu is made with matcha so you want it to be a good quality matcha with a vibrant green colour.
Chill your tiramisu overnight. This is really what transforms tiramisu into the soft and creamy dessert you know and love. It allows the cream to firm up and the ladyfinger biscuits to soften into a soft sponge cake texture.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my tiramisu wet?

If your tiramisu is wet and mushy, you may have soaked your ladyfingers in the matcha soak for too long. If your mascarpone cream is wet and runny, you may have overwhipped it and caused the water to separate from the cheese curds.

Is tiramisu better the longer is sits?

You definitely want to let your tiramisu chill in the fridge overnight or for at least 4-6 hours to attain the correct textures. After this amount of time, it will stay more or less the same in texture and flavour so letting it sit longer is not needed. You can make tiramisu in advance and let it chill in the fridge 1-2 days before serving.

Are raw eggs safe to consume in tiramisu?

In general, chances of salmonella poisoning from eating raw eggs is low if they've been handled properly. While the eggs in this recipe are technically still raw, we've cooked them over simmering water. If you're concerned about eating raw eggs, cook your egg mixture until it reaches 160°F, after which the eggs are safe to consume. If you choose to cook them this much, you'll want to constantly whisk them or use an electric hand mixer as the eggs have a higher chance of turning into scrambled eggs at this temperature.

Matcha Tiramisu

Why you'll love this recipe

Ingredients