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Pistachio Ice Cream Recipe

Pistachio Ice Cream Recipe

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  • Author: admin
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus chilling time)
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes (plus 4+ hours chilling/freezing)
  • Yield: 8 servings
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Churned
  • Cuisine: Italian-American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Creamy, homemade pistachio ice cream with the rich flavor of ground pistachios, infused with almond and vanilla extracts. This classic Italian-American dessert is perfect for nut lovers and a refreshing summer treat.


Ingredients

Scale

Nut Base

  • 1 1/2 cups shelled unsalted pistachios

Dairy

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (divided: 1 cup and 1/2 cup)

Sweeteners & Flavorings

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • a few drops of green food coloring (optional)

Eggs

  • 5 large egg yolks


Instructions

  1. Grind Pistachios: Place pistachios in a food processor and pulse until finely ground, being careful not to turn them into a paste.
  2. Steep Nuts in Milk: In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, 1 cup of heavy cream, and ground pistachios. Heat over medium heat until the mixture is steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to steep for 30 minutes to infuse the flavors.
  3. Prepare Egg Mixture: In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes thick and pale.
  4. Temper Eggs: Reheat the pistachio-milk mixture until warm. Gradually whisk the warm mixture into the egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs and prevent curdling.
  5. Cook Custard: Return the combined mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Be careful not to let it boil.
  6. Strain Mixture: Remove from heat and strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any solids for a smooth texture.
  7. Add Remaining Ingredients: Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream, almond extract, vanilla extract, a pinch of salt, and green food coloring if desired. Mix well.
  8. Cool and Chill: Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to fully chill and develop flavor.
  9. Churn Ice Cream: Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
  10. Freeze: Transfer the churned ice cream to a container and freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up before serving.

Notes

  • For extra texture and pistachio flavor, stir chopped pistachios into the ice cream during the last few minutes of churning.
  • Using green food coloring is optional but adds the classic pistachio ice cream appearance.
  • For the best flavor, always use fresh, high-quality unsalted pistachios.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/2 cup
  • Calories: 280
  • Sugar: 20g
  • Sodium: 35mg
  • Fat: 21g
  • Saturated Fat: 10g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 9g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 22g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 5g
  • Cholesterol: 115mg