Strawberry Matchamisu

Method

1. 1Macerate the strawberries. Slice 300 g of the strawberries and toss them with 2 tablespoons of caster sugar in a bowl. Set aside for at least 20 minutes — they'll release juice and soften slightly. Reserve the remaining 100 g for slicing and decorating the top just before serving. The macerating juice will go into the cream later, so don't drain it.
2. 2Make the matcha soak. Sift the matcha powder into a wide, shallow bowl. Add the hot water (80°C is important — boiling water makes matcha bitter and astringent) and whisk vigorously in a zigzag motion until there are no lumps and a thin layer of foam forms on top. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of caster sugar and stir to dissolve. Let it cool to room temperature before using — warm soak will soften the ladyfingers too fast.
3. 3Make the cream. Set a heatproof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water — the bowl should not touch the water. Add the egg yolks and 80 g of caster sugar. Whisk constantly for 4–5 minutes until the mixture turns pale, thick, and ribbony, and reaches about 70°C. Remove from the heat and keep whisking until the mixture has cooled to room temperature — the outside of the bowl should feel cool, not warm. Setting the bowl in a sink of cold water while you whisk speeds this up. Only then add the mascarpone; warm yolks melt it and make the cream split. Beat in the mascarpone with a spatula until just combined — don't overwork it or it can turn grainy.
4. 4In a separate cold bowl, whip the heavy cream and vanilla extract to soft peaks — the cream should hold its shape but still look glossy, not stiff. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture in two additions, using a large rubber spatula and a gentle folding motion. Finally, lift the macerated strawberries out of their juice with a slotted spoon and fold them through the cream. Keep the strawberry juice.
5. 5Assemble the matchamisu. Pour the strawberry juice into the cooled matcha soak and stir to combine — this adds a pink blush to the dipping liquid. Working one at a time, briefly dip each ladyfinger into the matcha-strawberry soak: 2 seconds per side, no more. They should be damp but not saturated — if they fall apart, they've been in too long.
6. 6Arrange a layer of dipped ladyfingers in the bottom of a 23×33 cm dish (or similar). Spread half the mascarpone cream evenly over the top. Add a second layer of dipped ladyfingers. Spread the remaining cream over the top and smooth it flat.
7. 7Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Overnight is better — the ladyfingers absorb the cream and everything firms up into clean, sliceable layers. Just before serving, slice the reserved 100 g of strawberries and arrange them on top. Dust generously with sifted matcha powder through a fine sieve. Serve cold.