It is terrifying to me how quickly Easter creeps up every year. So, for the first time ever, I’m getting ahead of the curve with a festive recipe for gluten free pistachio Tiramisu. This delicious Tiramisu is made with sweetened pistachio paste along with the usual suspects: gluten free savoiardi, a coffee and liquor mixture, whipped eggs and mascarpone. This tiramisu takes a bit of time to assemble but I promise the result is well and truly worth it. Is it traditional? No! Is it delicious? Yes!
Gluten free pistachio Tiramisu
This pistachio Tiramisu uses sweetened pistachio paste. I used Pistachio Papi (in Australia) because that’s all I could find. Pisti pistachio paste seems to be a common brand globally but I couldn’t get my hands on it.
Yes, pistachio paste is EXPENSIVE. This is why I recommend this recipe for a special occasion as opposed to an everyday dessert. I haven’t tried making my own sweetened pistachio paste yet, but maybe that’s on the books next.
To lower the cost a little, we’re making our own gluten free savoiardi. They are easy to make with the help of a stand mixer and hand beater. Better yet, they’re made from inexpensive and simple ingredients (eggs aside, so I hear lol).
This recipe uses store bought mascarpone folded into whipped egg whites to make a light and fluffy tiramisu. As with my lactose free tiramisu, you can make your own lactose free mascarpone for a lactose free option. Potentially easier, though? Take a lacteeze (which is the same thing as lactose free dairy).
Ingredient notes for your gluten free pistachio Tiramisu
- We’re using my gluten free savoiardi recipe which you can find here. It uses white rice flour and is xanthan gum free.
- As discussed, I used Pistachio Papi sweetened pistachio paste for my tests. This is different from pistachio butter or unsweetened pistachio paste.
- As per their website, the ingredients are: Vegetable Fat (Sustainably Sourced Palm), Sugar, Whole Milk Powder, Pistachios (16%), Lactose (Milk), Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin), Natural Vanilla Flavouring, Colour (E141i).
- Pisti brand pistachio paste says their paste contains 45% pistachios, so quite a lot more. If you are using a paste different to the one I used, I recommend tasting your whipped mixture as you go. A significantly sweeter or more potent pistachio paste could make for an overwhelming dessert.
- An interesting tidbit I learned while developing this recipe is that many Italian brands of mascarpone already contain sugar. Something to watch out for if you are using a different paste and adjusting the sweetness of your Tiramisu.
- If you can’t find peeled pistachios to top your tiramisu, you can peel them yourself. See instructions here. Of course, you don’t have to peel them if you don’t want to.
- Raw pistachios have a more vibrant green colour and obviously they need to be unsalted here as well. I do not recommend roasted pistachios as they have a browner colour.
Tips for your gluten free pistachio Tiramisu
The reason your Tiramisu is so light and airy is because of the whipped eggs (mainly, the whipped egg whites). This is why it is important to whip the egg whites properly.
The generally accepted method for adding the mascarpone and pistachio cream is to combine it into the egg yolk mixture. I accidentally added them all separately to the egg white mixture in one test, and I didn’t find it made an enormous difference. I have written the recipe to combine the egg yolk, mascarpone and pistachio cream prior to adding it to the egg whites. However, just know that the mixture will hold up to mistakes.
I have read mixed reviews about how to use the mascarpone but the general consensus is that it needs to be cold (ie: straight from the fridge) so it doesn’t split.
Make sure you choose natural pistachios if you want bright green pistachios on top. I blanch mine in boiling water for 2-3 minutes before refreshing them in ice water. Then, I begin the tedious but simple task of peeling off the skins (NB: these are the papery thin skins attached to pistachios, not the shells they come in).
This takes time, but it does make for an aesthetically gorgeous Tiramisu with less textural annoyance from the skins. Of course, you can buy the pistachios peeled.
Another option is to skip the pistachios on top. Of all the expensive ingredients in this recipe, this is the one ingredient I’d be most willing to skip. They add a nice visual touch, a textural differentiation and gorgeous pistachio flavour, but they are optional.
Tips for serving your pistachio Tiramisu
Permit me a brief moment to discuss this because I have learned a lot about mascarpone based tiramisu while developing this recipe.
Firstly, I recommend (nay, insist) you make your Tiramisu the night before. The mixture needs time to firm up and be solid enough to serve the Tiramisu with ease. If you don’t allow the mixture enough time to set, you are essentially eating pancake batter (fluffy eggs and dairy in the form of mascarpone). Think of trying to slice up and serve layers of fluffy pancake batter – not ideal.
I also recommend keeping your Tiramisu in the fridge right until you serve it. This is not a hot summer picnic appropriate dessert. As I learnt while I was bringing the Tiramisu in and out of the fridge while photographing it, mascarpone does not stand for repeated temperature changes. After a while it begins to split and becomes a bit oilier. You can see a bit of this in action in the photograph below. Compare it to the fluffy, aerated mascarpone from the other photos.
So, keep the Tiramisu cool, keep it in the fridge until right before serving and expect a bit of consistency loss if you take it in and out of the fridge.
What sized dish should I use?
I tested this recipe in a Le Creuset 28cm oval ceramic dish which has a 1.6 litre capacity. For my American readers, an 11 inch oval ceramic baking dish with a 6 and 3/4 cup capacity.
