Our matcha tiramisu recipe is a subtly sweet and earthy twist on the classic Italian dessert. The matcha adds a unique earthy sweetness to the dessert, and its vibrant green makes it a sight to behold.
We fell in love with it in Kyoto and decided to recreate it in our kitchen.
Our easy, no-bake matcha tiramisu recipe uses six common ingredients, with matcha powder as the star. We'll show you how to make matcha tiramisu with no eggs or alcohol, and if you want to learn how to make it vegan.
Jump to:
Matcha Tiramisu Ingredients
To make our matcha tiramisu recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- ladyfingers or sponge cake biscuits
- matcha powder
- mascarpone cheese
- heavy cream
- sugar
- vanilla extract (optional)
Besides the matcha powder, most of these matcha tiramisu ingredients are inexpensive. We're big fans of improvisation and making recipes our own. So, use our recipe as a starting point and add as little or as much green tea powder or sugar as you like.
Matcha
Our Japanese tiramisu recipe uses culinary-grade matcha powder instead of ceremonial-grade. Ceremonial-grade matcha powder provides a nuanced umami and earthy sweetness to desserts, but it can be quite expensive.
As we're using green tea powder, our recipe contains caffeine. However, the caffeine in our recipe is relatively low compared to coffee and other drinks.
Unfortunately, culinary-grade green tea powder is more expensive than those sold in stores. The culinary-grade powder is characterised by its bright green colour and vibrant taste.
Avoid green tea powder that is dull green or yellow-green in colour, as this might contain other filler ingredients, such as milk powder or sugar, that can change the flavour of the dessert.
We recommend buying a smaller size if you're not making many green tea desserts.
Heavy Cream
Heavy cream is a key ingredient in our matcha tiramisu recipe, adding richness and creaminess. It is best to use double cream or heavy cream with at least 35% fat content. The higher the fat content, the thicker the cream and the more stable the final product.
If you can't find heavy cream, you can use fresh cream or whipped cream. Whipped cream is much lighter and airier than heavy cream. We also found that whipped cream tasted less creamy. Both alternatives aren't as thick as heavy cream or double cream, but they're suitable alternatives. They're also less calorific if you're looking for something lighter.
Ladyfingers
You have a few options for ladyfingers. For a more traditional version, use thinner, crunchier Italian-style ladyfingers.
If you prefer a chunkier texture, opt for the French style. Some stores may also carry homestyle ladyfingers, which are thicker and chewier.
Sometimes, they are known as sponge cake biscuits, too. Depending on the brand, the sizes may differ. So, it's a good idea to decide on your container first and then roughly count how many sponge fingers are required to fill one layer of your container.
For example, we used a small glass deep tray (18 cm length by 13 cm width by 5 cm height) (which is about (7 x 5 x 2 inches) for the recipe below (and in photos).
We needed 9 ladyfingers to fill the bottom layer and about 11 to fill the upper layer. We had to cut some ladyfingers to fill the whole layer. In total, we used about 20 pieces of ladyfingers.
Mascarpone Cheese
The full-fat version is the best mascarpone cheese type to use in this Green tea dessert. It has the creamiest texture and the most decadent flavour. It is also the most traditional option for this Japanese fusion cake.
Avoid using low-fat or non-fat mascarpone cheese, for this will affect the overall taste of the dessert.
While different from each other, cream cheese is a great substitute if you can't find mascarpone or if you're looking for something cheaper.
Generally, we find mascarpone cheese to have a thicker and more luscious creaminess than cream cheese. But for general use, we think the difference in texture between the two cheeses is subtle. However, cream cheese does add a slightly saltier and mildly sweeter taste to our dessert.
Easy Matcha Tiramisu Recipe (No Egg or Alcohol)
Ingredients
Ladyfinger layer
- 20 ladyfingers
- 2 teaspoon Culinary-grade Matcha powder
- 300 ml hot water
Mascarpone cheese layer
- 200 ml heavy cream
- 250 g mascarpone cheese
- 60 g white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
Garnish
- 1-2 teaspoon Culinary-grade Matcha powder for dusting
Equipment
Cooking Instructions
- Combine hot water and matcha powder in a bowl. Then, whisk with a bamboo whisk or electric whisk until there are no more clumps, and you can see micro foam. Put aside and allow the matcha tea to cool.
