Exact quantities, then the method.
This swaps the Coffee-and-Marsala soak of a classic tiramisu for a strong stovetop Pukka Vanilla Chai concentrate, sweetened with brown sugar and laced with dark rum. It works because the mascarpone layer is built around vanilla anyway, and the chai spice (cinnamon, ginger, cardamom) picks up exactly where that vanilla ends; dark rum is a natural chai partner where a coffee tiramisu uses Marsala.
Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for the Vanilla Chai Tiramisu Soak recipe. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/chai-tea/vanilla-chai-tiramisu-soak/
It uses Pukka Organic Vanilla Chai. Brew the soak strong and milk-free; the milk goes in the cream, not the soak. Serves 8 to 10, chilled at least six hours.
You'll need
- For the chai soak:
- 2 Pukka Organic Vanilla Chai tea bags
- 250ml filtered water
- 1 thin coin of fresh ginger
- 1 green cardamom pod, lightly crushed
- 30g soft light brown sugar
- 30ml dark rum (Goslings Black Seal, Diplomatico Reserva, Mount Gay Black Barrel)
- For the tiramisu:
- 4 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
- 75g caster sugar
- 500g mascarpone (a full tub; do not substitute cream cheese, the texture is different)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 200g Italian savoiardi sponge fingers (about 24 fingers; 200g is roughly what is needed for an 8-portion dish)
- 2 tablespoons Cocoa powder, for dusting
- 20g dark chocolate (70 percent), grated on the fine side of a box grater, optional
- Dish: 22cm by 22cm square glass or ceramic dish, 6cm deep
Method
- Make the chai soak first so it has time to cool. Bring 250ml of water to 95 degrees in a small saucepan with the fresh ginger coin and the crushed cardamom pod. Drop in both Pukka Vanilla Chai bags, reduce to a gentle simmer (no rolling boil) and brew for four full minutes. Two bags in 250ml of water gives the strength needed for soaking; less and the fingers come out under-flavoured.
- Lift the bags out and stir in the 30g of soft light brown sugar until dissolved. Take the pan off the heat and let the soak cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Strain the cooled soak into a shallow bowl, discarding the ginger and cardamom. Stir in the 30ml of dark rum.
- While the soak cools, make the mascarpone cream. Whisk the four egg yolks with the 75g of caster sugar in a large bowl for three minutes until thick, pale and ribbon-trailing. Add the 500g mascarpone in three additions, whisking smooth between each, then whisk in the vanilla bean paste.
- In a separate clean bowl, whisk the four egg whites to soft peaks (the peaks should curl over when you lift the whisk, not stand stiff). Fold the egg whites into the mascarpone in three additions with a large metal spoon, taking care to keep as much air in as possible.
- Assemble. One at a time, dip each savoiardi sponge finger into the chai soak for exactly two seconds per side, then lay flat in the base of the 22cm square dish. Cover the base with one layer of soaked fingers, packed tightly. Spoon over half the mascarpone cream and spread to the edges with a palette knife.
- Repeat the layer: a second set of soaked savoiardi laid on top of the cream, then the remaining mascarpone cream spread smooth on top. The dish should be filled to about 1cm below the rim.
- Cover tightly with cling film and chill in the fridge for six hours minimum, ideally overnight. The chai flavour penetrates the cream during this rest; serving it too soon (under four hours) gives a much paler result.
- Just before serving, sift the 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder generously over the top through a fine sieve, then sprinkle the optional grated dark chocolate over the cocoa. Cut into 8 to 10 portions with a hot dry knife (warmed under hot tap water, dried).
The tea it is made with, and what to make next.
Want the background, not just the brew?
Brewed with: Pukka Organic Vanilla Chai, 20 Tea Bags 40g
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