Greek-Inspired Tiramisu: 4 Fresh Takes on an Italian Classic

Life is sweet—and Italians, perhaps more than anyone, know it. These cheerful devotees of la dolce vita have plenty of reasons to celebrate the everyday. Their cuisine is one of them, and their desserts in particular are capable of putting a broad smile on even the most serious face. They are the kinds of sweets that can turn your day around, elevate even a bad dinner, or give you a reason to leave the house at night and hurry to the pastry shop that knows exactly how to make them right.

Because that is the most important ingredient in enjoyment: a dessert has to be made properly. It should never be let down by poor execution or ingredients that do not belong in it. Tiramisu, in particular—that perfectly balanced combination of sweetness from the airy cream and the slightly bitter finish of coffee-soaked ladyfingers—deserves special treatment.

Getting it right takes skill: the goal is a luscious bite that melts in your mouth, with a rich, full texture and the kind of pleasure that makes you want another spoonful.

Nadia Polizoi achieves exactly that. Better yet, she does not stop with the classic version but takes tiramisu a step further, adding a distinctly Greek touch. Her versions incorporate fruit—strawberries, peaches and refreshing lemon—as well as the pistachio that has become a viral favorite. The pistachio brings not only flavor but also a welcome crunch.

These are magical, airy tiramisus that, with every bite, make you a true participant in la dolce vita—the Italian ideal of enjoying the pleasures of life.

Strawberry Tiramisu

Prep time: 50 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: **

Ingredients for 8 servings

For the jam

• 600 g strawberries, quartered
• 200 g granulated sugar
• 4 tbsp lemon juice

For the syrup

• ⅓ cup strawberry jam
• 1 cup strawberry liqueur

For the filling

• 450 g mascarpone cheese
• 62 g confectioners’ sugar
• 45 ml lemon juice
• 1 tsp natural vanilla extract
• 420 ml very cold heavy cream

For assembly

• 110 g strawberries, finely chopped
• 28 ladyfingers
• ½ cup very cold heavy cream, for the topping

Method

1. Start with the jam. Cook the quartered strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture comes to a boil, lower the heat and continue cooking until it reaches 93–104°C, the jam thickens and its color becomes darker. If you do not have a thermometer to check the temperature, remove the jam from the heat once it has visibly reduced in volume and thickened sufficiently.
2. Transfer the jam to a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Once it reaches room temperature, transfer it to the refrigerator.
3. In a bowl, beat the mascarpone, half the confectioners’ sugar (31 g), lemon juice and vanilla extract with a mixer on medium speed until you have a smooth, fluffy mixture. Set aside.
4. In another bowl, beat the cold heavy cream with the remaining confectioners’ sugar for 2–3 minutes, until slightly firm peaks form on the surface, like whipped cream. Be careful not to overbeat it, or the cream may split.
5. Gently fold half of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture using a spatula. Add the remaining whipped cream and fold again until the mixture is completely homogeneous.
6. To make the syrup, simply combine the jam and liqueur and whisk until smooth. If desired, the liqueur can be replaced with strawberry or orange juice. Set the syrup aside until needed.
7. Assemble the tiramisu as follows: Dip the ladyfingers, one at a time, into the strawberry syrup and arrange them tightly next to one another across the bottom of a baking dish, preferably 22 x 23 cm, 20 x 20 cm or 28 x 15 cm. Spread half of the mascarpone filling evenly over the ladyfingers using a spatula.
8. Drizzle approximately ½ cup strawberry jam over the mascarpone. If the jam is too thick to spread easily, thin it with a little water or strawberry liqueur until it reaches the appropriate consistency. Scatter the chopped strawberries evenly over the jam.
9. Repeat the process with a second layer of ladyfingers, dipping each one again in the syrup and gently pressing the cookies down over the strawberries. Add the remaining mascarpone filling, smooth the surface evenly and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.
10. Beat the cold heavy cream (½ cup) with a mixer at medium-high speed for several minutes, until firm. Transfer it to a piping bag and decorate the dessert just before serving. Alternatively, spread the whipped cream evenly over the top with a spoon or spatula. Cut the tiramisu into pieces and serve.

