Pistachio Ice Cream
Pistachio ice cream is a rare find where I live. It’s this scarcity that inspired me to create a homemade version, which has now become a family favorite. It captures a perfect balance of nuttiness and creamy sweetness.
The secret to its distinctive flavor lies in two key ingredients: shelled raw pistachios and pistachio bakery emulsion, which I usually pick up from Michael’s, Bulk Barn, or online. This luxurious ice cream has a super creamy, velvety texture and a rich base of 35% whipping cream, whole milk, and five egg yolks.
This recipe is simple, though it does require an ice cream maker. I love eating this ice cream alone, but it also pairs exceptionally well with other desserts. I sometimes serve scoops of homemade pistachio ice cream with a couple of lemon curd cookies or pumpkin biscotti stuck on top, on the side of a slice of pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting, or on top of these small-batch cinnamon rolls while they’re still a bit warm from the oven.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✔️ You are in control of the sweetness and amount of pistachio flavor.
✔️ This pistachio ice cream recipe has a unique and distinctive flavor.
✔️ The ice cream has a great balance of nutty, creamy, and sweet.
Ingredients For Pistachio Ice Cream
Ingredient Notes
- 35% Whipping Cream: Provides the rich, creamy texture essential for ice cream. The high-fat content helps create a smooth and indulgent mouthfeel.
- Egg Yolks: Contribute to the custard base, giving the ice cream a richer flavor and creamier texture. Egg yolks also act as an emulsifier, helping to create a stable mixture of milk, cream, and sugar.
- Granulated Sugar: Acts as a sweetener but also plays a role in the texture of the ice cream. Sugar lowers the freezing point, helping to prevent the formation of large ice crystals and ensuring a smoother texture.
- Malt Powder (Optional): Adds a unique flavor that complements the pistachio. It can enhance the overall taste profile of the ice cream, giving it a slightly nutty and toasty flavor.
- Pistachios: The star ingredient offers a natural pistachio flavor and a crunchy texture. Using raw and unsalted pistachios allows you to control the flavor and salt content of your ice cream. Make sure to use pistachios with the shells removed.
- Pistachio Bakery Emulsion: Provides the distinctive pistachio flavor. Bakery emulsions are water-based and usually more robust in flavor compared to extracts, which are alcohol-based.
- Salt: A small amount can make the sweetness and pistachio flavor more pronounced.
- Whole Milk: Adds creaminess and liquid volume to the ice cream base without making it overly heavy. Whole milk balances the fat content from the whipping cream.
It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavor may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options to change the original recipe.
Ingredient Substitutions
- 35% Whipping Cream: You can substitute with a lighter cream, like half-and-half, for a less rich ice cream. However, this will affect the creaminess and fat content.
- Malt Powder (Optional): You can simply omit this without a direct substitute. It’s an optional flavor enhancer.
- Pistachio Bakery Emulsion: Pistachio extract can be a substitute, or even almond extract, though it will give a different nutty flavor. If you can’t find either, you can use vanilla extract for a more neutral flavor, but the pistachio flavor won’t be as pronounced. You may even be able to find pistachio paste. Pistachio paste is a smooth, creamy mixture made from ground pistachios, similar in texture to peanut butter. Start by replacing the emulsion or extract with about 2 to 3 times the amount of pistachio paste and adjust to taste.
- Whole Milk: Almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk can be used as a dairy-free alternative, though this will change the flavor and texture slightly.
Recipe Variations
Add any of the following ingredients for a twist on this pistachio ice cream recipe:
- Brewed Espresso or Coffee: Infuse your custard with a touch of either. The coffee flavor will complement the pistachio’s nuttiness.
- Caramel or Chocolate Sauce Ribbon: Adds a gooey, sweet layer that pairs wonderfully with pistachio.
- Chopped Chocolate: Adds a rich, indulgent chocolatey twist to the creamy pistachio base. Use any chocolate you like. White chocolate would be especially good.
- Coconut Flakes: Adds a tropical flair and a unique texture contrast.
- Dried Fruit: Chopped dried apricots or cranberries will introduce chewy textures and a burst of sweetness.
- Maraschino or Fresh Pitted Cherries: Provides a sweet and tangy contrast, enhancing the nutty pistachio flavor.
- Orange Zest: Brings a bright citrus note, adding a refreshing layer to the flavor profile.
- Rosewater: Imparts a subtle floral note, creating an exotic and elegant taste experience.
- Shortbread Cookies: When your ice cream has finished turning, fold in pieces of chopped shortbread cookies. My recipe for brown sugar shortbread cookies is especially good! You could also make shortbread ice cream sandwiches.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
How To Make Pistachio Ice Cream
STEP 1: Heat the heavy cream and milk in a pot on the stovetop and add the sugar and egg yolks to a mixing bowl.
STEP 2: Whisk the sugar and egg yolks until creamy. Dribble in ½ cup of hot cream, a tiny bit at a time, while whisking constantly. Continue to do this until all of the cream is whisked in.
STEP 3: Add the tempered yolks to the pot of remaining cream on the stovetop. Stirring often, cook the custard between 170ºF and 175ºF (77ºC to 79ºC).
STEP 4: Remove the pot from the heat and carefully strain the mixture into an airtight container through a fine mesh sieve.
STEP 5: Whisk in the malt powder (if using), pistachio emulsion, and salt until well combined.
STEP 6: Press plastic wrap gently on top of the custard to prevent skin from forming. Let the custard sit at room temperature for one hour to cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate for 8 hours, preferably overnight.
STEP 7: Churn the custard in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s directions. Rough chop the pistachios and add them to the ice cream base five minutes before the churning cycle ends.
