Rhubarb Tiramisu Recipe with Pistachio

Beautiful rhubarb! Every year when rhubarb season comes around, I get all excited and want to try lots of new recipes. My absolute favorite are the beautiful pink stalks. They tend to change color as the season progresses, so try to get them early in the season. For this rhubarb tiramisu recipe, you will need about a pound of rhubarb (450 grams of rhubarb).

Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
How To Make Rhubarb Tiramisu
Additions and variations
FAQ Rhubarb Tiramisu
More Rhubarb Recipes

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Rhubarb season is short, so I like to make the most of it and this rhubarb tiramisu is absolutely one of my favorites. It’s easy to make, easy to customize and perfect for serving for a party.

Recipe Ingredients

To make this creamy rhubarb tiramisu you will need the following ingredients:

rhubarb – you will need about a pound or 450 grams of rhubarb stalks to make this. I love choosing the pinkest as they tend to be a bit sweeter than the greener rhubarb
eggs – this rhubarb tiramisu does use raw eggs making it less ideal for people who are pregnant or have other health issues. You can replace the mascarpone mixture with this one from the strawberry tiramisu if you want to make it without eggs.
sugar – I use regular fine granulated sugar. This gives the tiramisu the needed sweetness to counterbalance the tart rhubarb
pistachio – I add a lovely crumble of pistachio nuts over the top which gives it a pretty look and adds loads of flavor
white chocolate – white chocolate also adds a bit of sweetness but can be replaced with other kinds of chocolate if you prefer
lady fingers – of course the layers are build with lady fingers!

How To Make Rhubarb Tiramisu

To make the rhubarb tiramisu, start by cutting the rhubarb into pieces. I tend to go for 2 cm pieces, or about 1 inch each. Place the rhubarb in a large saucepan and add about 25 grams of sugar and 50 ml of water. You don’t need a lot of water because the rhubarb will release a lot of juice from the stalks. Place the pan over medium heat and cook the rhubarb for about 10 minutes or until soft. It looks best if you don’t cook it to a pulp. Drain the rhubarb, but be sure to save the rhubarb juice, so collect it in a shallow dish. You’ll use it to dip your lady fingers in later.

Take two bowls and separate the eggs into yolks and whites. Beat the egg whites until stiff and add the remaining 25 grams of sugar.

In another large bowl, place the mascarpone and melt the white chocolate in a double boiler. Allow the melted chocolate to cool to room temperature and slowly fold it into the mascarpone. This is easiest to do in a stand mixer, but you can also use an electric hand mixer.

Building the tiramisu

Gently fold in the beaten egg whites. Once you’ve done that, it’s time to build your rhubarb tiramisu.

Take a serving dish that will hold all the fillings. Start with a layer of mascarpone, then dip the lady fingers in the rhubarb juice and place in a single layer on top of the mascarpone until the dish is covered. Spread about half of the rhubarb mixture over the sponge fingers. Cover with the remaining mascarpone and crush the pistachios.

Cover the second layer of mascarpone cream with the remaining rhubarb and sprinkle with the pistachios and chopped white chocolate.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Additions and variations

Instead of using rhubarb juice, you can dip the Lady Dingers in orange juice and add some orange zest to enhance the orange flavor. I also like to add some whipped cream. I whip it in a medium bowl with just a bit of sugar until it forms soft peaks and then spoon it over the top of the tiramisu. I always add the whipped cream at the last minute to make sure it doesn’t start to dissolve.

You can serve this rhubarb tiramisu in individual bowls instead of one large bowl. If you want to make a more adult version, you can add some orange liqueur to the rhubarb juice. I didn’t use a lot of sugar in this rhubarb tiramisu, but if you have a sweet tooth, you can definitely increase the sugar content if you like. But since the mascarpone is already quite creamy, I don’t feel the need to add sugar. But you can if you want. A little vanilla sugar is also a good addition.

While I like my mascarpone thick and creamy, I sometimes add a little lemon juice to give it a fresher taste. Or lemon zest will do the trick too.

FAQ Rhubarb Tiramisu

Yes, this dessert is perfect for making ahead. In fact, it needs at least 3 hours in the fridge to set properly, but you can easily make it a day in advance. The flavors will develop even more overnight.

Store the tiramisu covered in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Keep it tightly covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out.

Freezing is not recommended. The mascarpone mixture can become grainy and watery after thawing, which affects the texture of the dessert.

Yes, you can use frozen rhubarb. There’s no need to thaw it first – just cook it slightly longer and drain well. Make sure to still reserve the juice for dipping the ladyfingers.

Absolutely. You can replace the egg whites with whipped cream for a lighter, egg-free version. Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold it into the mascarpone mixture.

Dip the ladyfingers very briefly – just a quick dip is enough. If they soak too long, they can become overly soft and mushy in the final dessert.

More Rhubarb Recipes

Try out these rhubarb recipes as well!

Or want another tiramisu version?

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