Pistachio Tiramisu

Pistachio Tiramisu, a delicious Sicilian twist on a classic Italian dessert that requires no baking! Tiramisu, which means “pick me up” in Italian, is a classic dessert made with coffee infused lady fingers layered with a sweetened, creamy mascarpone cream. And best of all, this easy dessert requires no baking whatsoever!

I can’t believe I only started making tiramisu a few years ago. And since then my mother requests it for all our family birthday gatherings.  It’s a no-fail dessert that everyone appreciates!

I decided to give tiramisu a little Sicilian twist to it by adding pistachios! It’s topped with crushed pistachios to give it a crunchy texture as well as a pretty finish. And, I also made pistachio butter and stirred it into the mascarpone cream for a subtle pistachio flavor.

Why do so many Sicilian recipes contain pistachios?

The collection of pistachio recipes on my blog is increasing as the years go by. Referred to by Italians as green gold , pistachios are native of the island of Sicily.

They grow in Bronte, in the volcanic soil of the slopes of Mt Etna where they are harvested by hand once every two years. It’s no wonder they are so expensive! In Sicily, you’ll find entire shops dedicated to products made with pistachios.

Now I know you won’t necessarily find Sicilian pistachios where you live so you’ll have to substitute whichever variety are available to you at your local grocery store.  However, if you happen to find yourself in Sicily, be sure to pick up a bag of vacuum sealed pistachios to take home as a souvenir!

Here are a few other recipes with pistachios (both sweet and savory) to try out:

• Sicilian Veal Involtini
• Pistachio Pesto 
• Pistachio Amaretti
• Sicilian Pistachio and Nutella Cake
• Mortadella, Ricotta and Pistachio Pesto Pizza

Ingredient list:

You’ll need the same ingredients to make this version of tiramisu as your classic tiramisu as well as, of course, shelled unsalted pistachios!

• eggs (separated): Most recipes use raw eggs and therefore you may be concerned about the risk of salmonella bacteria. However I cook the egg yolks with sugar over a double boiler to avoid this potential problem. 
• granulated sugar
• mascarpone cheese: some people mix with whipped cream however I prefer not diluting the flavor of  the mascarpone cheese
• freshly brewed espresso coffee: it must be espresso, not instant coffee!
• alcohol: Marsala is the alcohol of choice but you can substitute rum; coffee liqueur or even amaretto. 
• Savoiardi cookies (Italian lady fingers): these crunchy cookies will not fall apart when dipped in the coffee
• cocoa powder
• pistachios: shelled, unroasted

Step by Step Instructions

Make pistachio butter

Add shelled pistachios in the bowl of your food processor and process until finely chopped.  Add honey, vegetable oil and process until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.  Scoop  into a bowl and set aside.

Brew espresso coffee, place in a wide shallow dish. Stir in alcohol of your choice (Marsala, rum, coffee liqueur, or amaretto) and set aside to cool.

Separate the eggs and place the whites and yolks in separate bowls. Place the bowl with the egg whites in the fridge to keep cool for whipping them later.

Prepare a double boiler:  Combine the egg yolks with sugar in a bowl and place over a small sauce pan with water simmering in it. The simmering water should not touch the bottom of the bowl.

Whisk until the mixture is creamy and pale and forms ribbons when you lift the whisk, about 3 minutes. Let it cool.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. 

When the egg yolk mixture has cooled, stir in mascarpone cheese until smooth.  Gently fold in half the egg whites.  Stir in the other half. Add the pistachio butter and stir until completely incorporated. 

Assemble the tiramisu:

Spread a thin layer of mascarpone cream on the bottom of a rectangular dish (mine is 12 x 10 inches). You can skip this step if you wish, I just like something on the bottom for the cookies to stick to.

Dip Savoiardi cookies in the cooled espresso coffee, turning once to soak each side and place in an even layer in the dish (1).

Spread half the mascarpone-pistachio cream mixture over the cookies and gently spread the cream evenly using an offset spatula (2).

Dip more Savoiardi cookies to make a second layer of cookies over the cream (3). Spread the remaining mascarpone-pistachio cream over the cookies (4).

Dust lightly with cocoa powder and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.

Place in the fridge for at least 6 hours. I prefer making my tiramisu a day ahead to allow the cookies to soften and absorb the coffee.  Serve cold and keep leftovers refrigerated.

Tips and suggestions

• Depending on the size of the dish you use, you may use more or less cookies than I specified in the recipe. You may also break cookies in half in order to fill in corners.
• If you don’t have Marsala, try substituting with rum, coffee liqueur or amaretto. Or if you prefer you can eliminate the alcohol altogether.
• Let set in the fridge at least 6 hours before serving, however I prefer making it the day before
• Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
• Instead of 1 large tiramisu, make individually portions in cups or glasses.  Spoon some mascarpone cream at the bottom of a glass, break the Savoiardi cookies in pieces to fit the glass, top with more cream and continue layering. Sprinkle with cocoa powder and chopped pistachios and refrigerate.

If you try out this Pistachio Tiramisu recipe, please rate it in the recipe card below.  And feel free to Pin it for later. Buon appetito!