Pistachio Tiramisu Without Raw Eggs: the Safe Sicilian Recipe

Pistachio tiramisù is Sicily's take on the most famous Italian dessert in the world. There is no coffee and no cocoa: pistachio takes centre stage, with its soft green colour and a flavour that is pure Sicily. And there is a trick to it — no raw eggs.

Ingredients for 6 servings

• 250 g mascarpone, at room temperature
• 200 ml double cream, well chilled
• 100 g organic pistachio cream
• 80 g icing sugar
• 300 g savoiardi (sponge fingers, about 30)
• 200 ml milk
• Chopped pistachios to finish
• A pinch of salt

The cream: 5 minutes, no eggs

In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone with the icing sugar until smooth. Add the pistachio cream and stir until it is completely blended in. The colour will be a natural pastel green — nothing like the vivid shade you see on social media, because real pistachio is not fluorescent.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream until it holds firm peaks. Fold it into the mascarpone and pistachio mixture, lifting from the bottom of the bowl so that it keeps its air. The finished cream should be soft and light.

Assembly: the secret is not to over-soak

Pour the milk into a shallow dish. Dip each sponge finger in quickly — one second on each side, no longer. It should take up the milk but still hold its shape. Soak it for too long and the tiramisù will turn to mush.

Arrange a first layer of savoiardi over the base of a rectangular dish (about 20×30 cm). Spread half the pistachio mascarpone cream on top and smooth it with a spatula. Repeat with a second layer of savoiardi and the rest of the cream.

Cover with cling film and chill for at least 4 hours — overnight is even better. Just before serving, scatter a generous layer of chopped pistachios over the top.

Why no raw eggs?

Classic tiramisù is made with raw egg yolks beaten into the mascarpone. It is delicious, but it raises two problems: the risk of salmonella (especially in summer), and the fact that many people — children, the elderly, pregnant women — would rather avoid raw eggs. This version, made with whipped cream, is safer and lighter, and every bit as creamy.

Which pistachio cream to use

The quality of the cream makes all the difference. Steer clear of industrial creams with 12–15% pistachio and added colourings: your tiramisù will come out fluorescent green and taste of sugar rather than pistachio. A good cream should contain at least 25–30% pistachio, with no colourings and no palm oil.

With our organic pistachio cream (30% pistachio, natural colour), 100 g is all you need for a full, true pistachio flavour that still lets the delicate mascarpone come through.

Variation: pistachio and white chocolate tiramisù

Melt 80 g of white chocolate in a bain-marie and stir it into the mascarpone cream along with the pistachio cream. White chocolate heightens the sweetness and adds a buttery note that goes beautifully with pistachio. Finish with chopped pistachios and white chocolate curls.

Storage

Covered and kept in the fridge, pistachio tiramisù will last for 2–3 days. In fact it is even better after 24 hours, once the savoiardi have absorbed moisture from the cream and the flavours have come together. Do not freeze it: whipped cream loses its structure as it thaws.