Pistachio Ice Cream Recipe

a glass bowl with two scoops of pistachio ice cream on a white plate.

5 from 1 review

Pistachio Ice Cream Recipe

Delicious and creamy ice cream flavored with homemade pistachio paste and a hint of orange. Studded with crunchy candied pistachios, it's a real treat. Makes a quart of ice cream.

Prep Time: 30

Bake Time: 10

Additional Time: 6

Total Time: 6 20

12 servings

Ingredients
US Customary - Metric

8 oz raw unsalted pistachios (2 cups)
8 oz granulated sugar (1 cup, divided)
2 oz light corn syrup (3 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 oz whole milk (1 ½ cups)
12 oz heavy cream (1 ½ cups)
6 large egg yolks
2" strip of orange zest
⅛ teaspoon table salt

Instructions

Spread a clean kitchen towel out on the kitchen counter. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan.
Toast 8 oz raw unsalted pistachios in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat just until they are fragrant. Turn off the heat. Transfer the nuts to the clean towel in an even layer. Fold the towel over the nuts. Rub back and forth vigorously over the towel. This will remove some of the skins from the pistachios.
Lift the pistachios off the towel, leaving the skins behind. Place half of the nuts in a small bowl and reserve for making the pistachio paste. Put the rest of the pistachios back into the skillet.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup (2oz) of the granulated sugar over the pistachios in the pan. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly until the sugar melts and glazes the nuts. Turn off the heat and immediately transfer the candied pistachios to the parchment lined sheet pan to cool. Be careful, the caramelized sugar is very hot!
Once the candied nuts are cooled, use a mallet or heavy object to break the nuts into small clusters. Transfer them to a covered container. The candied nuts can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Place the other reserved pistachios in the bowl of a small food processor. Process for 2-3 minutes until it looks like coarse sand. Add 2 oz light corn syrup, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of hot water. Continue to process the mixture until it forms a thick paste. Set the paste aside while you make the custard.
Set a sieve over a medium size bowl and place it near the stove. Combine 12 oz whole milk and 12 oz heavy cream in a medium sauce pan. Whisk in the remaining 6 oz of granulated sugar, 6 large egg yolks, a 2" strip of orange zest and ⅛ teaspoon table salt.
Heat the milk mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook the custard until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not allow it to come to a full boil. Turn off the heat and whisk in the pistachio paste.
Strain the custard into the bowl. Leave any larger bits of nut and the orange zest in the sieve. Cover the bowl and chill until very cold. At least 4-5 hours or overnight.
Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions for your ice cream machine. If you want the ice cream to have a more prominent green color, add a few drops of green food coloring to the ice cream as it runs in the machine.
Just before removing the ice cream from the machine, add the candied pistachios and let them mix in. Scoop the ice cream into a container and smooth to an even layer. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ice cream, cover tightly and freeze until firm.