Pistachio Tiramisu

This Pistachio Tiramisu is a nutty take on a classic. Biscuits soaked in a nutty espresso layered with a decadent pistachio mascarpone cream.

My love for all things pistachio has been going on for over a decade. And during that time I’ve made more pistachio desserts than I could ever count. Having said that, I think this Pistachio Tiramisu without a doubt sits firmly in my current top 3!

Pistachio Tiramisu

This Pistachio Tiramisu has layers of biscuits soaked in nutty espresso and layered with a creamy, rich, decadent pistachio mascarpone cream. It then gets finished off with an abundance of ground pistachios, turning it into quite the green delight.

It’s got the traditional beloved tiramisu flavour with two layers of coffee soaked biscuits. But it diverts into sweet nuttiness with a hint of earthiness from the pistachios. It’s rich and indulgent, and it would make for the perfect dessert for any dinner party.

This recipe is part of my ‘All Things Pistachio‘ series!

This entire series will be full of recipes that all have PISTACHIO. They’re perfect for fellow pistachio lovers.

Any long term readers here will already know I have a deep love for pistachio and plenty of existing pistachio recipes!

This series will be regularly updated with more and more pistachio recipes. So hopefully there’ll be something nutty for everyone.

You can find the rest of the recipes here.

I’m using rusk biscuits instead of savoiardi but either will work just fine!

I’m using cake rusk for the biscuits rather than the traditional savoiardi (ladyfingers) as they don’t contain eggs but achieve a very similar result. You can absolutely use savoiardi for this recipe and you wouldn’t need to make any other substitutions of changes.

Cake rusk are double baked sponges and are sold pre-cut in individual pieces. They’re dry biscuits much like the savoiardi which makes them perfect for soaking up espresso. They achieve the same texture once soaked which makes them suitable for an egg-free option.

We grew up with rusk being used for tiramisu as we were an egg-free household and it was easily accessible. It also did the job brilliantly well!

Milk Powder is my SECRET ingredient

Milk powder is a key ingredient here. It thickens and stabilises the cream layer, which means you can get those clean slices that hold together.

But it also plays another equally important role, and that is flavour. It adds richness, creaminess, and a more pronounced dairy flavour. Egg-free tiramisus often lack richness in comparison to the traditional counterparts, which achieve this through the inclusion of egg yolks.

So, adding full fat/full cream milk powder to an egg-free tiramisu works brilliantly to increase the richness whilst providing some necessary stability to the cream layer.

This Pistachio Tiramisu is all about the layers

• Espresso soaked biscuits – we’re soaking the rusk/savoiardi in a mixture of espresso with a hint of almond extract to ramp up the nuttiness
• Whipped pistachio mascarpone cream – a nutty and rich whipped mascarpone cream infused with pistachio cream with a hint of salt
• Ground pistachios – and an abundance of them for a vibrant finish

This tiramisu recipe is

• Egg free and alcohol free
• Easy to make
• Perfect for prepping in advance

Let’s talk about some of the main ingredients

I’ll cover the main ones below but the full recipe can be found at the end

• Pistachios – I use roasted unsalted pistachios
• Cake rusk – I use an egg free cake rusk from the brand ‘Regal’. But you can use any rusk or savoiardi (ladyfingers)
• Double cream – this is a cream that has enough fat for it to be whipped, also sold as heavy whipping cream
• Full fat/full cream milk powder
• Cornflour – this is sold as cornflour in the UK and corn starch in the US
• Mascarpone – this is an Italian cream cheese that’s got a higher fat percentage than regular cream cheese, in turn making it richer
• Pistachio cream – a sweet pistachio cream made from pistachios crushed to a paste which are then mixed with milk powder, sugar, and oil. I have the one I use linked under the ‘Pistachio Cream’ heading below

Pistachio Cream

Pistachio cream adds a little extra kick of pistachio flavour, creaminess, richness, and sweetness. It’s usually made from pistachios that are churned up into a smooth paste. Sugar, milk powder, and sometimes oil then get added in.

This is currently the cheapest one to purchase although this is the one I use. I tend to purchase quite a few jars whenever I notice them on offer!

This is an Amazon Affiliate link. This is the product that I use in this recipe. It is not a gifted or sponsored product. By using this affiliate link, I receive a small commission which is at no expense to yourself. This helps to support this blog for its day to day running. Many thanks.

The KEY tips for making this Pistachio Tiramisu

• Avoid over whipping the cream – this can cause it to split and turn grainy. We’re only whipping the cream to soft peaks
• Give the tiramisu plenty of time to chill – a minimum of 6 hours is essential for it to set up and the flavours to mingle. I personally like to give it a full 24 hours
• Use good quality coffee – I use a combination of a moka pot along with 2 shots of espresso. But feel free to use use any coffee that you like

How to make this Pistachio Tiramisu

1) Pour the double cream into a mixing bowl and then whisk to soft peaks (as soon as you see the cream starting to thicken – stop whisking)

2) Then, add in the softened mascarpone, pistachio cream, extracts, cornflour (this is corn starch for US readers), salt, and milk powder

3) Briefly whisk everything together and finish with a spatula until smooth and creamy

4) Start the layering process by dunking the biscuits one by one into the coffee. Dunk for only a second otherwise they’ll turn quite soggy

5) Place the soaked biscuits into an even layer as best as you can. If you’re also using cake rusk, you’ll notice they’ll slowly soften more and more. Even more important not to dunk these in the coffee for too long

6) Next, spread on half of the whipped pistachio mascarpone cream on top

7+8) Repeat the process, adding another layer of soaked biscuits and the remaining cream

9) Cover with a lid or clingfilm and place into the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours

10) Finish the pistachio tiramisu with ground pistachios before serving

Frequently asked questions

Can this Pistachio Pistachio Tiramisu be made vegan?

It can with good vegan cream cheese and double cream alternatives. I’d also recommend substituting the pistachio cream for pistachio butter, and the milk powder for coconut milk powder.

Use a plant based rusk of sponge fingers for the biscuit portion of the tiramisu.

How long will this Pistachio Tiramisu keep? What’s the best way to store it?

It will keep for up to 5 days (although best enjoyed on day 1 and 2) in an air tight container and refrigerated.

Are there any substitutes for the pistachio cream?

Pistachio butter would be a good substitute, but as it’s unsweetened I recommend adding in some form of sweetener. Sugar or melted white chocolate would both work, with white chocolate providing an additional benefit as a stabiliser for the cream.

Simply mix the pistachio butter and melted white chocolate (slightly cooled) with the mascarpone cream before folding in the whipped cream.

If you enjoyed this recipe

Please do let me know! Leave a review and a rating below, I’d love to know how you got on.

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Until then, happy tiramisu-making!