I like the look of this dish for serving. It is a bit annoying to get even pieces of Tiramisu out of, however.
You can use a similar sized dish here – rectangular or oval would be easier to slice. If you’d prefer to serve it by spooning out the Tiramisu, any similar size serving dish will work.
I haven’t tested individual pots or serves. While I’m sure it would work, I can’t speak to how best to divvy up each ingredient when using small vessels.
More gluten free dessert recipes
- Almond meal brownies
- Lactose free creme caramel
- Gluten free shortbread brownies
- Gluten free cheesecake from scratch (with a lactose free option)
- Gluten free vegan cinnamon rolls without yeast
Gluten free pistachio tiramisu
Ingredients
For the soaking mixture:
- 75 ml amaretto (or half coffee and half water for an alcohol free version)
- 80-125 ml fresh espresso
- Water to make 250ml total
- Almond extract, to taste (optional but delicious)
For the whipped egg white mixture:
- 3 extra large egg whites cleanly separated (yolks used below)
- 50 g caster sugar
For the whipped egg yolk mascarpone mixture:
- 3 extra large egg yolks whites used above
- 50 g caster sugar
- Dash of vanilla paste or extract
- Pinch of salt
- 500 g mascarpone cold from the fridge
- 200 g pistachio cream sweetened variety, not pistachio butter or 100% pistachio paste, see notes
For the Tiramisu:
- ½ – 1 batch of my gluten free savoiardi recipe (anywhere from 20-40 savoiardi) you may have leftovers but better to have too many, recipe linked in notes below
To finish:
- 75 g raw/natural pistachios finely chopped (see notes)
Instructions
- Prepare your bowls and beaters by thoroughly washing them in hot soapy water and allowing them to dry (you can also use a clean tea towel). Egg whites won’t whip when fat is present so we want to make sure everything is as clean as possible.
- Chop your pistachios, ready to garnish. Prepare your coffee and liquor mixture and pour it into a wide mouthed bowl (for easy and speedy savoiardi dipping).
- Separate the eggs into clean two bowls. Make sure there is no egg yolk in the egg whites or your whites will not whip. Decant each clean egg white straight into the bowl you intend to whip them in. This way any accidents with the next egg white won’t ruin your first egg white.
- At the end, you’ll have all 3 egg whites in your stand mixer or in a clean medium mixing bowl. Whip with the whisk attachment or hand beaters until they start to get frothy, then gradually pour in the caster sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form, then set aside.
- If you are using only a stand mixer, carefully transfer the whipped egg whites into a large mixing bowl. If you are only using a hand beater, lightly clean off the beaters. If you are using both, lucky you (no additional work required).
- Whip the egg yolks with the caster sugar for 3-4 minutes until lightened in colour and fluffy. Add the flavours, mascarpone and pistachio paste and combine on a low speed until everything has incorporated.
- Very gently transfer the pistachio egg yolk mixture into the bowl of whipped egg whites. Use a spatula to carefully fold the pistachio mix into the egg whites. You want to keep in as much air as possible while still combining everything to form a smooth, light green and aerated pistachio mixture.
- Gently spread a thin layer of pistachio mixture into the base of your serving dish. Dip your first savoiardi into the coffee mixture, flip it over and then immediately place it onto the pistachio base. Savoiardi break easily and quickly, so only give them a light dunk and work with a bit of speed.
- Arrange your dipped savoiardi in the dish according to your preferences. Because 1 batch of my gluten free savoiardi makes more than this recipe needs, you can pack the savoiardi in snugly or you can leave a little room between each (and save the remaining savoiardi for eating with coffee). Personally, I like to pare back the savoiardi in this recipe and let the pistachio cream take centre stage. Do whatever you prefer!
- Once you have a full layer of savoiardi, gently cover them with ½ the remaining pistachio cream. They are prone to catching in the pistachio mixture, so make sure you spread it carefully.
- Repeat the process with a layer of dipped savoiardi, then top them carefully with the remaining pistachio cream. Sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the top and then place the tiramisu in the fridge for 4 hours+, ideally overnight.
- Serve your Tiramisu straight from the fridge so the mascarpone doesn't lose consistency. Other recipes for pistachio Tiramisu specify that leftovers can be frozen – I haven't been able to test the theory as it immediately disappears from the fridge.
Notes
- I used Pistachio Papi pistachio paste for this recipe. Many other recipes use Pisti brand, which contains significantly more pistachios. You may need to adjust the sweetness a little if you use other brands. I haven’t tested Pisti brand because I couldn’t find it anywhere.
- Sweetened pistachio paste is very different to pistachio butter or 100% pistachio paste. You will need to use the sweetened variety here. It generally contains oil, pistachios and sugar (and a few other things).
- My recipe for gluten free savoiardi without xanthan gum is here.
- Extra large eggs in Australia weigh approximately 45-55g out of shell, in my experience.
- In Australia, we don’t wash eggs. Washing eggs ironically removes their protective coating, which is why it is more dangerous to eat raw egg in places like the USA (where they do wash eggs).
- If you are concerned about raw eggs or cooking for someone with a compromised immune system, use pasteurised eggs. If that still doesn’t put you at ease, make my gluten free lactose free Tiramisu instead. I haven’t tested it with pistachio yet but I promise it is delicious without.
- This article from Serious Eats has a lot of interesting information about raw eggs and the risks as well as science on pasteurising your own eggs.
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