This Pistachio Tiramisu is the no-bake dessert recipe you have been waiting for! Layers of boozy coffee-soaked ladyfinger biscuits layered with pistachio mascarpone cream and dusted with cocoa powder. Heaven!
Tiramisu has to be one of the world’s favorite desserts and for good reason - it’s creamy, boozy, and a little chocolatey. And this version of a classic tiramisu adds a little crunch, with pistachios making this recipe an absolute must-try!
I love desserts that can be made ahead, especially during the Christmas season when entertaining is so much more.
If you are looking for other low-fuss desserts that don’t need the oven, try this recipe for a Caramel and Jelly Trifle or this recipe for a Peppermint Crisp Tart. And since this recipe doesn't use egg whites, use them in this recipe of Mini Meringues!
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Ingredients
You will need the ingredients listed below to make this pistachio tiramisu recipe. Remember to always use fresh ingredients when baking.
- Strong brewed coffee
- Marsala
- Ladyfinger biscuits
- Egg yolks
- Castor sugar
- Mascarpone
- Pistachios
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla extract
- Cocoa powder
- Chocolate
Strong brewed coffee – for this recipe I used ground espresso beans made in a French press. If you have a coffee machine you can make shots of espresso or you can use instant espresso powder. The flavor of the coffee is very important in this recipe.
Marsala – for this recipe I used Marsala, you can use Kahlua coffee liqueur, Sherry, Amaretto Liqueur or Martini. You can also choose to leave out the alcohol if you prefer.
Ladyfinger biscuits – you will need lady fingers or savoiardi cookies for this recipe. I used Bakers Boudoir biscuits, you are looking for an airy biscuit that is able to soak up the coffee and alcohol mixture.
Pistachios – choose raw and unsalted pistachios for this recipe.
Whipping cream – you will need a heavy whipping cream for this recipe, which is about 36% fat. The cream must be cold before whipping for the best results.
Mascarpone – this is a soft cheese with high-fat content. For this recipe, it's best to take the cheese out of the fridge only about 10 minutes before using it.
Chocolate – choose a quality great-tasting milk chocolate for this recipe, you will need it to grate over the top of the tiramisu.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Follow the instructions below to make this tiramisu. First, we will be making the pistachio cream, then layering the dessert before allowing it to set in the fridge.
STEP 1: Roast then grind the pistachios in a food processor. Place the pistachios in a frying pan and lightly roast them. Then divide the pistachios in half, add half of the nuts to a food processor and blend until fine. Set aside.
STEP 2: Whisk egg yolks and sugar. Place the egg yolks and sugar into a bowl of a double boiler set over simmering water. Whisk the eggs and sugar over medium heat until light in color and creamy. The mixture must be at the ribbon stage, it is ready when it holds a figure 8 for a few seconds.
STEP 3: Add the mascarpone. Add the mascarpone to the egg yolk mixture and gently mix the two together with a rubber spatula and then a hand whisk to make sure there are no lumps.
STEP 4: Whip the cream. Add the cream and vanilla extract to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, and beat at a low speed until stiff peaks form. This can take up to 10 minutes.
STEP 5: Fold cream into egg mixture. Gently fold the whipped cream into the egg and mascarpone mixture using a rubber spatula.
STEP 6: Fold through the ground pistachios. Add the pistachios to the cream mixture and fold to combine.
Instructions for assembly
STEP 1: Assemble. Pour the coffee and alcohol into a shallow dish, soak the finger biscuits one at a time in the liquid, and lay them into your serving dish - creating a layer of soaked biscuits. Then pour half of the mascarpone mixture over the biscuit layer and smooth it out with a spatula. Place the second layer of soaked biscuits onto the cream and then top this with the remaining mascarpone mixture. Place the dish in the fridge for about 6 hours or overnight to set.
STEP 2: Decorate. Remove the set tiramisu from the fridge and dust it with cocoa powder then use a fine grater to grate the chocolate over the top, sprinkle the remaining crushed pistachios over the top of the dessert, and serve cold. Enjoy!
Hint: do not overwork the mascarpone cheese, otherwise the mixture can curdle. This can happen very easily, so be careful.
