Pandan Tiramisu: A Festive Indotalian Twist 🎄

You know how everyone says you need some greens on your Christmas dinner table?
Well… here’s my version of greens: Pandan Tiramisu.

I made this dessert for a Christmas dinner with my best friend, who happens to be married to an Italian. I was a little nervous serving a twist on such a classic dessert, but I’m happy to report: it passed the Italian approval test!

Inspired by Indonesia 🇮🇩☕

The idea for this pandan tiramisu had been living in my head ever since I returned from Indonesia last year. While I was there, I discovered a coffee trend that completely stole my heart: iced pandan lattes.

I’m not exaggerating when I say I drank one every single day. The nutty, vanilla-like aroma of pandan paired with coffee was absolutely irresistible. Naturally, I started wondering, what if I turned this flavour combination into a dessert?

And that’s how this Indotalian creation was born.

A Family-Friendly Tiramisu

This pandan tiramisu is made with families in mind:

• ❌ No raw eggs
• ❌ No alcohol

That means everyone can enjoy it: kids included! In fact, my daughter loved it so much she went back for another portion after breakfast the next day. That’s when I knew this recipe was a keeper.

Creamy, fragrant, lightly sweet, and beautifully green, this dessert quickly became our new family favourite, and honestly, it might become yours too!

A New Holiday Favourite

If you’re looking to surprise your guests with something familiar yet unexpected, this pandan tiramisu is perfect. It keeps the comforting structure of a classic tiramisu while introducing the unique, aromatic flavour of pandan.

Give it a try at home, share it with the people you love, and maybe start a new holiday tradition of your own 💚

Ingredients for Pandan Tiramisu

This recipe is made up of three main components: pandan essence, the pandan tiramisu cream, and the dipping liquid, plus optional toppings for extra texture and flair.

Pandan Essence

This homemade pandan essence gives the dessert its natural signature fragrance and flavour. In this recipe, I used the essence in the espresso mixture

• Pandan Leaves: Fresh or frozen pandan leaves (frozen ones are widely available in Asian markets). These provide a sweet, nutty, vanilla-like aroma.
• Water: Used to blend and extract the pandan flavour from the leaves.

Pandan Tiramisu

This is the heart of the dessert: rich, creamy, and lightly fragrant.

• Mascarpone cheese: The classic tiramisu base. Keeping it cold helps maintain a smooth, stable cream.
• Coconut whipped cream: Adds lightness and a subtle coconut flavour that pairs beautifully with pandan. Use chilled right out of the fridge. Of course you can substitute it with heavy whipping cream (use the one with higher fat percentage at least 35%).
• Egg yolks and sugar: Gently warmed over a double boiler to lightly cook the yolks while fully dissolving the sugar. Don’t waste the egg whites. You can use them to make a fluffy omelette or turn them into a beautiful pavlova.
• Pandan paste: Enhances both the color and flavour. Adjust as you mix to reach your preferred intensity.
• Lady fingers: It’s called “savoiardi” in Italian. They are essentially sponge cake cookies, and are easily found at grocery stores or online. Ladyfingers are perfect in other no-bake desserts like Trifle and Charlotte Cake. These sponge biscuits soak up the pandan-espresso mixture and form the layers of the tiramisu.
• Espresso or strong coffee: Provides the classic tiramisu bitterness without overpowering the pandan. Make sure it is in room temperature
• Pandan essence: To give the signature pandan aroma.
• Coconut milk: To mix in the pandan-espresso dipping, just like the iced pandan lattes.

How to make Pandan Tiramisu

• Make the pandan essence: Clean the pandan leaves and cut it into small pieces (2-3cm). Blend it until smooth and strain the blended pandan using colander or cheese cloth, give it a good squeeze so you get the most of the pandan juice. Set aside (best to leave it overnight to get more dense essence in the bottom of the pandan juice). After rested, drain the clearer water of the pandan juice, and you leave the darker green coloured juice on the bottom of the bowl, this should be about 50ml. This is your pandan essence.
• Prepare the egg mixture: In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together. Place the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly for 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and continue whisking for a few minutes to cool slightly.
• Make the mascarpone cream: In a separate bowl, beat the mascarpone with the rum using an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually mix in the cooled egg mixture until fully combined.
• Whip and fold the cream: Whip the cold coconut whipped cream in a chilled bowl until stiff peaks form: the cream should hold its shape when the beaters are lifted. Gently fold half of the coconut whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture, then carefully fold in the remaining cream until smooth and airy. Then add the pandan paste until you get the desired vibrant green color mixture.
• Soak the ladyfingers: Combine the coffee, coconut milk and pandan essence in a bowl. Briefly dip half of the ladyfingers into the mixture, making sure they don’t get soggy, then layer them evenly in a dessert glass or baking dish (I used dessert glasses).
• Spread the cream evenly over the soaked ladyfingers. Dip the remaining ladyfingers in the coffee mixture and layer them on top, then finish by spreading another layer of the cream over the surface. Cover and refrigerate overnight to set. Before serving, sprinkle with some fresh/toasted grated coconut. I added some coral tuile from my remaining pandan essence.

Tips for the Best Tiramisu

After making this recipe many times, these simple tips will help you achieve the best results:

• Dip the ladyfingers briefly. Over-soaking them can cause the layers to become soggy and lose structure. Just a quick dip on each side is enough.
• Use cold heavy whipping cream. Whip it slowly until stiff peaks form for a stable, airy texture. Be careful not to overwhip, or it may turn buttery and hard to incorporate.
• Fold gently. When combining the whipped cream with the mascarpone mixture, fold only until just blended to avoid a grainy texture.
• Allow enough chilling time. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or ideally overnight, so the tiramisu sets properly and slices cleanly when served.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Since the eggs in this tiramisu are gently cooked, the dessert keeps well and actually improves in flavour as it rests.

• Refrigeration: Cover tightly and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezing: Place in a freezer-safe, airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.