Think of this as Italian tiramisu translated through a Japanese tea ceremony. Espresso steps aside for a strong sift-and-whisk matcha brew, and that single swap is what gives the dessert its grassy green tea finish against the sweet cream. The mascarpone cream still holds the structure, and the matcha flavor builds layer by layer through the ladyfingers.
Most Japanese matcha tiramisu I have tried tastes airy and foamy, which is not what I was after, so I made my recipe closer to classic Italian tiramisu with more egg yolks and more mascarpone and less whipped cream. The result is a creamy custard-style layer that holds up against a slight matcha edge instead of getting lost behind it. The first time I knew the recipe worked was when my husband cut himself a second slice that night, then a third one the next morning before coffee.
From start to finish, I build the dessert in one afternoon and let the fridge manage the rest. I whisk the matcha into hot water for the soak, beat the mascarpone cream with egg yolks, sugar, rum, heavy cream, and salt to medium peaks, then dip the ladyfingers and layer everything in the dish before dusting the top with more matcha. The dessert chills for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight. So there it goes, I hope you give this one a try at home.
Ingredients
Every ingredient in this dessert pulls hard for its size, so I shop carefully and grade my matcha before anything else goes into the cart. Here is what goes into the soak, the cream, and the layers:
Matcha: I use ceremonial grade matcha for both the soak and the dusting on top. Ceremonial grade gives me a brighter green color and a cleaner flavor than culinary grade, which can taste muted and astringent once it sits in the cream. I recommend the Kyoto Uji Matcha by Ocha & Co. For special occasions, also check out their Yabukita Single Cultivar Matcha.
Cream base: Mascarpone cheese is the body of the cream and what makes the dessert taste classic, so I do not substitute cream cheese here. I beat it with sugar, egg yolks, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt until it reaches medium peaks.
Flavor lift: A splash of dark rum goes into the cream to round out the matcha and tie the layers back to classic tiramisu. I use dark rum because it adds a warm sweetness that goes well with green tea, but Marsala wine or a coffee liqueur also works if rum is not in the cupboard.
Ladyfingers: I use store-bought Italian ladyfingers because they stay firm best after the matcha dip. Soft American-style ladyfingers fall apart quickly in the soak, so I save those for other desserts.
Finishing matcha dust: A thin dusting of more ceremonial grade matcha goes over the chilled tiramisu through a fine mesh strainer right before serving.
How to Make
1. Make the matcha soak: Sift the matcha into a medium bowl, then slowly whisk in hot water that is just under a boil, breaking up the clumps as you go. Keep whisking until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps. Set aside to cool slightly while you make the cream.
2. Beat the cream: Add mascarpone, sugar, egg yolks, dark rum, heavy cream, and salt to the bowl of a mixer. Beat with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until the cream holds medium peaks. Stop the moment you see medium peaks, mascarpone separates fast if you keep going.
3. Start with a base layer of cream: Smooth a thin, even layer of the cream over the bottom of a 9×5 inch baking dish or a glass storage container, just enough to coat the surface. This bottom layer keeps the ladyfingers from sticking and makes serving easier later.
4. Dip and layer the ladyfingers: Dip each ladyfinger into the matcha soak one at a time, rolling it two or three times so it absorbs the liquid without falling apart. Lay them snugly across the bottom of the dish in a single layer, breaking some in half if you need to fill the corners.
5. Add the next cream layer: Pile about half an inch of cream over the dipped ladyfingers and smooth it out so the layer is even. Take your time with this step, an uneven cream layer will show through the top once you cut into the dessert.
6. Repeat the layers: Dip and lay down a second layer of ladyfingers across the cream, then cover with the remaining cream and smooth the top. Two layers of ladyfingers is the right balance, more than that and the cream-to-cake ratio gets out of hand.
7. Dust with matcha: Sift a thin, even layer of matcha across the top of the cream through a fine mesh strainer. Hold the strainer close to the surface and tap it lightly so the powder lands as a fine even coat.
8. Chill and serve: Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight, so the cream sets and the ladyfingers soften into the layers. Slice cold straight from the fridge with a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts.
My Cooking Tips
Use water that is just under a boil for the matcha soak: Hot water draws out the bright color and full flavor of the matcha, but truly boiling water turns the soak bitter. I bring my kettle to a boil, take it off the heat for about a minute, and then pour, which puts me right around 80°C (176°F).
Sift the matcha before the water goes in: Matcha clumps the moment hot water touches dry powder, and once the clumps form they are hard to whisk out. I sift the matcha straight into the bowl through a fine mesh strainer before I pour the water, which saves me a lot of whisking later.