STEP 8: The pistachio ice cream is now ready to be scooped into insulated ice cream tubs or another airtight container with a lid. If you like soft serve consistency, you can eat the ice cream immediately or freeze it to scoop and serve later. I like to serve mine with a few chopped pistachios on top.
Expert Tips
1. To achieve the vibrant green hue of classic pistachio ice cream, gently whisk in your preferred green food coloring just before you start the churning process.
2. For more intense pistachio flavor, lightly roast the pistachios before adding them to your ice cream.
3. To prevent slipping, lay a wet dishcloth underneath your mixing bowl when whisking the hot cream and egg yolks.
Recipe Notes
- Because I love making ice cream from scratch, I invested in the Breville Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker. It was expensive, but it’s amazing!
- If you’d like to make no-churn pistachio ice cream, follow the ingredients and method for my lemon curd ice cream. Of course, instead of vanilla extract, use pistachio emulsion (or whichever flavor you decide), and don’t layer the ice cream. Spoon it directly into your chosen container. No churn ice cream is super easy to make and delicious; however, it does have a different texture and mouth feel.
- Whisk the yolks quickly without stopping as you dribble in the hot cream to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
- If you don’t own a thermometer, cook the custard until it coats the back of a spoon and your finger leaves a track when you trace a line through it.
- I use the Tovolo Glide-A-Scoop Insulated Ice Cream Tubs and the Tovolo Tight-Fitting Stack Friendly Ice Cream Tubs.
Storage
- Ensure the lid on your storage container is tightly sealed to prevent freezer burn. You can press a piece of parchment or wax paper directly onto the surface of the ice cream before closing the lid to add an extra barrier against ice crystals. You can also place the ice cream container inside a large freezer-safe bag and seal it tightly for extra protection.
- Always label your container with the flavor and the date it was made. Homemade ice cream is best enjoyed within one month.
- Remember, homemade ice cream does not contain the same stabilizers as commercial brands, so it’s normal for it to freeze harder. Allowing it to sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving will make scooping easier.
Recipe FAQ
Pistachio ice cream has a rich, nutty flavor characteristic of pistachios. It’s usually creamy with a slightly sweet and savory profile. The intensity of the pistachio flavor can vary depending on the quantity and quality of pistachios used. High-quality pistachio ice cream has a distinct, authentic nuttiness and a smooth, creamy texture.
Traditional pistachio ice cream made with natural ingredients usually has a subtle green color, owing to the natural color of pistachios. However, many commercial varieties are no longer green because they either use fewer pistachios (which are expensive) or omit artificial green coloring that was once commonly used to enhance the color. The move towards more natural and fewer artificial ingredients in foods has led to this change.
Pistachio ice cream shouldn’t inherently taste like cherries. However, some recipes or commercial brands might include cherry flavoring or actual cherries, which could lead to a cherry-like taste. This combination is quite popular in some regions. Additionally, certain artificial pistachio flavorings might have a fruity undertone that can be reminiscent of cherries.
More Ice Cream Recipes
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Printable Recipe Card
Pistachio Ice Cream
Special Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
- Medium-sized pot
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Digital kitchen thermometer
- Airtight container with lid
- Fine mesh sieve
- Plastic wrap
- Knife and cutting board
- Ice cream maker
- Insulated ice cream tubs with lids or other airtight containers with lids
Ingredients
- 2 cups 35% whipping cream, sometimes called heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 5 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon malt powder, optional
- 2 teaspoons pistachio bakery emulsion, or pistachio extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pistachios, raw, unsalted, shelled
Instructions
- Place the cream and milk in a medium-sized pot. Heat over medium-low heat until steamy.
- While the cream and milk are heating, add the sugar and egg yolks to a mixing bowl. Whisk by hand until pale and smooth, about 1 minute.
- While whisking the egg yolks vigorously and constantly, slowly dribble ½ cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks. Once the ½ cup of cream is well combined, pour and scrape all of the egg yolk mixture back into the pot of remaining cream.
- Cook the custard over medium-low heat until it reaches between 170ºF and 175ºF (77ºC and 79ºC) on a digital thermometer.
- Remove the pot from the heat and carefully strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into an airtight container. Stir in the malt powder (if using), pistachio extract, and salt until well combined. Gently press plastic wrap evenly on top of the custard to prevent skin from forming. Let the custard sit at room temperature for one hour to cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate for 8 hours, and preferably overnight.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the custard and squeeze any excess batter from the plastic back into the container. Give the custard a final whisk before processing it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Rough chop the pistachios and add them to the ice cream 5 minutes before the churning cycle has finished. Scoop the ice cream into insulated ice cream tubs or other airtight containers with lids and store in the freezer until ready to scoop and serve. You can also eat the ice cream immediately if you like soft serve consistency.
Recipe Notes
- Because I love making ice cream from scratch, I invested in the Breville Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker. It was expensive, but it’s amazing!
- If you’d like to make no-churn pistachio ice cream, follow the ingredients and method for my lemon curd ice cream. Of course, instead of vanilla extract, use pistachio emulsion (or whichever flavor you decide), and don’t layer the ice cream. Spoon it directly into your chosen container. No churn ice cream is super easy to make and delicious; however, it does have a different texture and mouth feel.
- Whisk the yolks quickly without stopping as you dribble in the hot cream to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
- If you don’t own a thermometer, cook the custard until it coats the back of a spoon and your finger leaves a track when you trace a line through it.
- I use the Tovolo Glide-A-Scoop Insulated Ice Cream Tubs and the Tovolo Tight-Fitting Stack Friendly Ice Cream Tubs.
