Matcha Strawberry Tiramisu Recipe

Trends come and go, but tiramisu has remained a staple on restaurant menus through the years for good reason — it's delicious! Deep, rich, and full of creamy, softly moist textures, eating this custardy layered dessert is more than just satisfying — it's an experience, albeit a somewhat outdated one. If you're looking to give new life to this old favorite, a bright, summery twist in the form of matcha strawberry tiramisu may just be the answer.

To make matcha strawberry tiramisu, a quick white chocolate ganache is whipped until lightened with heavy cream and mascarpone. This decadent cream contrasts with the bright tanginess of macerated strawberries layered into the tiramisu, and with the grassy depth of matcha green tea powder used to soak the crisp ladyfinger cookies. As the tiramisu chills, it softens, with differing textures and flavors melding together. It's a perfectly balanced dessert — light but rich, tangy and sweet, earthy and bright. 

While it's hard to imagine this dessert getting any better, it also happens to come together quickly and easily with just 35 minutes of prep time, thanks to the whipped filling and use of store-bought ladyfingers. Recipe developer Katie Rosenhouse tells us, "This dessert is sophisticated and impressive, but deceptively easy to throw together at a moment's notice. It's a great option for a spring or summer dinner party."

To make this summery dessert, a culinary-grade green tea powder is dissolved into a syrup made with water and sugar and brushed over chopped ladyfingers to add an earthy flavor and rich color to the cookies. Store-bought ladyfingers are a great shortcut here, although you can also make your own, if preferred, or swap with leftover cubes of vanilla or lemon pound cake or crumbled shortbread cookies for a unique twist. Fresh sliced strawberries add a sophisticated touch as they line the serving glasses. Additional strawberries are macerated in sugar and lemon juice for a punchy, tangy flavor that contrasts the creaminess of a whipped mascarpone cream. To make this cream, a ganache made with heavy cream and white chocolate is whipped until light and fluffy, with mascarpone added for stability and richness, vanilla for depth, and a hint of salt to balance the sweetness. You can also add rum in the place of the vanilla for additional complexity and a boozy twist.

If preferred, you can swap the strawberries with any other fresh fruits, including other types of berries or ripe summer peaches, and the mascarpone with softened cream cheese or crème fraîche for an untraditional, but tangy and delicious result. 

In a small pot, whisk ⅔ cup heavy cream and white chocolate over low heat until melted.

Transfer the white chocolate mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or until cool to the touch.

In the meantime, whisk to combine the boiling water with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons matcha green tea powder. Set aside.

Stem and dice 4 large or 5 small strawberries. Stir to combine with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and the lemon juice. Set aside.

Thinly slice 4 or 5 strawberries, reserving at least 3 strawberries for garnishing, and use the sliced strawberries to line 6 12-ounce tumblers. Set aside.

Cut the ladyfingers into small pieces (about ¾-inch). Set aside.

To the cooled white chocolate mixture, add the remaining 1 ⅓ cups heavy cream, kosher salt, and vanilla or rum. Use a whisk attachment to whip to soft peaks.

Add the mascarpone and whip to stiff peaks.

Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip.

Pipe a layer of mascarpone cream into the bottom of each glass.

Top with 5 or 6 pieces of ladyfinger cookies.

Brush or drizzle ladyfingers generously with the green tea mixture.

Top with an additional layer of mascarpone cream.

Top evenly with the diced strawberry mixture.

Top with a final layer of ladyfingers, and brush or drizzle with green tea mixture.

Pipe mounds of cream in a ring shape in each glass.

Sift the remaining 2 tablespoons of matcha powder over the cream.

Halve the remaining strawberries, and place one half into the center of each glass.

Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Traditional tiramisu is a layered, coffee-infused dessert that's an iconic Italian creation. First developed in the 1960s or 70s, it is typically made with ladyfingers soaked in a cooled coffee mixture, with the optional addition of Marsala wine or coffee liqueur. These ladyfingers are layered with a custardy mascarpone cream made with whipped eggs and sugar. The dessert is then liberally topped with a layer of cocoa powder for a velvety finish. 

This matcha strawberry tiramisu takes all the classic components you love about tiramisu, and switches things up for a summery twist. Green tea replaces coffee as a soak for the ladyfingers, adding an earthy depth and bright green color to the dessert. Lightly brushed on, it infuses flavor into the cookies while still allowing them to retain some of their crisp texture. A whipped white chocolate mascarpone cream is a luscious, sweet, and perfectly balanced variation of the classic tiramisu filling, without any raw eggs in the mix. It lightens the traditional custardy filling of tiramisu into a whipped and airy filling that's all too easy to eat by the spoonful before being piped into the dessert glasses. An optional splash of rum adds a subtle boozy depth similar to the Marsala wine in classic tiramisu, while incorporating fresh strawberries into the layers turns this creamy dessert into a refreshing, bright and fruity one. 

With fresh strawberries and whipped cream in the mix, matcha strawberry tiramisu is best prepared on or close to the day of serving for the freshest flavor and presentation. But if you do need to get ahead of your party preparations, parts of this dessert can be made and stored up to two days ahead.  

To make this tiramisu in advance, assemble as directed up through Step 16, piping the mascarpone cream in a ring shape in each glass. Cover the glasses tightly with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator. The mascarpone and white chocolate in the cream help to stabilize it, so you shouldn't have any loss in volume, and the ladyfingers will soften to a pleasantly cake-like consistency the longer they sit. On the day of serving, dust with matcha green tea powder and top with halved strawberries to garnish. This will ensure the freshest presentation. 

Note that you can also prepare this dessert in a variety of ways to suit what you have on hand. You can layer the tiramisu into any type of glasses you prefer, including wine glasses, martini glasses, or even mason jars. You can also prepare this matcha strawberry tiramisu in an 8-inch baking dish, piping or spreading the final layer of cream over the top in a decorative fashion, and dusting and garnishing as desired. This can be particularly helpful if transporting the dish to a potluck or other type of gathering.