Masala Chai Tiramisu

A creamy, egg-free and no bake dessert; Masala Chai Tiramisu combines masala chai with milk rusk.

This dessert is a make-ahead one, and filled with all the flavors of masala chai.

Masala Chai is a drink that is loved across India. Filled with flavors from ginger, lemon grass, chai masala to just cardamom; the drink is refreshing and loved by almost everyone.

For Indians Chai is not really just a drink; it is a celebration. It is a part of the daily ritual and also seen in almost every celebration.

For a country obsessed with the flavors of chai; it is no surprise that the drink makes its way into food as well. There are so many chai flavored recipes across the board and these are loved just as much. Mousse, tres leches cake, popsicles to ice cream; chai is everywhere! And here is yet another amazing dessert using the flavors of chai; Masala Chai Tiramisu.

Jump to:

• What is Tiramisu
• This Masala Chai Tiramisu
• Why this recipe works
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• Expert Tips and Notes
• Making the Chai
• Recipe FAQs
• More Dessert Recipes
• Masala Chai Tiramisu

What is Tiramisu

Tiramisu is an Italian dessert that is flavored with coffee. It has ladyfingers (savoiardi) soaked in coffee and layered with a whipped mixture of mascarpone cheese, sugar and eggs flavored with cocoa.

The dessert is generally topped with a generous amount of cocoa powder for a great taste and color. The blend of coffee and cocoa powder with all the elements of tiramisu makes the dessert unique, flavorful and delicious!

This Masala Chai Tiramisu

Inspired by the popular dessert I made an Indian version of tiramisu. While it has the concept of the dessert, it is different in so many ways. And so by no means is it an authentic tiramisu recipe.

This recipe is made eggless and is flavored with masala chai instead of coffee. And yes, instead of savoiardi which generally has eggs; I use rusk toast. These are a natural substitute in the recipe as they are as dry as ladyfingers and pair brilliantly with masala chai.

Plus, there is no alcohol like the traditional tiramisu. We simply dip the rusks in chai for the recipe and layer it with chai masala flavored cream.

The dessert will be a great mix of chai, cream and chai masala. It is definitely a show stopper for any party; be it a baby shower, Diwali or a casual summer brunch.

Why this recipe works

• The recipe modifies an Italian recipe to make it full of Indian flavors.
• We only need about 20 minutes of active time to make this.
• It is a great semi-homemade dessert recipe.
• This tiramisu uses all the flavors of masala chai in every element.
• Chai works wonderfully in this tiramisu recipe.
• It is a naturally egg-free recipe.
• Plus, we do not add any alcohol in the recipe.
• We use the easy to find and eggless rusk in place of ladyfingers.
• The blend of chai masala makes the dessert super rich in spices yet not overpowering.
• It is easy to make this in a tray or in single serve portions.
• The recipe is a perfect make-ahead option for any party.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Rusk Toast: I like to use toast in this tiramisu in place of ladyfingers. It is egg-free and goes so well with anything that has chai. Make these rusk from scratch or use store bought rusk. However, traditional ladyfingers can be used too. And digestive biscuits will work as well.
• Mascarpone Cheese: The base of tiramisu is made using mascarpone cheese. However, cream cheese works as well. Make sure it is at room temperature to fold in well.
• Whipping Cream: Another element in the base, whipping cream makes the tiramisu super creamy. While only mascarpone cheese can be used, this makes it light and delicious.
• Chai Masala: An essential ingredient in the recipe; chai masala is great to flavor the base and to top off. I make my own chai masala and use it. However, store bought chai masala works too.
• Milk: I like to soak the toast in milk based chai. I use whole milk for this but half and half works as well. Using lower fat milk will result in a watery mix to soak the toast.
• Black Tea: Either loose black tea or tea bags work for the recipe. We need them to steep in milk so we so use a little more than you would in water and milk based chai.
• Sugar: I like to sweeten the chai and the cream mascarpone base with sugar. Both cane sugar or brown sugar works here.
• Ginger: Ginger adds so much flavor to the chai. Skip this only if there are allergies; else I strongly recommend using it. If fresh is unavailable, use some powdered dry ginger in the recipe.

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.

How to make this recipe

1- In a pan add milk, chai masala, sugar and black tea. Bring to a boil.

2- Once it comes to a boil, add in grated ginger. Lower the heat and bring to a boil again. Then turn off the heat.

3- Strain and set the tea aside to cool. Once it comes to room temperature, refrigerate till ready to assemble the tiramisu.

4- In a large bowl heavy cream and sugar.

5- Whip using a hand mixer till it starts to thicken.

6- Then add the chai masala and whip again till the cream has hard peaks.

7- In a small bowl add mascarpone cheese. Add the chai masala.

8- Mix well using a spatula till the cheese is smooth.

9- Add the cheese in the whipped cream and fold it in.

10- Once it is even, set aside.

11- Take the prepared chai in a flat bowl or plate. Dip in a toast and remove in 2-3 seconds.

12- Dip the other side and remove quickly.

13- Arrange these in a single layer in a baking tray.

14- Add half the prepared cheese and cream mixture and spread evenly.

15- Add another layer of soaked toast.

16- Top with the remaining cream and cheese mix and spread evenly on top. Wipe the sides using a wet towel.

17- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours and remove. Add some chai masala and cinnamon powder on top.

18- Cut into pieces and serve.

Expert Tips and Notes

• Make the chai with just milk and spices with sugar. Adding water will dilute it a lot and you will no taste the chai with all the other ingredients are in the tiramisu.
• When making chai with just milk, remember to bring it to a boil before adding ginger. Adding ginger to cold milk and bringing to a boil often splits the milk.
• If using loose tea leaves, don't forget to strain the chai. If using tea bags, this step is not required.
• While rusk is great in the recipe, using traditional ladyfingers (savoiardi) is an option too. Or use any thick digestive biscuits. Using Parle-G etc. will not work as they disintegrate in minutes.
• Mascarpone cheese is the ideal choice for the recipe. However, cream cheese does work well for the recipe. When combined with whipping cream, we get the perfect consistency.
• Assemble the dessert in a large tray and serve as pieces. Or simply assemble it in small jars and serve individually.
• Let the dessert rest for at least 6-8 hours in the refrigerator. That way the flavors blend and the dessert is delicious.
• Sprinkle the Masala Chai Tiramisu with some chai masala and cinnamon. Alternatively, mix these with some milk powder for a milder masala taste. Cocoa powder is an option too, but it introduces a new flavor in the recipe.
• This recipe is free from alcohol. However, adding some dark rum just before soaking the rusk is an option.
• While the dessert is free from alcohol, it does have chai which contains caffeine. So let kids enjoy if you are okay with giving caffeine to them.

Making the Chai

A lot of masala chai recipes would call for a mix of water and milk. While that is also how I make my everyday tea, it becomes too diluted when we use it to soak the rusk.

So for the recipe I make milk chai which is just milk with sugar and all the spices. This kind of chai is popularly known as Doodh Patti Chai. Doodh means milk and Patti refers to chai leaves. So this one has zero water and is super rich and creamy.

Some people prefer this as their morning chai too. And yes, it is super indulgent especially when made with whole milk.

Recipe FAQs

More Dessert Recipes