Hojicha Tiramisu
Vegetarian // serves 4-6
Hojicha tastes kind of like the midpoint between coffee and matcha, and a bit chocolatey too, so it really works in a tiramisu. And the homemade ladyfingers are so worth it if you have the time.
what you need:
for the ladyfingers (makes 36 cookies):
3 eggs, separated
½ cup sugar, split into two ¼ cup portions
½ tsp vanilla
⅛ tsp cream of tartar
pinch of kosher salt
¾ cup cake flour. you can use all-purpose flour, but cake flour will yield a fluffier texture.
1 tbsp corn starch
powdered sugar for dusting
TIP: you can use store-bought ladyfingers, though the homemade ones have a better flavor and texture. if you’ve got the time, I highly recommend making them!
for the hojicha-soaked ladyfingers:
12 lady fingers, or enough to cover the bottom of a large shallow container (I use a wooden bowl 9 ½ in across and 1 ½ in deep) in a single layer.
1 ½ tbsp hojicha powder. I like to use Oakland Tea Company’s Organic Hojicha Powder.
1 cup hot water, about 200 F
1 tsp sugar
for the mascarpone cream:
1 egg, separated
6 tbsp (⅜ cup) sugar, split into 2 tbsp (⅛ cup) and 4 tbsp (¼ cup) portions
½ tsp vanilla
pinch of kosher salt
2 tbsp (⅛ cup) water
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
8 oz mascarpone cheese
more hojicha powder for dusting
optional: matcha, natural cocoa powder, and Dutch process cocoa powder for dusting
how to make it:
to make the ladyfingers:
preheat oven to 400 F. line two baking trays with parchment paper. have a cooling rack ready.
add egg yolks and ¼ cup sugar into a bowl, beat until pale and doubled in volume. add vanilla and mix to incorporate. set aside.
in the clean bowl of a stand mixer, add egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt. beat to soft peaks. you can also use a hand-held mixer or beat by hand.
gradually add the remaining ¼ cup sugar into the whites, beating all the while, until whites reach stiff peaks. set aside.
sift flour and cornstarch into the bowl with the yolks. add a third of the beaten whites into the bowl with the yolks. fold to combine, then add remaining whites in two more additions, folding until a uniform batter is achieved.
using a piping bag with a ½ in round tip, pipe cookies 3 ½ in long and 2 inches apart on the lined baking trays. dust cookies with powdered sugar.
bake on the center rack in the oven for 8 minutes.
at this point, you can take out the ladyfingers out and they will be soft, with no browning, and can be eaten as a snack with tea. however, for this recipe, we want to dry out the ladyfingers a bit more. so lower the oven temp to 375 F and continue baking the ladyfingers for another 3-5 minutes, until they have taken on a light golden color.
remove ladyfingers from the oven. wait a couple minutes for the tray to cool slightly, then transfer ladyfingers to the cooling rack.
dust ladyfingers with more powdered sugar and allow to cool completely.
TIP: make ahead and store in an airtight bag at room temperature if assembling tiramisu the next day.
to make the tiramisu:
in a shallow bowl, combine hojicha powder and sugar.
add hot water. using a chasen (bamboo whisk) or whisk, stir to dissolve. allow the mixture to cool until safe to handle.
one by one, dip the ladyfingers into the tea mixture and place into the bottom of your shallow container, forming a single layer. if using a bowl, the ladyfingers can come up the sides a bit.
pour a couple tbsps of the remaining tea mixture, if any, over the lady fingers. set aside.
prepare a double boiler by adding water into a saucepan and bringing to a simmer.
add egg yolks and 2 tbsp sugar into a heat-safe bowl that fits snugly over the saucepan without touching the water. over the simmering water, beat until pale and doubled in volume.
remove from the double boiler, add vanilla and mix to incorporate. set aside to cool.
add egg whites and salt into the clean bowl of a stand mixer. beat to soft peaks.
add water and remaining 4 tbsp sugar into a saucepan over medium heat to make a simple syrup. once simple syrup reaches 250 F, take off the heat. with the stand mixer running, stream hot syrup into the egg whites, beating until a glossy meringue forms. set aside.
in another bowl, beat heavy cream to medium peaks.
add mascarpone cheese into the bowl with the yolks, which should be cool by now. whisk to combine. in a few additions, fold in meringue and whipped cream.
spread the mascarpone cream over the lady fingers in an even layer. smooth the surface.
cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
to serve:
dust the surface of the chilled tiramisu with matcha, hojicha powder, natural cocoa powder, and Dutch process cocoa powder. scoop onto serving plates and enjoy.
tip: tiramisu keeps in the fridge for a few days.
