If I were on a game show where you had to try and guess the top five most common fancy restaurant dessert options, here would be my answers:
1. Creme brûlée (easy points!)
2. Tiramisu
3. Molten (or lava) chocolate cake
4. Panna cotta (or flan…I think that should count as one, right?)
5. Cheesecake
What would you choose if you were on the game show? This is a weird only-in-your-head game, but it’s sort of fun!
Related: 30+ Easy No-Bake Desserts and Cinnamon Toast Tiramisu
I love making “fancy” desserts. It just feels fun to make these types of treats for friends and family.
I mean, if you ever invite me over for dinner and you serve either a cheese plate (appetizer) or a fancy dessert at the end, I will immediately be completely and totally impressed and promptly invite myself over again. 🙂
This fancy no-bake dessert is even more fun because we’re going to change up the classic flavors of tiramisu (espresso, marsala wine or spiced rum, and chocolate) with something a little unexpected: matcha green tea and white chocolate liqueur. But this still has all the fluffy creaminess of the classic.
Green Tea + White Chocolate Tiramisu, serves 6-8 (depending on how you slice it)
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar, divided
3 tablespoons white chocolate liqueur, divided
1 drop of green food coloring (optional)
8 oz mascarpone, softened
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon matcha green tea powder (plus more to dust the layers with) 28-32 lady finger cookies
In a glass bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture becomes a lighter shade of yellow. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of the liqueur. Then, place the glass bowl over a pot of simmering water (DIY double boiler action).
I also added a drop of green food coloring, but this is totally optional. Whisk the mixture as it cooks until it’s a thin custard. The goal here is to just lightly cook the egg yolks into a custard, but it doesn’t have to be a super thick one.
Some tiramisu recipes will completely skip this step and have you use the raw egg yolks in the batter we’re about to make. You can do this if you choose. Totally up to you, but I prefer to cook them into a custard first.
Once the mixture thickens (8-10 minutes over the simmering water), remove from heat and allow to cool in the refrigerator while you prep the rest of the dessert.
In a stand mixer (or with an electric mixer), beat the heavy whipping cream and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar until soft peaks form (whipped cream).
In a separate bowl, stir the room temperature mascarpone so it will be easier to fold into the whipped cream. You want to avoid as many lumps as you can, but tiramisu usually has some and that’s OK.
Fold together the whipped cream, mascarpone, and cooled yolk custard. Set aside.
In a glass mixing bowl or large glass, combine the 1/2 cup water and 1/4 teaspoon matcha powder and whisk until no powder lumps remain. Then stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of white chocolate liqueur.
Now we’re ready to assemble our tiramisu! This is the fun part! Layer in enough lady fingers to cover the bottom of your dish. I used a square baking pan but you could use individual glass cups or other dishes you prefer.
You can first dip the lady fingers in the green tea/liqueur mixture or you can spoon the liquid over the lady fingers after you’ve arranged them (I usually do the latter).
Top the cookies with a layer of the whipped cream custard, then lightly dust with matcha powder. Repeat this whole process three times.
For the top layer, I like to pipe the mixture with a round pastry tip as I think it helps to hide any lumps that might still be in the batter.
Allow your tiramisu to chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving. This will allow the crispy lady fingers to soften, and the entire dessert blends together and becomes much easier to cut.
Be sure to serve this within eight hours of making it though as it can begin to break down and become kind of runny in a bad way after a while. When you finish making this, pop it in the fridge and have a nice, leisurely dinner party.
This will be ready to pull out to impress everyone at the end of the evening. 🙂 Enjoy! xo. Emma
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Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks
- ¼ cup sugar (divided)
- 3 tablespoons white chocolate liqueur (divided )
- 1 drop green food coloring (optional)
- 8 oz mascarpone (softened)
- 1 ⅓ cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon matcha green tea powder (plus more to dust the layers with)
- 28-32 lady finger cookies
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer or electric mixer
Instructions
- In a glass bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture becomes a lighter shade of yellow. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of the liqueur. Then, place the glass bowl over a pot of simmering water (DIY double boiler action).
- I also added a drop of green food coloring, but this is totally optional. Whisk the mixture as it cooks until it's a thin custard. The goal here is to just lightly cook the egg yolks into a custard, but it doesn't have to be a super thick one. Some tiramisu recipes will completely skip this step and have you use the raw egg yolks in the batter we're about to make. You can do this if you choose. Totally up to you, but I prefer to cook them into a custard first.
