Bottega Pistho
Pistachio tiramisù is the Sicilian version of the world's most famous Italian dessert. No coffee, no cocoa: the star here is pistachio, with its subtle green colour and a flavour that tastes of Sicily. And with a twist — no raw eggs.
Ingredients for 6 servings
- 250g mascarpone at room temperature
- 200ml fresh cream, well chilled
- 100g Organic Pistachio Cream
- 80g icing sugar
- 300g savoiardi (ladyfinger biscuits, about 30)
- 200ml milk
- Crushed pistachios for garnish
- A pinch of salt
The cream: 5 minutes, no eggs
In a large bowl, work the mascarpone with the icing sugar until smooth. Add the pistachio cream and mix until fully incorporated. The colour will be a natural pastel green — not the bright shade you see on social media, because real pistachio is not fluorescent.
Separately, whip the cream until stiff. Fold it into the mascarpone-pistachio mixture with gentle upward movements to keep the volume. The cream should be light and airy.
Assembly: the secret is not to over-soak
Pour the milk into a shallow dish. Dip each savoiardo briefly — one second per side, no more. The biscuit should absorb moisture but keep its structure. Over-soak it and the tiramisù becomes mush.
Arrange a first layer of savoiardi on the bottom of a rectangular dish (about 20×30 cm). Cover with half the pistachio cream, levelling with a spatula. Repeat with a second layer and the rest of the cream.
Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours — overnight is better. Before serving, sprinkle generously with crushed pistachios.
Why no raw eggs?
Traditional tiramisù uses raw yolks mixed with mascarpone. It's delicious, but it poses two issues: salmonella risk (especially in summer) and the fact that many people — children, elderly, pregnant women — prefer to avoid raw eggs. This version with whipped cream is safer, lighter and equally creamy.
Which pistachio cream to use
Quality makes all the difference. Avoid industrial creams with 12-15% pistachio and colourings: the tiramisù will turn fluorescent green and taste of sugar, not pistachio. A good cream should have at least 25-30% pistachio, no colourings and no palm oil.
Variation: pistachio and white chocolate tiramisù
Melt 80g white chocolate in a bain-marie and add it to the mascarpone cream along with the pistachio cream. White chocolate amplifies the sweetness and adds a buttery note that pairs perfectly with pistachio. Finish with pistachio crumble and white chocolate shavings.
Storage
Pistachio tiramisù keeps covered in the fridge for 2-3 days. It actually improves after 24 hours, when the savoiardi have absorbed moisture from the cream and all flavours have melded. Do not freeze: whipped cream loses its structure when thawed.
