Matcha Lovers Rejoice for a Twist on a Classic Italian Dessert

By Alex Chung

Senior Food Writer at Pro Home Cooks

I have an undying love for matcha. I might make it my life’s mission to match-ify every dessert possible. I can see it now… a table filled with matcha cream puffs, matcha swiss rolls, white chocolate chip matcha macadamia cookies – yum! Though for now, I think we will start by adding a few matcha infused tweaks to the ever so loved Italian favorite…tiramisu. As most of you know, tiramisu is a dessert made with three main components: Espresso soaked lady finger, whipped mascarpone, and cocoa powder. It’s light, slightly sweet with bitter notes and melts in your mouth. It’s a ‘no chewing required’ kind of dessert and I wanted to keep it that way despite the addition of strawberries in my recipe. My solution was to give them a quick roast in the oven so they break down and intensify in flavor. The growing hurdle of keeping tiramisu a ‘no chewing required’ dessert was solved and now my strawberry & matcha tiramisu get a boost in flavor too.

With a strawberry flavor so strong I had to amp up the matcha flavor for a nice balance between the two. Instead of doing a matcha latte soak to the lady fingers I decided to spike the mascarpone instead. I tossed one heaping tablespoon of pure strong matcha powder and whipped it right in. Together, the sweet soaked lady fingers with dots of roasted strawberries in between each layer of light and creamy matcha mascarpone really turns this dessert to a whole new level. Trust me, this one you’re going to want to make. Check out the full recipes down below and let me know how you like my twist on this classic dessert!

Strawberry & Matcha Tiramisu

Sharing this dessert over a BBQ or picnic with friends would be the way to go being that matcha is caffeinated. This dessert is definitely more of an afternoon pick me up than it is a late night treat. Midnight munchers, you’ve been warned… hope you like it!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pack of lady fingers (about 7 ounces or a total of 24 cookies)
  • 1 cup or 8 ounces of whole milk
  • 1 pack or 1 pound of fresh strawberries
  • 2 cups of matcha mascarpone cream (recipe below)
  • 1 tablespoon or 2 grams of matcha powder

    Instructions:

    1. Slice your strawberries into thin slices and roast in the oven at 400F for 15 minutes. They will release some juices but should be soft to the touch when they are done. Set aside too cool.
    2. In the meantime, grab a square/rectangular baking pan. Then pour your milk into a bowl big enough so that you can dunk your lady fingers in.
    3. Wash your hands and then dunk a lady finger into the milk and count to two so the lady finger has time to absorb the milk. Then place it in your dish and repeat until the bottom of the dish is covered by a single layer of soaked lady fingers.
    4. Spoon over the 1 cup of the matcha mascarpone cream and spread it out evenly. Layer in the now cooled roasted strawberries and repeat step 3. Top it off with the rest of the matcha cream and spread out nice & even.
    5. Add 2 tablespoons of dried strawberry powder to a fine mesh sieve and tap it over the tiramisu. Set in the fridge for 3 -4 hours before serving. Enjoy!

      Matcha Mascarpone Cream

      Ingredients:

      • 5 pasteurized egg yolks, about 90 grams
      • 1/4 cup or 50 grams of sugar
      • 1-1/2 tablespoons or 3 grams of matcha powder
      • 1 cup or 227 grams of mascarpone
      • 1 cup or 240 grams of heavy whipping cream

        Instructions:

        1. Start by boiling some water. Then grab two bowls, one bigger than the other. Pour the boiling water into the larger bowl and then place the smaller bowl right on top of the water. There should be just enough water that only 40% of the bowl is submerged in the water.
        2. Add in the egg yolks and sugar. Whisk until the eggs yolk are pale in color and lighter in texture. Take the whipped eggs out of the water bath and add in the mascarpone cheese. Whisk until fully incorporated and set aside.
        3. In a small bowl, whisk together the matcha with 2 tablespoons of water. Whisk until you have a smooth matcha concentrate and then combine with your mascarpone mixture.
        4. In another bowl whip your heavy cream until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes by hand or 2 minutes by machine. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. Now, it’s time to make the tiramisu!!

          Strawberry & Matcha Tiramisu

          Ingredients:

          Strawberry & Matcha Tiramisu 

          • 1 pack of lady fingers (about 7 ounces or a total of 24 cookies)
          • 1 cup or 8 ounces of whole milk
          • 1 pack or 1 pound of fresh strawberries
          • 2 cups of matcha mascarpone cream (recipe below)
          • 1 tablespoon or 2 grams of matcha powder

          Matcha Mascarpone Cream Ingredients:

          • 5 pasteurized egg yolks, about 90 grams
          • 1/4 cup or 50 grams of sugar
          • 1-1/2 tablespoons or 3 grams of matcha powder
          • 1 cup or 227 grams of mascarpone
          • 1 cup or 240 grams of heavy whipping cream

          Instructions:

          Strawberry & Matcha Tiramisu Instructions:

          1. Slice your strawberries into thin slices and roast in the oven at 400F for 15 minutes. They will release some juices but should be soft to the touch when they are done. Set aside too cool.
          2. In the meantime, grab a square/rectangular baking pan. Then pour your milk into a bowl big enough so that you can dunk your lady fingers in.
          3. Wash your hands and then dunk a lady finger into the milk and count to two so the lady finger has time to absorb the milk. Then place it in your dish and repeat until the bottom of the dish is covered by a single layer of soaked lady fingers.
          4. Spoon over the 1 cup of the matcha mascarpone cream and spread it out evenly. Layer in the now cooled roasted strawberries and repeat step 3. Top it off with the rest of the matcha cream and spread out nice & even.
          5. Add 2 tablespoons of dried strawberry powder to a fine mesh sieve and tap it over the tiramisu. Set in the fridge for 3 -4 hours before serving. Enjoy!

          Matcha Mascarpone Cream Instructions:

          1. Start by boiling some water. Then grab two bowls, one bigger than the other. Pour the boiling water into the larger bowl and then place the smaller bowl right on top of the water. There should be just enough water that only 40% of the bowl is submerged in the water.
          2. Add in the egg yolks and sugar. Whisk until the eggs yolk are pale in color and lighter in texture. Take the whipped eggs out of the water bath and add in the mascarpone cheese. Whisk until fully incorporated and set aside.
          3. In a small bowl, whisk together the matcha with 2 tablespoons of water. Whisk until you have a smooth matcha concentrate and then combine with your mascarpone mixture.
          4. In another bowl whip your heavy cream until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes by hand or 2 minutes by machine. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. Now, it’s time to make the tiramisu!!
          By Alex Chung

          Senior Food Writer at Pro Home Cooks

          Published