- Once the mixture thickens (8-10 minutes over the simmering water), remove from heat and allow to cool in the refrigerator while you prep the rest of the dessert.
- In a stand mixer (or with an electric mixer), beat the heavy whipping cream and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar until soft peaks form (whipped cream).
- In a separate bowl, stir the room temperature mascarpone so it will be easier to fold into the whipped cream. You want to avoid as many lumps as you can, but tiramisu usually has some and that's OK.
- Fold together the whipped cream, mascarpone, and cooled yolk custard. Set aside.
- In a glass mixing bowl or large glass, combine the 1/2 cup water and 1/4 teaspoon matcha powder and whisk until no powder lumps remain. Then stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of white chocolate liqueur.
- Now we're ready to assemble our tiramisu! This is the fun part! Layer in enough lady fingers to cover the bottom of your dish. I used a square baking pan but you could use individual glass cups or other dishes you prefer. You can first dip the lady fingers in the green tea/liqueur mixture or you can spoon the liquid over the lady fingers after you've arranged them (I usually do the latter).
- Top the cookies with a layer of the whipped cream custard, then lightly dust with matcha powder. Repeat this whole process three times. For the top layer I like to pipe the mixture with a round pastry tip as I think it helps to hide any lumps that might still be in the batter.
- Allow your tiramisu to chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving. This will allow the crispy lady fingers to soften, and the entire dessert blends together and becomes much easier to cut. Be sure to serve this within eight hours of making it though as it can begin to break down and become kind of runny in a bad way after a while.
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
This looks super easy and tasty. Thanks for the recipe, Emma, this type of dessert is perfect for unannounced guests or when you’re feeling munchy and you don’t want to bake for hours.
Dear god from dessert land, this look super easy and tasty. Thanks for the recipe, Emma, this type of dessert is perfect for unannounced guests or when you’re feeling munchy and you don’t want to bake for hours.
In Italy we soak the cookies with caffe macchiato (espresso + milk) before assembling the cake, to make the layers even softer and cake-like. If you want that same consistency, lightly dip the cookies on both sides, maybe in plain milk for this recipe.
Oh my.. YUM
I never thought i could make a tiramisu. But thanks to you and your lovely blog I am able to make it. It’s miracle. Thank you so much gorgeous!
This tiramisu recipe looks amazing! It’s one of my favourite desserts! I’d love to try it 🙂
Erika
http://whaterikawears.com/
yum! you guys think of the most unique recipes!
xx nikki
www.dream-in-neon.com
I feel so silly, but I’ve never even attempted tiramisu even though it’s my absolute 100% favorite dessert…no contest. I thought it would be too difficult to make the cake part.
So, I’m going to need to find some of these lady finger cookies stat and you can bet I’m going to try ALL of the tiramisu 😀 Love your blog!
That looks all kinds of good!
Cleaning My Room (in fast forward, I swear it’s not as boring as it sounds)
In France it would be:
– crème brulée
– moelleux au chocolat (chocolate cake)
– tarte aux pommes (apple pie)
– île flottante (floating island)
– ice cream
it wouldn’t be so different… It’s surprising!
This looks absolutely delicious! Perfect for this time of year 🙂
That looks fantastic http://www.hannamarielei.com
This looks incredible! Would definitely like to try making these!
Nina xo | littlepinkcactus.blogspot.com
OHHH MYYY GODDDD!!!
http://momochiclook.blogspot.com
I’ve had tons of tiramisu because it’s one of my favorite desserts but I never stopped to think that I’ve never had it in a different flavor. Matcha seems perfect for it and this one looks so good! Fancy tiramisu is always good but I think the one from California Pizza Kitchen is really good especially coming from a non-fancy restaurant.
This looks so delicious!
http://imyownmuse.blogspot.com
I love matcha! I’m going to have to try this!!
This looks divine! Really need to try this!
http://chrissabella.pink/
Oh wow, this looks so yummy!
www.lilyroselo.blogspot.co.uk
This looks so good! I’m pregnant at the moment, any ideas on what to use instead of the liqueur? Vanilla essence would work, but can you think of anything else chocolaty?