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Ingredients

• 250g mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 200ml heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons ceremonial grade matcha powder, plus extra for dusting
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 200g ladyfinger cookies (savoiardi)
• 200ml whole milk
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Start by making your matcha soaking liquid. Warm the milk gently in a small saucepan or microwave, just enough that the honey dissolves easily. Sift one tablespoon of matcha into the warm milk and whisk until completely smooth. Let this cool to room temperature.
2. In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone with a spatula until creamy and smooth. You want it loosened up but not overworked.
3. Sift the remaining tablespoon of matcha and the powdered sugar into the mascarpone. This sifting step is non-negotiable. Matcha clumps like nothing else. Add the vanilla and mix until combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream with a pinch of salt until it holds soft peaks. You’re looking for billowy, not stiff. Overwhipped cream makes the filling dense.
5. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture in three additions. Be gentle here. You want to keep that airiness you just whipped into the cream.
6. Now for assembly. Quickly dip each ladyfinger into the matcha milk mixture. And I mean quickly. A one-second dip on each side, that’s it. Soggy ladyfingers ruin everything. Arrange them in a single layer at the bottom of your dish.
7. Spread half the mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers. Don’t worry about perfection, just even it out.
8. Repeat with another layer of dipped ladyfingers and the remaining cream.
9. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Overnight is ideal.
10. Right before serving, dust the top generously with matcha through a fine sieve. This is the moment that makes it look professional.

What Makes This Different

I made this for a dinner party last spring and watched six adults fight over the last serving. That’s when I knew this recipe was a keeper.

Traditional tiramisu is perfect as is, but something about swapping the espresso for matcha creates this earthy, slightly bitter, completely addictive dessert. The green tea cuts through the richness of the mascarpone in a way coffee never quite does. It’s subtle but it changes everything.

Most matcha desserts go wrong in the same way. They either taste like grass clippings or they’re so loaded with sugar you can’t taste the matcha at all. The trick I learned the hard way is using ceremonial grade matcha and actually sifting it. I skipped the sifting once because I was in a hurry. Ended up with bitter clumps throughout. Not great.

You’re also not cooking anything here. This is a no-bake situation, which means the quality of your ingredients really matters. The mascarpone, the cream, even the ladyfingers. Don’t cheap out on the matcha especially. That culinary grade stuff works fine in smoothies but here you’ll taste every shortcut.

How to Store It

This needs to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but overnight is better. The flavors develop and the ladyfingers soften into that perfect texture. It’ll keep covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, though honestly it rarely lasts that long.

Don’t freeze it. The mascarpone gets grainy and the texture goes all wrong.

Notes

The ladyfinger dipping is where most people mess up. Too long in the liquid and they fall apart. Too short and you get a dry, crunchy layer that doesn’t match the creamy filling. That quick one-second dip takes practice but once you get it, you’ve got it.

I’ve made this in an 8×8 square dish for neat portions and in a round trifle dish for something more dramatic. Both work. The rectangular dish is easier for serving clean slices.

Some people add a splash of white chocolate or a layer of adzuki bean paste for an even more Japanese-inspired version. Personally I think the matcha speaks best on its own, but your mileage may vary.

Room temperature mascarpone is important. Cold mascarpone doesn’t blend smoothly and you’ll end up with a lumpy filling no matter how much you mix.

One more thing. The matcha dust on top will absorb moisture and start looking dull after a few hours. If you’re making this ahead for a party, dust it right before guests arrive. Keeps that vibrant green color that makes everyone reach for their phones before their forks.