Matcha tiramisu

Ingredients

• 6 g culinary grade matcha (about 3 level teaspoons), for the dip
• 300 ml hot water at 75 to 80°C
• 2 tablespoons sugar, for the dip
• 250 g mascarpone, at cool room temperature
• 300 ml cream, cold
• 60 g icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• About 20 ladyfinger sponge biscuits (savoiardi, one 200 g packet)
• 2 teaspoons matcha, for dusting

Method

1. Make and cool the matcha dip. Sift 6 g of matcha into a shallow bowl, whisk with 300 ml of hot (not boiling) water and 2 tablespoons of sugar until smooth, and let it cool to room temperature. A hot dip would melt the cream layers and turn the biscuits to mush.
2. Make the mascarpone cream. Whisk the mascarpone briefly with the icing sugar and vanilla just until smooth. In a second bowl whip the cold cream to soft peaks, then fold it through the mascarpone in two additions until thick and spreadable. Do not overbeat. Mascarpone splits into grain if worked hard.
3. Dip and lay the first layer. One at a time, dip half the ladyfingers in the cooled matcha for one to two seconds per side (in and out, not soaked) and lay them side by side in a 20 cm square dish. Spread half the mascarpone cream evenly over the top.
4. Repeat and chill. Dip and lay the remaining ladyfingers, spread over the rest of the cream and smooth the top. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, and ideally overnight. The layers need the time to fuse from biscuits-and-cream into tiramisu.
5. Dust and serve. Just before serving, dust the top generously with 2 teaspoons of matcha through a fine sieve, the way classic tiramisu is dusted with cocoa. Dust at the last minute: matcha on damp cream darkens and goes patchy within an hour or two.

Why matcha works in a tiramisu

Classic tiramisu balances rich mascarpone against the bitterness of espresso and cocoa. Matcha slots into exactly that structural role: its gentle bitterness and grassy depth cut the cream the way coffee does, while turning the dessert striking green. The swap is one-for-one: whisked matcha replaces the espresso dip, and a matcha dusting replaces the cocoa. This version also skips the traditional raw egg, using whipped cream folded into mascarpone, which keeps well and suits make-ahead entertaining.

Can you make matcha tiramisu ahead

You should: it is genuinely better on day two. Assemble it the day before, cover and refrigerate overnight: the dipped biscuits soften into a sponge layer and the cream sets to a clean slice. It holds well for up to 3 days in the fridge. The one job that cannot be done ahead is the final matcha dusting, which darkens as it absorbs moisture from the cream. Dust each serving, or the whole dish, just before it goes to the table. It also freezes surprisingly well for up to a month; thaw overnight in the fridge and dust fresh.

What to know about the ladyfingers and the dip

Savoiardi (the dry, crisp Italian sponge fingers sold in NZ supermarkets) are the right biscuit; soft sponge fingers collapse when dipped. The one-to-two-second dip is the difference between a tender layer and a soggy one: the biscuits keep absorbing from the cream overnight, so they should come out of the dip still slightly firm at the core. Keep the dip water at 75 to 80 degrees Celsius when you whisk it, as with any matcha drink, and taste it: it should be pleasantly bitter, since the cream supplies the sweetness.

How much matcha and which grade

Eight grams total does the whole dessert: 6 g whisked into the dip and about 2 g dusted over the top. The dusting is where quality shows most, because it hits the tongue undiluted. If you own both grades, use culinary in the dip and your fresher, brighter tin for the dust. All culinary works perfectly well; very dull powder shows its age most on top of the white cream.

Common questions

Does matcha tiramisu contain coffee?

No, the whisked matcha replaces the espresso entirely, which also makes it a lighter-caffeine dessert. Each serve carries under a gram of matcha's worth of caffeine, far below a coffee tiramisu.

Does this recipe use raw eggs?

No. The cream layer is whipped cream folded into mascarpone, so there is no raw egg to worry about, easier for entertaining, and it sets more reliably too.

Why did my matcha dusting turn dark and patchy?

Matcha absorbs moisture from the cream and darkens within an hour or two. Always dust just before serving, through a fine sieve, and it will sit vivid green on top.

Can I make it in glasses instead of a dish?

Yes, layer broken dipped ladyfingers and cream in 8 tumblers or jars. Individual serves chill faster (2 hours is enough) and travel well for a dinner party.