This fun indian fusion chai tiramisu recipe is super easy and quick to make. No raw eggs and no alcohol! You can make it a day or two in advance. In case you are not familiar, tiramisu is a coffee flavored classic talian dessert. Traditional tiramisu has layers of coffee dipped ladyfingers (savoiardi biscuits), egg yolks, cocoa powder, liqueur and mascarpone cheese. My family absolutely loves tiramisu and I love making it because eggless tiramisu are a breeze to put together. Looks so fancy misleading everyone that I toiled over it 馃檪 In case you haven’t, do check out this egg free rose tiramisu recipe that I made earlier this year. The idea of a chai tiramisu has been playing I’m my mind ever since a couple years back, I made this masala chai tres leche cake. Without a doubt, Chai or Indian Milk Tea is an incredible drink! I am ready for a cuppa anytime and masala chai with the aroma of all the aromatic spices tops my list of favorites. As I make more and more desserts with it, I am realizing that chai is as delicious in sweet treats. Whenever I make chai based desserts, it is my effort to keep the soul of chai intact. We are going to make traditional doodh patti chai by brewing black tea with spices in whole milk. Doodh patti is rich, thick and very warming. I also have a video on my instagram page.
About My Recipe
Cozy & Delicious - I simply used masala chai in place of coffee to dip the ladyfingers, then made a chai spiced mascarpone cream and layered it.The taste of masala chai in every bite of this tiramisu is so delish. It has a super soft texture, there is something so cozy about soft desserts, no? No raw egg yolks- You wont miss them. With a rich & creamy chai to dip the sponge fingers in and the whipped mascarpone, this tiramisu comes out dreamy & creamy! No Alcohol- Since I make this for family gatherings and kids, I usually dont add alcohol in my tiramisu. However you definitely can add a bit of dark rum if you wish. Takes about 20 minutes to make- Its one of those recipe you can whip up in under 30 minutes. It looks like a time intensive dessert, however, only you and me will know how darn quick this was 馃檪 Make ahead- You can make masala chai tiramisu up to 2 days in advance. It only gets better as it sits!
Doodh Patti Chai
To translate, Doodh = Milk, Patti = tea leaves. Doodh patti is a popular variant of chai (tea) served on streets of India. It is different from usual chai in that the black tea leaves are added straight to boiling milk. The chai is brewed on low heat. As the milk boils, the flavor of chai becomes intense. It is thick & absolutely warming. You may (faintly) imagine it as chai latte, however the flavor of doodh patti is way robust. Since I was going to use doodh patti for tiramisu, I made it using a mixture of half and half and heavy cream for I wanted to soak the lady fingers in a rich soaking liquid. If you don’t want to use cream, use all whole milk or half and half for brewing the chai.
Ingredients (Notes)
Here are the ingredients you will need.
Black Tea - When making chai, black tea leaves are a must. You may use loose tea leaves or unflavored black tea bags. Chai Masala- I am going to note down my homemade blend in the recipe card. However feel free to use spices that you like. I like mine with lots of green cardamom. Other spices I use are star anise, black pepper and nutmeg. You could use store bought chai masala too. Mascarpone Cheese is italian sweet cheese usually used in making desserts. If you are not able to find it, the closest substitute is cream cheese.聽 Lady fingers - These italian cookies are an ideal choice for making tiramisu. Lady fingers come in lots of varieties. I usually buy italian brands. However I know they can be difficult to find in few countries. You may use any tea biscuit. Few of the brands that I recommend are Rich tea or Marie biscuits. Dont use digestives or Parle G. We want a biscuit/cookie that is dry and does not get too soggy post soaking.
Instructions
Some Tips
Always wait for the milk to warm up before adding ginger else milk will curdle.聽 To prevent soggy tiramisu, just dip the ladyfingers for 1 or 2 seconds in chai mixture. Chill the bowls聽that you will be using to whip the heavy cream as well as the blades of the hand mixer.聽
Pro Tip- Place the bowls and blades of your mixer in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to chill.
Adjust spices to your liking- I love my chai masala to taste prominently of green cardamom with a hint of nutmeg. However, you can adjust the spices toy your liking.聽 Spatula is your best friend when making tiramisu. Smoothen the in between layers, the top and the edges. Use a water soaked paper towel to clean the sides and edges of the pan. Let the tiramisu soak for atleast 6 hours. Overnight is best. The flavor and texture of a well rested tiramisu is quite amazing to a rushed one. Dont dust the ground spices until you are ready to serve. They kind of get wet and dont look appetizing. A suggestion for leftover chai- You might have some leftover chai after layering. I freeze it in ice cube trays and use when I am making any chai flavored drinks or in shakes/smoothies.
If you love indian fusion desserts do check recipes like phirni br没l茅e, brownie burfi bites, lavender peda and more.
More Chai Recipes
Masala Chai Ice cream DiY Masala Chai Concentrate
