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Unbelievable Chai Tiramisu

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This Chai Tiramisu is an unbelievably delicious spin on the classic perfect for all chai lovers. It is made with a creamy and light mascarpone cream with a hint of cardamom, ladyfingers soaked in masala chai instead of coffee, and topped with a mixture of cocoa powder, cinnamon and cardamom to tie everything together. For an extra little garnish, I also like topping it with crushed freeze dried strawberries, which add a beautiful brightness to balance the warmth from the masala chai. It is perfect served with chai (or chai lattes), especially in the cozier fall months!

A slice of chai tiramisu topped with cocoa powder and freeze dried strawberries sits on a white scalloped plate. Another slice is visible in the background, with strawberry pieces scattered on the table.

I'm not normally one to mess with classics, especially something like Tiramisu which I am incredibly fond of. So when I started developing this recipe, I actually went into it mildly skeptical. However, my first bite into the finished dessert actually, literally, made me say "wow, that actually works". I was shocked by how much I loved the flavor combination of tiramisu and chai (even the cocoa powder!). Funnily enough, my taste tester friends all had the exact same reaction.

I won't say this beats my classic tiramisu made with coffee soaked ladyfingers, but it is different and just as delicious. So if you are a skeptic, give it a shot. And if you already love chai, definitely give it a shot!

Video Tutorial

Here's a short video tutorial to see this chai tiramisu recipe in action:

Differences between chai tiramisu and classic tiramisu

This Masala Chai Tiramisu is made very similarly to classic Italian Tiramisu, but with a few key differences. If you want in depth tips and variations (e.g., alcoholic vs alcohol free tiramisu, egg whites vs whipped cream, raw vs cooked eggs, recommended mascarpone brand), I highly recommend giving my tiramisu recipe a read!

  1. Cardamom in the mascarpone cream. If you don't know, cardamom is to South Asian desserts what cinnamon is to American desserts! It is a beautiful, delicate spice added to chai to make it "masala chai". A small amount added to the mascarpone cream brings in that masala flavor
  2. Masala chai soak for the ladyfingers. Obviously, the ladyfingers are soaked in strong chai instead of coffee - more on this below
  3. Cinnamon and cardamom mixed with cocoa powder. You'll be surprised how well cocoa powder works with chai, but to really tie in all the flavors, add a touch of cinnamon and cardamom to the cocoa powder
  4. Crushed freeze dried strawberries to garnish. This is optional, but I love to finish this chai tiramisu with freeze dried strawberries. Not only do they add a beautiful color to the dessert to distinguish it from regular tiramisu, they also brighten the flavor (just like rose added to many Indian desserts!)
A close-up view of a rectangular dish of chai tiramisu with a large slice removed, revealing creamy layers of mascarpone cheese, chai-soaked ladyfingers, and a dusting of cocoa powder on top.

How to make chai for chai tiramisu

The most important thing in this tiramisu is, obviously, the chai, and it very important to use strong chai, because the flavor gets diluted once combined with all the other components. Here are my tips:

  • Use a masala chai blend if possible. Many brands sell these and they already have the masalas added to the chai. I have used the masala chai from Rishi Tea and Elaichi Co. However, if you can only find plain chai, add in small amounts of cardamom, cinnamon and ginger powder. Even if you're not a fan of masala in your chai, I recommend it for tiramisu!
  • Use water instead of milk. While chai is traditionally made with milk, I recommend brewing it in water for tiramisu to allow the flavor to be more concentrated. Not to mention, you get enough creaminess from the mascarpone cream and therefore don't need the milk!
  • Make it twice as strong as you normally would. If using tea bags, I recommend using 4-6 for the 1 ½ cups of water. If using loose tea leaves, use about 2 tbsp. The exact quantity will depend on both the strength of the chai you're using and your preferences, so definitely taste and adjust!
  • Brew properly. I recommend cooking the chai in boiling water for 5 minutes, whether you're using tea bags or loose tea leaves. Make sure to squeeze the teabags to extract all their flavor

Making it dirty

A fan of dirty chai? You can totally turn this tiramisu into a dirty chai tiramisu! Use an equal mixture of coffee and chai for the soak and get the best of both worlds.