Stop the mixer the moment medium peaks form: The cream goes from medium peaks to broken in less than a minute, and once the mascarpone separates I cannot bring it back. I watch the bowl closely from the four minute mark and stop the moment the whisk leaves a clean peak that stay intact
Roll the ladyfingers, do not dunk them: A quick roll through the matcha soak gives me the texture I want, where the cookie softens around the edges but still has structure in the middle. Dunking saturates the ladyfinger and turns it to mush once it sits in the cream.
Slice with a clean knife between cuts: Tiramisu is creamy and a dirty knife drags cream and matcha across each new cut, which makes the slices look smeared. I wipe the knife with a damp towel between every slice for cleaner edges on the plate.
Serving Suggestions
Cold from the fridge, thick squares, a fresh dust of matcha right before I pass the plates around. That is how I serve this dessert on most nights, alongside a pot of plain green tea, both of which cut through the richness of the mascarpone cream. After a quiet dinner with my husband, the two of us usually finish a square each standing at the kitchen island.
For a dinner party where dessert needs to do real work, I build a small Asian inspired sweets table around it. A second matcha plate like my matcha cake doubles down on the green tea theme, or I pair the tiramisu against my black sesame ice cream for a green-and-black color contrast on the table that plays off the toasted sesame against the grassy matcha. So good!
Frequently Ask Questions
Is it safe to use raw egg yolks in the cream?
I get this question a lot and it is a fair one. I use very fresh egg yolks straight from the carton, but if raw eggs are a concern for anyone at your table, I would reach for pasteurized eggs in the carton or pasteurized whole eggs and separate the yolks yourself, which gives you the same cream without the risk.
Why did my mascarpone cream curdle?
When this has happened to me, it is almost always because I beat the cream past medium peaks. Mascarpone is delicate and separates if it is over-whipped, so I now stop the mixer the moment I see the cream hold a peak and finish folding by hand if it needs a touch more thickness.
How to store matcha tiramisu?
I cover the dish tightly and use it up within 3 days in the fridge for the best texture. After that the ladyfingers soften too much and the matcha dust on top loses its bright green color. I do not freeze this dessert, the cream separates on the thaw and the texture never comes back the same.
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This decadent Matcha Tiramisu is a Japanese inspired riff on the classic Italian dessert, swapping the espresso soak for a fragrant green tea brew and layering it through a rich mascarpone cream I make from scratch. I slice it cold from the fridge and dust the top with a fresh layer of matcha right before serving. It has become my favorite make-ahead dessert for dinner parties because all of the work happens the day before.
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To make the matcha soak: Sift matcha into a medium bowl and slowly whisk in hot water, breaking up clumps until all water has been combined and no lumps remain.
To make the cream: Add mascarpone cheese, sugar, egg yolks, rum, heavy cream and salt into the bowl of a mixer. Mix with whisk attachment on medium-high speed until medium peak appears, about 5-7 minutes. Be careful to not overmix, or mascarpone will separate.
To assemble: Prepare a 9×5” baking dish or a tupperware (This is flexible and you can use a different size container as well). Spread a thin, even layer of cream onto the bottom of the baking dish.
Dip ladyfingers, one at a time, into matcha mixture, rolling over 2 to 3 times to saturate. The ladyfingers should start to soften but not become soggy enough to fall apart. (*Footnote 2) Then place them over the cream, snugly, next to each other. Repeat until the first layer of baking dish is filled with ladyfingers.
Add about 1/2″ of cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers and spread evenly to cover completely. Repeat with the next layer of ladyfingers and matcha, covering with the remaining cream. Smooth the top layer of cream as evenly as possible.
Dust with a thin layer of matcha using a fine mesh strainer.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours and ideally overnight before serving.
Ingredient Substitution Guide
- The ideal temperature for making matcha is around 80°C (176°F). Hotter water draws out the bitterness of the matcha, and a lower temperature water makes a mellower tasting matcha.
- I like the ladyfingers to have a little structure, so I prefer not to oversoak them. If you like a very moist texture, you can soak the ladyfingers a little longer. Just be careful, the ladyfingers will keep softening up once you place them onto the cream.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 224kcal, Carbohydrates: 25.5g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 10.8g, Saturated Fat: 5.8g, Cholesterol: 174mg, Sodium: 135mg, Potassium: 69mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 12.6g, Calcium: 89mg, Iron: 1mg
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