[1] Pistachio Tiramisu: Trade the coffee for pistachio nuts (photo © Chef Stefano Carniato | Piola | Miami).

[2] Start with the freshest pistachios you can find. If you want to buy in bulk, Middle Eastern grocers often have the best options (photos #2 and #3 © Setton Farms).

[3] See the branch? The nuts grow inside the pink pods (a.k.a. the fruits of the pistachio tree).

[4] If you can’t find mascarpone, you can make your own with this recipe (photo © Vermont Creamery).

[5] Ladyfingers. You can buy them or bake them. It’s easy: Here’s a recipe (photo © Jirkaejc | Panthermedia).

[6] It’s pretty easy to find pistachio cream, a trending bread spread, at specialty food stores and online (photo © Aroma Sicilia).

[7] Make your own pistachio cream. The recipe is below (photo © Nerds With Knives).

[8] A charlotte uses a ring of ladyfingers to enclose its filling. Here’s the recipe for this Strawberry Charlotte (photo © Teak & Thyme).

We’re celebrating National Tiramisu Day, March 21st, with a creative flavor twist: switching the “pick me up” of coffee for the protein and crunch of pistachio nuts.

The recipe was created by Chef Stefano Carniato of Piola restaurant in Miami. He has every right to play with the recipe, as a native of Treviso, Italy, where tiramisu was invented (here’s the story).

The recipe is very popular at Piola—it’s been on the menu for more than two decades! Chef Carniato shared the recipe with us in honor of National Tiramisu Day.

“Tiramisu” literally translates to “pick me up,” so called because a zabaglione spiked with espresso gave energy to the restaurateur who thought to port the idea to another dessert.

So here’s the question: If the recipe replaces the coffee ingredient with caffeine-free pistachio nuts, no matter how delicious, is it still a tiramisu pick-me-up (we’re ignoring the theory that any food that makes you happy is a mood elevator)?

Please discuss!

This pistachio variation was created by Treviso native Stefano Carniato, chef/owner of the Miami restaurant Piola.

“Our recipe calls on crema al pistacchio (pistachio cream, photo #6), a silky, nutty bread spread that is similar to Nutella,” notes Chef Carniato.

“While we are very familiar with this ingredient back home in Italy, crema al pistacchio seems to suddenly be gaining popularity amongst an American audience.”

That is true: We’ve been seeing it everywhere. But it’s pricey, so if you want to make your own, here’s a recipe.

> The history of tiramisu.

> The recipe for homemade pistachio cream, if you’d rather make it than buy it, is below.

> So are more tiramisu recipes are below.

> So is the history of ladyfingers.
 
 
RECIPE #1: TIRAMISU AL PISTACCHIO (PISTACHIO TIRAMISU)

A note about the pistachio cream: It’s pretty expensive. It’s also easy to make your own.

Pistachio cream is a blend of white chocolate and pistachios, a cousin to Nutella (milk chocolate and hazelnuts).

It’s delicious on so many things (see the recipe below).

Prep time 20 minutes.
 
Ingredients For 8 Servings

 
Preparation
 
1. SEPARATE the egg yolks from the whites in two separate bowls. Blend the yolks with the sugar at high speed for 8 minutes or until sugar is no longer visible. Add the mascarpone, 2/3 cup (60g) ground pistachio and the pistachio cream to the mixture and blend until smooth. Place the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate.

2. WHISK the egg whites until foamy. Gently fold them into to the mascarpone mixture with a spatula.

3. MIX the milk in a saucepan with 3 tablespoons (50g) pistachio cream and 3 drops of almond or vanilla extract. Heat to between 80°-100°F (before it begins to simmer). Pour it into a square baking tray or dish.

4. DIP the ladyfingers one by one into the milk mix. They should soften but not fall apart.

4. APPLY a thin layer of the mascarpone mix to the bottom of an 8″x8″ baking dish. Flatten the layer and place a layer of ladyfingers on top. Add a layer of mascarpone cream on top, followed by another layer of ladyfingers. Top with a final layer of mascarpone cream.