This may be a no-bake dessert but don’t be fooled, many things can go wrong while making this seemingly easy dessert. I have been humbled many times by dessert! So follow the recipe and see my expert tips below for the best results.
Substitutions
This dessert can be made egg-free if you’d prefer. Leave out the step of beating together the egg yolks and castor sugar and instead whip the cream with 100grams of icing sugar and fold the mascarpone into the cream. Continue as instructed.
Variations
If you can’t find pistachios you can leave out the nuts or replace them with almonds or even hazelnuts.
Equipment
This recipe can be made entirely by hand without the need for an electric stand mixer or electric hand mixer but I have used one to whip the cream as this can be quite the job!
Storage
This dessert must be stored in the fridge until serving, any leftover tiramisu can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Be sure to either wrap the dish tightly in plastic wrap or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container.
I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
Top tips
- Choose to whisk the egg yolks and sugar over a water bath so that this recipe doesn’t contain raw eggs.
- When whisking the egg yolks and sugar together, make sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water.
- Add the mascarpone by hand, do not decide to use a mixer for this as you can easily overwork the cheese and the mixture can curdle.
- The cream must be cold before whipping, also whip the cream slowly for the best results, increasing the speed gradually.
- Don’t rush the setting process, ideally, let the tiramisu set in the fridge overnight.
FAQ
This probably happened when adding the mascarpone, as explained the cheese needs to be added gently. Do not overwork the cheese with a whisk before adding it. Also, the cheese must be between cold and room temperature, removing it from the fridge 10 to 15 minutes before needing it is ideal.
If you have left it in the fridge long enough and it is still a little liquid then you probably did not whisk the eggs and sugar until the ribbon stage or whisk the cream for long enough.
Be careful not to oversoak the biscuits, these biscuits soak up liquid very easily so a quick turn in the coffee mixture is enough for this recipe.
I hope I have convinced you to give this classic dessert recipe a try! Follow the guides to make sure you make the perfect tiramisu. If you do give this recipe a try, please leave a comment and star review below with your feedback!
I would love to see photos of your tiramisu, so please get in touch on Instagram @with_love_kitty
Happy Baking
With Love,
Kitty
📖 Recipe
Pistachio Tiramisu
Equipment
- 1x 30cmx21cmx4cm dish
Ingredients
- 100 grams pistachios, raw
- 6 egg yolks
- 225 grams castor sugar
- 250 ml mascarpone
- 250 ml heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 100 ml Marsala
- 250 ml strong brewed coffee
- 400 grams ladyfinger biscuits
- 10 grams cocoa powder, for dusting
- 20 grams milk chocolate, for grating
Instructions
- Place the pistachios in a frying pan and lightly toast them. Then divide the pistachios in half, add half of the nuts to a food processor and blend until fine. Roughly chop the remaining nuts. Set aside.
- Place the egg yolks and sugar into a bowl of a double boiler set over simmering water. Whisk the eggs and sugar over medium heat until light in color and creamy. The mixture must be at the ribbon stage, it is ready when it holds a figure 8 for a few seconds.
- Add the mascarpone to the egg yolk mixture and gently mix the two together with a rubber spatula and then a hand whisk to make sure there are no lumps.
- Add the cream and vanilla extract to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, and beat at a low speed until stiff peaks form. This can take up to 10 minutes.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the egg and mascarpone mixture using a rubber spatula.
- Add the finely blended pistachios to the cream mixture and fold to combine.
- Pour the coffee and alcohol into a shallow dish, soak the finger biscuits one at a time in the liquid, and lay them into your serving dish - creating a layer of soaked biscuits. Then pour half of the mascarpone mixture over the biscuit layer and smooth it out with a spatula. Place the second layer of soaked biscuits onto the cream and then top this with the remaining mascarpone mixture. Place the dish in the fridge for about 6 hours or overnight to set.
- Remove the set tiramisu from the fridge and dust it with cocoa powder then use a fine grater to grate the chocolate over the top, sprinkle the remaining crushed pistachios over the top of the dessert, and serve cold. Enjoy!
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