- Mix mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, and sugar in a mixing bowl using a spatula until they are well combined. Then, whisk until medium peaks form. Set your mixture aside.
- Dip the ladyfinger in the matcha bowl and then arrange it in the bottom layer of the glass container. Avoid soaking the ladyfingers all the way through.
- Assemble your layers by putting your ladyfingers in your dish. Cut the ladyfingers if they do not fit into the container to ensure an even layer.
- Scoop the mascarpone cheese mixture over the ladyfingers and spread evenly with a spatula or spoon. If you are making 2 layers for your tiramisu, use just under half of the mascarpone mixture you have. Repeat the step above for the upper layer(s).
- Then, neatly cover the matcha tiramisu with cling film and let your matcha tiramisu set and chill for 4 hours overnight in your refrigerator.
- Once ready, serve with a dusting of matcha powder.
Recipe Notes
- For our recipe, we use a small glass deep tray 18 cm in length by 13 cm in width by 5 cm in height, which is about 7 x 5 x 2 inches.
- If you want to incorporate more matcha flavouring, you can also mix matcha powder into your mascarpone mixture, making it turn green. Sift about 1 teaspoon of matcha powder into the mixture and combine until well mixed.
- We recommend sifting the matcha powder through a fine mesh sieve before adding it to the bowl to break up any clumps.
- Dip them in matcha and count to 5 to avoid oversoaking the ladyfinger. Then remove them.
- Avoid adding more than 3 layers. From our experience, the bottom layers will become soggy and slightly squashed.
Nutrition
Calories have been calculated using an online calculator. Nutritional information offered on Honest Food Talks is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimate.
Matcha Tiramisu Cooking Tips
How Do I Get Beautiful Layers?
Use a shallow dish to ensure beautiful layers when making this green tea dessert. This will help you achieve more even layers and make it easier to spread the filling.
For the best results, use an offset spatula to spread the mascarpone cheese-heavy cream mixture. Press down any air bubbles that appear to get a smooth and even layer.
Some people even use piping bags to ensure no gaps between layers. For ease at home, we just used a spoon to spread it around. It doesn't create beautiful layers like in bakeries, but it doesn't affect the flavour.
Another tip to ensure you get beautiful layers is to avoid dredging your ladyfingers in too much matcha mixture or coffee. Doing this will make it extremely soggy and cause the layers to mix and break up.
Personally, we prefer ours a bit soggy, so it's up to you. If you don't think you have enough matcha soaked into your ladyfingers after you've arranged them, you can spoon more matcha over.
We always do this as we like more matcha in the tiramisu, even if we risk sogging out the ladyfingers a little.
Lastly, allow the layered green tea dessert to set and chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
Not only will this result in excellent layers, but it will also allow the flavours to develop and come together. Plus, it makes it easier to cut and serve.
Why Is My Matcha Tiramisu Cream Runny Instead Of Fluffy?
If your cream is runny instead of fluffy, it likely means that you need to beat it more. Whip the cream moderately for around three minutes, but ensure you don't overwhip it.
You can use a spatula to combine the mascarpone, heavy cream, and sugar initially. Once they are well combined, change to a hand whisk and start whisking. The mixture will reach a soft and medium peak relatively quickly, within 1 to 2 minutes of whipping.
You want to stop when the whisk or beaters leave soft mounds of cream still holding their shape. If you keep whisking, the cream can become too runny and unable to support the dessert.
Another reason your cream might be runny is that you might have used too much heavy cream.
To fix this, add more mascarpone cheese to the mixture to thicken it up. You can also try using a low-speed whisk or hand mixer to incorporate more air into the mix.
How Do I Avoid Overcooking The Ladyfingers?
If you're planning to buy ladyfingers, you can skip this section. However, if you want to make your own ladyfingers, keep reading.
Ladyfingers cook pretty quickly. It is advisable to bake them for at most 10 to 12 minutes. The key is to bake them until golden brown and slightly soft to the touch.