A close-up of a slice of creamy chai tiramisu on a white plate, topped with cocoa powder and a freeze dried strawberries. Another slice is blurred in the background, with a fork resting next to the dessert.

Step By Step Photos

Let's quickly go over the process with photos for the visual learners:

A glass bowl containing eggs and sugar sits on top of a pot over a stove burner, ready for mixing.

Add the egg yolks, sugar, salt and vanilla to a heat-safe bowl.

A glass bowl with whipped eggs and sugar being mixed by an electric hand mixer, sitting on a stovetop. Some batter splatters are visible on the bowls sides and on the stove.

Place on a double boiler and whisk on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until the mixture looks light, fluffy and ribbony. This step tempers the egg yolks so they're not raw.

A wooden bowl with smooth, creamy mascarpone cheese being mixed by a red spatula, placed on a wooden surface.

In a separate bowl, whisk the mascarpone cheese until creamy (just ~30-60s). I highly recommend Galbani mascarpone for the creamiest result!

eggs and sugar poured on top of mascarpone cheese and a sprinkle of caramom in a wooden bowl on a wooden board

Pour the egg yolk mixture onto the mascarpone cheese along with cardamom powder.

A wooden bowl filled with creamy mascarpone and egg mixture, being stirred with a red spatula, sits on a wooden cutting board atop a light-colored countertop.

Whisk on medium speed until the ingredients are just combined - avoid overmixing as that can split the mascarpone.

A glass bowl filled with smooth, whipped cream being mixed with a red spatula, sitting on a wooden surface.

Separately, whisk the heavy cream to medium peaks.

A round wooden bowl filled with smooth, creamy, pale yellow mascarpone cream is placed on a wooden surface.

Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone cream in 2-3 additions until just combined.

A white bowl filled with hot tea, with four steeping tea bags floating on the surface. The bowl is placed on a wooden surface with a checkered pattern. Steam rises from the tea.

Cook the masala chai in boiling water for 5 minutes, then let cool down.

A hand placing ladyfinger biscuits in a single layer at the bottom of a clear glass baking dish on a wooden surface. The person is wearing a gold bracelet with white floral charms.

To assemble, dip the ladyfingers one by one in the chai (just 1-2 seconds) and layer them on the bottom of your dish.

A glass dish filled with a layer of ladyfinger cookies, topped with a thick layer of creamy mascarpone mixture, sits on a wooden cutting board.

Spread on half of the mascarpone cream.

A glass dish filled with neatly arranged chai soaked ladyfinger cookies on a wooden board. A hand dips a ladyfinger in chai, preparing it to add to the dish.

Add a second layer of the chai-soaked ladyfingers.

A glass baking dish filled with a smooth, creamy layer of tiramisu cream sits on a wooden cutting board atop a speckled kitchen counter.

Spread on the remaining mascarpone cream.

Once assembled, cover and refrigerate the tiramisu for at least 6 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, dust with the mixture of cocoa powder, cinnamon and cardamom, and then with crushed freeze dried strawberries. Slice up and enjoy!

A glass dish of tiramisu with a large rectangular slice removed, showing layers of cream, chai-soaked ladyfingers, and a cocoa powder topping. A plate with a slice of tiramisu is partially visible in the background.

My favorite tiramisu dish!

I use this rectangular glass casserole dish for my tiramisu and am utterly obsessed with it. It is made of glass so you can see the layers, has straight edges for the perfect slices, is the perfect size and depth. It even comes with a lid! You can use this stainless steel spatula with straight edges for the perfect square slices.

A slice of chai tiramisu with layers of cream and chai soaked ladyfingers sits on a white plate, topped with cocoa powder and a freeze dried strawberries. The background is softly blurred.
Print
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A slice of chai tiramisu topped with a dusting of cocoa powder and a crushed freeze dried strawberries sits on a white scalloped plate, with a fork and another dessert slice in the background.

