Pistachio tiramisu cups from Um Ghaith’s table, with a Levantine and Gulf touch: ladyfingers soaked in Arabic coffee with cardamom instead of espresso, a smooth mascarpone cream with pistachio, and crushed pistachios with a dusting of cocoa on top. No raw eggs, no gelatin, fully halal, and no oven needed. You make them in half an hour and leave them in the fridge until they set, so they’re a perfect dessert for having guests over, and you can prepare them the day before.
⚠️ Allergy note: contains Dairy (whipping cream, mascarpone, cream cheese substitute), Tree nuts (pistachios, pistachio paste/cream), Wheat/gluten (ladyfingers), Eggs (in ladyfingers).
Um Ghaith’s tips
- Don’t soak the biscuits for more than 2 seconds; soaking them longer makes them too soft and the layers run in the cup.
- All the ingredients should be very cold (the cream, the mascarpone and even the bowl); that way the cream whips quickly and holds its shape.
- If you can’t find mascarpone, use 250 g cream cheese (such as Philadelphia) instead and increase the whipping cream to 300 ml.
- If you’re using sweetened pistachio cream (spread), start with half the powdered sugar and taste before adding more.
- Dust the cocoa and add the pistachios only just before serving, because the cocoa soaks up moisture in the fridge and the pistachios lose their crunch.
Pistachio Tiramisu Cups with Arabic Cardamom Coffee
Ingredients
Method
- Put the water (400 ml) in a coffee pot or small saucepan over medium-high heat until it boils.
- Add the Arabic coffee and cardamom, lower the heat to low and let it simmer gently for 5 minutes, watching it so it doesn’t boil over.
- Take the coffee off the heat and leave it for 5 minutes so the grounds settle.
- Strain the coffee into a wide, shallow bowl and dissolve the sugar in it if you like.
- Let the coffee cool completely (about 20 minutes, or 10 minutes in the fridge); hot coffee will make the biscuits fall apart.
- In a cold bowl, whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar on medium-high speed for 3–4 minutes until stiff peaks form.
- In another bowl, beat the mascarpone with the pistachio paste, vanilla and extra cardamom on low speed for only 30–40 seconds until smooth; overbeating makes the mascarpone split.
- Add the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture in two batches and fold gently with a spatula from the bottom up until the colour is even.
- Transfer the cream to a piping bag with a star or round tip, or use a spoon.
- Break the biscuits in half or to fit the width of your cups (6 cups of about 200 ml each).
- Dip each biscuit in the coffee for just 1 to 2 seconds on each side.
- Arrange a layer of soaked biscuits in the bottom of each cup.
- Spread a layer of cream on top, about 1.5 cm thick.
- Repeat with a second layer of soaked biscuits, then finish with cream in a dome or swirl.
- Cover the cups with cling film and put them in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight until set.
- Just before serving, dust the cocoa through a small sieve, then scatter the crushed pistachios and garnish with a mint leaf.
Notes
Frequently asked questions
Does this pistachio tiramisu recipe contain eggs or any non-halal ingredients?
No, the recipe has no raw eggs, nothing non-halal and no gelatin; it sets thanks to the mascarpone and whipped cream, and the flavour comes from the Arabic coffee with cardamom.
How many days does the tiramisu keep in the fridge?
It stays excellent for up to 2 days in the fridge, well covered, and actually tastes even better the next day. Freezing isn’t recommended because the cream’s texture changes.
Can I use espresso or instant coffee instead of Arabic coffee?
Yes, use 300 ml espresso or 2 tbsp instant coffee in 300 ml hot water, and add 1/2 tsp cardamom to keep the Arabic touch.
Can I make it in a large dish instead of cups?
Of course, use a 20×20 cm dish with the same amounts and the same layers, and leave it in the fridge for at least 6 hours before cutting.