Overcooked ladyfingers can become hard, dry, and brittle. They also do not hold the mascarpone cheese mixture in place very well, resulting in a soggy, uneven layer that we want to avoid.
How Many Layers Of Ladyfingers Do I Need?
The number of layers you choose to make will depend on the size of your dish and how much filling you have. Generally, two to three layers are enough, but you can make more if desired. Each layer should be thin and even.
You can aim for at least ¼ inch between each layer of ladyfingers as a guide. Adding more layers will also increase the time for the tiramisu to set.
Optional Ingredients
If you want to add a bit more depth and a twist in flavour, here is how to make matcha tiramisu even more decadent.
Eggs
Adding eggs can make this green tea dessert richer and more decadent. If you use a higher-fat mascarpone, as our recipe recommends, you can also add two to three egg yolks.
It is important to whisk the eggs over simmering water before adding them to the mixture. Make sure to whisk quickly to prevent them from curdling. We recommend using a hand-held mixer for this task. Mixing for too long at temperatures above 71 C will scramble the eggs.
We know this part can be overwhelming for beginners, so we made our matcha tiramisu with no eggs required.
Marsala Wine
A splash of Marsala wine can enhance the flavour of this Japanese fusion green tea dessert. It adds a sweet, nutty complexity that will delight your taste buds. But, we've opted for using vanilla extract which adds a sweet fragrance which complements matcha's earthy taste in our opinion. Vanilla extract is more accessible for most people too.
When adding Marsala wine to the recipe, it is best to use a dry variety and only add about two tablespoons.
Too much Marsala wine can make the dessert overly sweet and too alcoholic. Take note of this since this is a no-bake matcha tiramisu recipe. Therefore, there is no heat involved, which will cook off or reduce the alcohol.
You can substitute other sweet liqueurs if you don't have Marsala wine. Amaretto, Madeira wine, Port wine, and Kahlua are excellent substitutes. The difference between them is the flavour.
Amaretto will add a subtle almond essence, while Madeira wine has a sweet and nutty flavour. Similarly, Port wine has a raisin-like taste, and Kahlua will give the dessert a hint of coffee flavour.
Strawberries
You can also make this a strawberry matcha tiramisu for an extra hit of sweetness and colour. Adding strawberries to the dessert will give it a lovely pink hue.
Similar to a strawberry matcha latte and smoothie, strawberries' tart yet sweet flavour will nicely complement the earthy matcha flavour.
If you want to add strawberries to your dessert, use fresh ones.
Add chopped strawberries to the filling or use them as a garnish. However, avoid adding too many strawberries to your filling mixtures. This is because the added moisture will make your strawberry matcha tiramisu too soggy.
Espresso
To add an extra depth of flavour, you can consider adding a shot of espresso to this Japanese fusion cake recipe. This would just make it closer to regular tiramisu. You can call it "Dirty matcha tiramisu" if you combine coffee and matcha.
Adding some espresso can give the dessert an extra layer of complexity. In addition, it can bring out the flavour of the matcha powder, making the dessert even more delicious.
Make sure to keep the amount of espresso used to a minimum. It will overpower the delicate flavours of the match and can make the dessert too bitter.
You can also soak the ladyfingers in coffee like in the traditional recipe, creating a mocha layer in the dessert.
How To Make Vegan Matcha Tiramisu
You can make vegan matcha tiramisu with a few basic adjustments to the ingredients. If you swap out the ingredients for vegan alternatives, you'll have a guilt-free yet decadent treat.
For example, you can switch mascarpone cheese with vegan cream cheese. You can also use a plant-based milk alternative to replace the heavy cream, such as coconut or oat milk.
When using a plant-based dairy alternative, it is vital to pick a full-fat variety. Doing this ensures the dessert has the same richness and creaminess as the traditional version.
There are vegan-friendly ladyfingers in stores. However, if you can't find them, you can make your own using white flour and aquafaba.
Fortunately, matcha powder is already vegan-friendly. Also, you won't need an egg replacer for our matcha tiramisu. No egg is necessary for our recipe.
If you liked our recipe, try out our dirty matcha recipe or Dalgona green tea. Follow us on Instagram at @honestfoodtalks. We post new recipes daily.
Leave a Reply