Masala Chai Tiramisu Recipe

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  • Author: Zoha
  • Total Time: 6+ hours with chilling
  • Yield: 8-10 servings
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Description

A light and creamy chai tiramisu made with a cardamom mascarpone cream, masala chai soaked ladyfingers, and cinnamon cocoa powder dusting on top

Ingredients

Cardamom mascarpone cream:

  • 16 oz Mascarpone cheese (450g), cold from the fridge -  I recommend Galbani
  • 4 egg yolks
  • ⅔ cup granulated or caster sugar (133g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp cardamom powder
  • 1 ½ cup heavy cream, chilled (360g)

Assembly:

  • 30-36 ladyfingers*
  • 1 ½ cup strong masala chai brewed in water, room temperature (360g)*
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder + ¼ tsp cardamom and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon to dust
  • Optional: crushed freeze dried strawberries for garnish

Instructions

Cardamom mascarpone cream

  1. Whisk the mascarpone cheese on medium speed for 30-60 seconds until creamy. Scrape the bowl and set aside
  2. In a separate heat-proof bowl, add the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and salt. Boil 1-2" of water in a saucepan and reduce heat to the lowest setting. Place the bowl with egg yolks and sugar on top of the saucepan such that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. This is a double boiler. Whisk on medium-high speed for exactly 2 minutes, then remove from heat. The mixture will be light and fluffy. Do not overmix or overheat as it can become grainy
  3. Pour the egg yolk and sugar mixture onto the mascarpone cheese. Add cardamom, then whisk on medium speed just until combined, scraping the bowl halfway (do not overmix as the mixture can become grainy)
  4. In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream until it reaches medium stiff peaks (just starts to hold shape). Do not overmix
  5. Add the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture in 2-3 additions, folding gently with a rubber spatula and taking care not to knock out the air. You will have a creamy, light mixture

Assembly and serving:

  1. If you haven't already, make your masala chai. Add masala chai tea bags or tea leaves to boiling water in a pot and simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes, then let the mixture cool down.
  2. Pour the chai into a wide bowl, and make sure it is not hot. Dip each ladyfinger quickly into the chai (I do a quick dip on each side) and add a layer of soaked ladyfingers in the bottom of a 8x9.5" rectangular dish*
  3. Spread on half of the mascarpone cream evenly
  4. Repeat with another layer of soaked ladyfingers
  5. Top with the remaining mascarpone cream
  6. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or ideally overnight
  7. When ready to serve, mix the cocoa powder with cinnamon and cardamom, and dust evenly on top of the tiramisu using a small fine mesh sieve. Optionally, grind or crush freeze dried strawberries and dust on top. Cut into slices and serve!

Notes

  • Ladyfingers: Also known as savoiardi / sponge fingers, these are long oval shaped biscuits made from a sponge cake batter, which become like cake when dipped in the coffee. They are available in grocery stores and on Amazon, but you can also make them at home
  • Chai: You can use masala chai teabags or loose tea, but make it twice as strong as you usually would. I make mine with 4-6 teabags in 1.5 cups of water, simmered for 5 minutes. If you only have pure chai (not masala), add ¼ to ½ teaspoon each of cinnamon, cardamom and ginger
  • Cooking eggs: This recipe ensures eggs are not used raw by using a double boiler. However, if you have pasteurized eggs and prefer to cut down the time, you can skip the double boiler and whisk on the countertop
  • Serving dish: I use a 8x9.5" rectangular dish, but you can also use a 7x11" dish, a 9x9" dish, individual cups or even circular / oval dishes of similar size. Just trim the ladyfingers to fit accordingly
  • Make ahead & storing: You can make this tiramisu up to 1 day in advance, keep it covered in the refrigerator, and dust with cocoa powder when you are ready to serve. Any longer and it will start to get soggy. To store, keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days (although it is best in the first 2-3 days)
  • Prep Time: 20 min
  • Cook Time: 5 min
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: South Asian

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