Italy’s love affair with tiramisu faces test from matcha twist

Italians love the traditional recipes of their dishes and do not take well to any changes in ingredients or preparation methods. They often say that any deviation no longer constitutes Italian cuisine. They are difficult to bargain with in this regard. Will it be the same with the new version of tiramisu that is currently taking the internet by storm?

Modern cooking is characterized by its ability to reinterpret any dish, even the most traditional ones. It is not afraid of changes and new ingredients. It's an interesting trend, but Italians are great conservatives in this area. How will they react to the new version of tiramisu?

Tiramisu is the most famous Italian dessert. Every detail has been perfected. Many people admit to having an extraordinary weakness for it. After all, who hasn't gone back for seconds of tiramisu... It's just ladyfingers soaked in coffee and layered with a mascarpone-based cream, which taste simply overpowering. Why change it?

According to the principle that even the best flavour can be improved, new versions of this dessert are constantly being created. At first, the changes were minor. Sometimes, a layer of fruit is added, most often strawberries, raspberries, or rhubarb. But now innovations have gone further. Instead of coffee, matcha was decided to be used in tiramisu. It must be admitted that this green tea has been a trendy dessert ingredient for some time. It gives them a characteristic flavour. This fate has also befallen tiramisu. If you find this well-known dessert online in a green colour, it will be matcha tiramisu.

Matcha is a type of Japanese green tea. It is obtained from the same plant as traditional black or green tea but is produced uniquely. A few weeks before harvesting, tea bushes are shaded from the sun, resulting in a higher chlorophyll content and the amino acid L-theanine. Thus, the tea acquires an intense green colour and a unique taste and aroma. Its leaves are gently steamed, dried, and ground into a powder. This powder can be mixed with hot water and drunk as tea. Matcha can also be added to desserts, but it is not for everyone. Its taste is specific. Some describe it as grassy, slightly nutty, with a hint of bitterness.

Ingredients:

• 250g mascarpone cheese,
• 200g ladyfingers,
• 80g sugar,
• 50ml water,
• 3 eggs,
• 2 teaspoons matcha plus extra for garnish,
• a pinch of salt.

Preparation method:

1. Separate the eggs into whites and yolks. Add sugar and 1 teaspoon of matcha to the yolks, then mix well.
2. Add the mascarpone cheese and mix again until the ingredients combine.
3. Beat the egg whites into stiff peaks with a pinch of salt. While mixing, gradually add the cheese mixture.
4. Mix 1 teaspoon of matcha into the water, then use a frother or mix vigorously. Soak the ladyfingers in the mixture and place them in a dish or glasses.
5. Spread a layer of cream on the soaked ladyfingers, add another layer of ladyfingers, and spread more cream.
6. Sprinkle matcha on top of the dessert. Put it in the refrigerator for several hours to chill well.