MATCHA & CHERRY PANETTONE TIRAMISU
Tiramisu is the ultimate indulgent Italian dessert, layering coffee soaked ladyfingers with velvety mascarpone cream and a dusting of cocoa for that perfect blend of rich and airy textures. Using panettone instead of the traditional biscuit is a brilliantly playful twist, it’s like giving your Christmas bread a second life, soaking up, in this case cherry syrup, to add an extra depth of flavour while bringing a light, fruity fluffiness that elevates the whole dish. Plus, it’s a clever way to avoid wasting that leftover holiday bread, turning it into a show stopping dessert that’s both nostalgic and totally delicious.
Now this version is bringing together two of my favourite loves. Matcha and cherries. Now don’t get scared off by the matcha here, the flavour hums through but is not overpowering at all. My partner hates matcha and he loved it, with the combination of matcha and cherries playing off each other for a savoury and sweet one two punch.
Th matcha makes its way into the marscapone chantilly cream, giving it a lovely light pistachio colour that’s very cool and sheik in cooking right now. The cherry pit loose syrup, is a dream and the perfect way to use up cherry pits that would just get tossed normally. Then the fresh bright cherries through the tiramisu offers a bright tart hit, to cut through all the richness. But the best part is that top dusting that creates a Christmas like wrapping paper effect of green and pinky red. It’s strikingly beautiful as it is delicious, and its one of my favourite modern takes on an absolute classic.
MATCHA & CHERRY PANETTONE TIRAMISU
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MATCHA & CHERRY PANETTONE TIRAMISU 〰️
Time: 45 minutes + 30 minutes chilling
Serves: 12-15
Cherry Pit Syrup
350gm fresh cherries
1 lemon, peel and juice
1 cup caster sugar
3 table spoons cherry liqueur
Matcha Chantilly Cream
600gm thickened cream
500gm mascarpone
80gm icing sugar
3 table spoons high quality matcha powder
1.5kg panettone
Extra matcha powder, for dusting
Freeze dried strawberry powder, for dusting
Start by making the cherry pit syrup. Halve the cherries and using a knife and place all the pits into a small pan/pot, and place the cherry halves to the side for later. In the pot along with the cherry pits, add in the lemon peels and caster sugar, as well as 1 cup of cold water. Place on medium heat and bring it to a gentle simmer. Once simmer is reach take off heat and allow to infuse, whilst you work on the other components.
In a large bowl add in thickened cream, mascarpone, icing sugar and matcha powder and using an electric whisker, whisk to stiff peaks, making sure to not take it too far and turn it into butter. You can whisk by hand, but it will take a lot longer.
Using a bread knife, slice the panettone vertically into index finger sized slices. Place to the side.
Once ready to assemble strain the cherry pit syrup into a measuring cup. Add in the cherry liqueur as well as the juice of half a lemon. Then add in cold water so that the total amount of liquid is 750ml.
In a large baking/serving dish add a very thin layer of matcha cream on the base. On top of the cream add a layer of the sliced panettone making sure it’s completely sealed with the sweet bread. Spoon 1/3 of the cherry pit syrup onto the panettone making sure you get every spot. Add 1/3 of the match cream on top and smooth out before placing half of the cherry halves across the matcha cream as a cherry layer. Repeat this process twice over but instead of cherry halves on top, you will finish with the dusting layer on top. Prep the matcha powder and strawberry powder but placing a couple spoons of each into a small sieve respectively. Using two sheets of baking paper, create a striped design, alternating between shaking the matcha powder then the strawberry powder through a small sieve for a pink and green pattern. Sit in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes before serving, to allow it set together.
Layer order:
TOP
Matcha & strawberry powder pattern
1/3 matcha cream
1/3 cherry pit syrup
Sliced panettone layer
1/2 halved cherries
1/3 matcha cream
1/3 cherry pit syrup
Sliced panettone layer
1/2 halved cherries
1/3 matcha cream
1/3 cherry pit syrup
Sliced panettone layer
Very thin layer matcha cream
BASE