5. PLACE the dish in the freezer for 30 minutes. If you’ll won’t be serving it until later, you can refrigerate for 4 hours and up to overnight.

6. CUT in 8 slices. Garnish with ground pistachios. (We preferred the texture of roughly chopped pistachios.)
 
 
RECIPE #2: PISTACHIO CREAM

Thanks to Nerds With Knives for this recipe [photo #7] and advice.

Since they’re made by a variety of small companies, you’ll find that no two brands of store-bought pistachio creams are alike. Some might contain pistachios along with sugar and milk powder, while others might add almond extract to bump up the flavor, or olive oil to smooth out the texture.

 
Check the label ingredients carefully.

Ingredients

 
Preparation
 
1. BRING a medium sized pot of water to a boil and add the shelled pistachios. Boil for 3 minutes, then drain and place on a clean kitchen towel.

2. FOLD the towel over the pistachios and rub them in the towel to loosen the skins. Separate the pistachios, discard the skins, and place the pistachios in a blender.

3. ADD the butter and 1/4 cup milk to a small microwave safe bowl. Heat in 20 second bursts, just until the butter is melted and the milk is hot. Add the white chocolate and stir until melted.

If the chocolate needs more melting, heat for another 10-15 seconds and stir (you can also do this on the stovetop in a small saucepan on low heat).

4. ADD to the pistachios in the blender, the remaining 1/2 cup milk, confectioners’ sugar, and salt. Scrape in the melted white chocolate/butter mixture. Pulse on medium speed until the pistachios turn into a paste. You’ll need to stop the blender 3-4 times to scrape down the sides.

5. BLEND on high power for 30 seconds to a minute, until the texture turns smooth and creamy. Transfer the pistachio cream to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. It will keep well for 2 weeks.
 
 
MORE TIRAMISU RECIPES

 
 
THE HISTORY OF LADYFINGERS

Ladyfingers, known in Italian as savoiardi, are delicate, sponge-like cookies, long and slightly oval (photo #5). They date to the Duchy of Savoy in the late 15th century (hence the name savoiardi).

While exact records of a specific visit tied to the creation of ladyfingers are scarce, the historical context suggests that the visit might have taken place during King Charles’ military campaigns in Italy (1494–1495), or earlier in the course of diplomatic relations.

The House of Savoy maintained close ties with France, as the duchy bordered French territory and often acted as a strategic ally or battleground in European conflicts.

At the time, Carlo I, Duca di Savoia (reigned 1482–1490) or Filippo II, Duca di Savoia (reigned 1496–1497) would have been ruling the region.

The Duke’s pastry chefs developed the light, airy sponge cookies to impress the French guests. The recipe was brought back to France, and became popular across Europe.

In France, the cookies were known as biscuits à la cuillère (spoon biscuits*) because they were traditionally shaped using a spoon.

The exact origin of the word “ladyfingers” is unclear, but it appears in English cookbooks by the 18th or 19th century.

Instead of referring to a foreign entity that was dissolved in 1861, English-speaking bakers likely chose a name that was more appealing to their customers. The cookies’ long, slender shape resembled a refined lady’s fingers, and the delicate texture enhanced the association.

From the beginning, savoiardi/ladyfingers were served with—and often dipped in—coffee, tea, wine, or liqueur.

They were also crafted into elaborate desserts including (over time):

 
In addition to these popular recipes, ladyfingers have also found a place in American specialties such as icebox cake and strawberry shortcake.

They can be substituted anywhere a cake base is needed, from Baked Alaska to Tiramisu Cheesecake.

And of course, serve them with ice cream, coffee, and dessert wine [source: ChatGPT 2025-03-21].

________________
 
*Note that most of Europe, including England, uses the word biscuit to describe what Americans call cookies. We got the word cookie from the Dutch, who first came to the American colonies in the 17th century. Dutch word koekje (pronounced COOK-yeh) literally meaning “little cake,” was used to describe small baked treats. Over time, English speakers in America adapted koekje to cookie and it became the standard term.