Lemon Tiramisu

Prep time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: **

Ingredients for 8 servings

• 28 ladyfingers

For the syrup

• 120 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 100 g sugar
• 120 ml water

For the cream

• 4 egg yolks
• 100 g confectioners’ sugar
• 450 g mascarpone cheese
• 240 ml heavy cream

For the lemon curd

• 2 medium eggs
• 150 g granulated sugar
• 100 g freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Zest of 2 unwaxed lemons
• 100 g unsalted butter, cut into pieces and brought to room temperature

Method

1. Start with the syrup. Combine the lemon juice, sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Allow the syrup to cool completely.
2. For the mascarpone filling, beat the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until the mixture becomes pale and creamy. Gradually add the mascarpone, gently stirring until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous. In another bowl, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold it into the mascarpone cream.
3. For the lemon curd, place the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and zest in a heatproof bowl suitable for a double boiler. Whisk well by hand until combined, then place the bowl over a saucepan of boiling water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk continuously for 5–8 minutes, until the cream thickens and develops a velvety texture.
4. Remove the bowl from the heat and add the butter in pieces, stirring until it melts and gives the mixture an even more velvety texture.
5. Assemble the tiramisu as follows: Dip the ladyfingers into the cooled lemon syrup just long enough to moisten them—do not leave them in too long, or they will fall apart. Arrange them next to one another in a long rectangular glass baking dish.
6. Spread half of the mascarpone cream evenly over the ladyfingers, followed by the lemon curd. Repeat the layers once more with ladyfingers and cream.
7. Cover the dessert with plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, for at least 4 hours or, ideally, overnight. Before serving, decorate with thin lemon slices and blueberries or, if preferred, with any remaining lemon curd.

Peach Tiramisu

Prep time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: *

Ingredients for 8 servings

• 28 ladyfingers
• 3–4 ripe peaches
• 1 tbsp sugar
• A few drops of lemon juice
• Cocoa or grated chocolate, for garnish

For the cream

• 500 g mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Wash and peel the peaches. Cut them into thin slices and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar, drizzle with a little lemon juice and gently toss. Set aside for 15–20 minutes to allow the peaches to release their juices.
2. In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone and heavy cream with a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract and continue beating until you have a velvety mixture.
3. Dip the ladyfingers, one at a time, into the juices released by the peaches and arrange them tightly next to one another in a rectangular or square glass baking dish. Spread half of the cream over the ladyfingers and distribute half of the marinated peach slices across the surface.
4. Repeat the layers once more with ladyfingers, cream and peaches.
5. Cover the dessert with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or, ideally, overnight. Just before serving the peach tiramisu, dust the surface with cocoa or grated chocolate.
6. It is perfect served chilled!

Pistachio Tiramisu

Prep time: 45 minutes
Baking time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: **

Ingredients for 8 servings

• 450 g mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• ¾ cup cold heavy cream
• 6 egg yolks
• ½ cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tbsp extra for the whipped cream
• 140 g pistachio paste, at room temperature
• 280 g ladyfingers
• 1½–2 cups cold brewed espresso
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 140 g unsalted pistachios

Method

1. Spread the pistachios in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in a preheated 175°C oven for 7–10 minutes, until toasted and fragrant. About halfway through the roasting time, shake the baking sheet to redistribute the nuts.
2. When they are ready and still warm, wrap them in a kitchen towel and roll them around to make the skins easier to remove. Allow the pistachios to cool completely, then finely chop them with a large, sharp knife.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the whipped cream. Beat the cold heavy cream with 2 tbsp sugar in a bowl until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate the whipped cream until needed.
4. Heat plenty of water in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Place a heatproof bowl suitable for a double boiler over the saucepan and add the egg yolks and granulated sugar (½ cup). Whisk constantly for 7–10 minutes and remove the mixture from the heat when it reaches 71–74°C.
5. Beat the pasteurized egg yolks with a hand mixer until pale. Add the pistachio paste, followed by the mascarpone. Beat until all the ingredients are fully incorporated and the mixture becomes a velvety cream. Finally, gently fold in the whipped cream with a spatula.
6. Combine the cold espresso with the almond extract. Dip the ladyfingers, one at a time, into the coffee mixture for a few seconds, then arrange them tightly next to one another across the bottom of a 20 x 20 cm glass baking dish.
7. Spread half of the mascarpone cream evenly over the ladyfingers and sprinkle with the chopped pistachios. Repeat the layers once more with ladyfingers and cream.
8. Cover the dessert with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Before serving the tiramisu, sprinkle the remaining chopped pistachios over the surface.