Tiramisu is the ultimate classic Italian dessert. Our Pistachio Cream Tiramisu is decadent, creamy, delicious, and can be the best part of the whole meal. The word tiramisu literally means "pick me up" in Italian. And as Italian as ever, it was created in a pleasure house and used as a way to "wake up" the clients' post-coitus, so they could return to their loving wives ready for action.
I, on the other hand, decided to make a pistachio cream tiramisu because pistachio is Vinny's favorite flavor, and couldn't imagine a better amalgamation of flavors than this. Vinny is not typically a dessert man but I always find a way to turn him over to the dark side.
The good part about Tiramisu is that there aren't many ingredients in this recipe. However, there are a lot of steps involved, but if you follow along one step at a time it isn't too bad. You don't have to be a chef to make tiramisu from scratch. It's all about taking your time and being patient to make this elegant Italian classic.
Ingredients for Pistachio Cream Tiramisu
I've separated the ingredients into 4 categories to make it as simple as possible. The instructions will also be separated like this to keep everything clear. I chose to make the ladyfingers from scratch. This entire part of the recipe can be skipped if you just pick up the ladyfingers at the supermarket. I usually use the Savoiardi brand.
Ladyfingers
- 4 eggs, separated
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup flour
- ½ tsp salt
- powdered sugar for topping
Pistachio Mascarpone Cream
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 16 oz mascarpone
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup pistachio butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Espresso Dip
- 4 shots espresso
- 2 tbsp disaronno
- 1 tsp vanilla
Toppings
- pistachio crumbs
- cocoa powder
- dark chocolate shavings
How to Make Pistachio Cream Tiramisu
Tiramisu is not a difficult recipe to make. But it has a lot of steps so it can seem complex. Take it one step at a time and it will come out great!
Baking the Ladyfingers
As I said before, ladyfingers are optional, but I like making them at home because they come out so soft and moist.
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Start by separating the egg yolks and whites into two separate bowls. You will need both for the ladyfingers.
- Beat the egg whites with a hand-held mixer until they develop soft peaks. Then add ¼ cup sugar slowly and beat until stiff peaks develop, another 4-5 minutes.
- In the other bowl, beat the egg yolks and the remaining ¼ cup of sugar until the yolks are pale and fluffy. Fold the egg whites into the yolks and mix delicately for 1 minute. Add vanilla, cornstarch, flour, and salt. Fold until just combined and try not to over-mix. The consistency should be custardy.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Pour the batter into a piping bag and pipe 4-inch cookies on the baking sheet and top with powdered sugar. I used a half-inch tip. They should be spaced out by about 2 inches. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are golden. Remove from oven and allow them to cool completely.
Mixing the Pistachio Mascarpone Cream
I made my own pistachio butter for this part of the recipe. You can definitely buy your own, but it's so easy. Put raw pistachios in a food processor and let it run until they turn to butter. You don't have to add anything else. The nuts themselves will turn to butter. It takes about 5-10 minutes depending on the power of the processor so be patient!
- In a large bowl, use a hand-held mixer to beat mascarpone, pistachio butter, vanilla, and ½ cup of sugar until combined.
- In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks and the remaining ¼ cup of sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the yolks to the mascarpone mixture and fold until combined.
- In another bowl, beat heavy cream until it has stiff peaks and fold it into the mascarpone mixture.
Assembling the Pistachio Cream Tiramisu
- Combine 4 shots of espresso, Disaronno, and vanilla in a bowl. Dip the ladyfingers into the coffee mixture and cover the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan with ladyfingers. It's okay if they overlap a bit.
- Pipe or spread a thick layer of the cream onto the ladyfingers. If you think it is thick enough, go thicker. Place another layer of dipped ladyfingers on top. Pipe another thick layer of cream on the very top. Use a piping bag to add a decorative layer on top if you want. It's not necessary but it looks so pretty.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. When ready to serve, top with cocoa powder, pistachio crumbs, and chocolate shavings.
I know what you're thinking. This seems so convoluted. But it is 100% worth it and you can't buy tiramisu from the store that tastes as delicious as this does. The pistachio makes this tiramisu so unique with a hint of earthiness and sweetness. This is one of my favorite desserts to make and I can't wait to make it again for a holiday.
This recipe does use raw eggs. There are ways to use a double boiler to cook the egg mixture, but I'm not going to get into the specifics. If you have a problem with raw eggs, then maybe this recipe isn't for you. We eat raw cookie dough on the regular here so it wasn't quite a concern for us.
If you love tiramisu share yours on Instagram and tag us @vindelgiudice or follow us on Tiktok @alwaysfromscratch. Leave a comment below to let us know what you thought!
Here are some of our other desserts that you should check out!
Chewiest White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
Pumpkin Butter Blondies with Maple Glaze
📖 Recipe
Pistachio Cream Tiramisu
Equipment
- 10-inch spring form pan
Ingredients
Ladyfingers
- 4 eggs, separated
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 cup flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- powdered sugar for topping
Pistachio Mascarpone Cream
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 16 oz mascarpone
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup pistachio butter
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Espresso
- 4 shots espresso
- 2 tablespoon disaronno
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Toppings
- pistachio crumbs
- cocoa powder
- dark chocolate shavings
Instructions
Ladyfingers
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Beat the egg whites with a hand-held mixer until they develop soft peaks. Then add ¼ cup sugar slowly and beat until stiff peaks develop, another 4-5 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks and the remaining ¼ cup of sugar until they are pale and fluffy. Fold the whites into the yolks and mix delicately for 1 minute. Add vanilla, cornstarch, flour, and salt. Fold until just combined, do not over-mix.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Pour batter into a piping bag and pipe 4-inch cookies on the baking sheet and top with powdered sugar. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Pistachio Mascarpone Cheese
- In a large bowl, use a hand-held mixer beat mascarpone, pistachio butter, vanilla, and ½ cup of sugar until combined.
- In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks and the remaining ¼ cup of sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the yolks to the mascarpone mixture and fold until combined.
- In another bowl, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks and fold into the mascarpone mixture.
Assembly
- Combine 4 shots of espresso, Disaronno, and vanilla in a bowl. Dip ladyfingers into the coffee mixture and cover the bottom of the springform pan with ladyfingers.
- Pipe or spread a thick layer of the cream onto the ladyfingers. Place another layer of dipped ladyfingers on top. Pipe another thick layer of cream on top.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours. When ready to serve, top with cocoa powder, pistachio crumbs, and chocolate shavings.
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