Best Pistachio Ice Cream Recipes

PISTACHIO ICE CREAM DESSERT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine cracker crumbs and melted butter in a bowl. Mix until evenly moistened; press into the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven until crust is lightly browned and smells toasted, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
• Mix ice cream, pudding mix, and milk together in a bowl until combined; spread evenly onto prepared crust. Spread whipped topping over ice cream mixture; top with toffee bits. Place in freezer until hardened, at least 1 hour.

RASPBERRY AND PISTACHIO ICE CREAM ICEBOX CAKE

Steps:

• Line a 9x5" loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a few inches of overhang on all sides. Chill pan until ready to use. Toast nuts in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 5-8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop; set aside.
• Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream and powdered sugar in a large bowl until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Place jam in a medium bowl and whisk to loosen, then gently mix in half of whipped cream. Mix vanilla and salt into plain whipped cream.
• Scoop half of vanilla whipped cream into prepared loaf pan and spread into an even layer. Arrange a layer of cookies on top, breaking or cutting to fit as needed. Add half of raspberry whipped cream, smooth into an even layer, and top with another layer of cookies. Dollop ice cream across top and smooth into an even layer. Add a third layer of cookies, followed by remaining raspberry whipped cream. Repeat with a fourth layer of cookies and finally spread remaining vanilla whipped cream over (don't worry if it's a little higher than edges of pan). Scatter reserved pistachios on top. Cover with plastic overhang and freeze until set, at least 6 hours.
• To serve, using plastic overhang, unmold cake (if it's hesitant to come out, run the sides of the pan under warm water for a few seconds to loosen) and cut into slices. Do ahead: Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.

PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Finely grind 1 cup pistachios and 1/4 cup sugar in processor. Bring milk and ground pistachio mixture to boil in heavy large saucepan. Remove from heat. Mix in almond extract.
• Whisk egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture. Return custard to saucepan. Cook over low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes (do not boil). Strain into large bowl. Chill until cold, about 2 hours.
• Stir 1 cup whipping cream and chopped pistachios into custard. Process mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to container and freeze. (Ice cream can be prepared 3 days ahead.)

PISTACHIO ICE CREAM DESSERT

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and butter. Press into an ungreased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 325° for 7-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes (mixture will be thick). Stir in ice cream; pour over crust. Cover and freeze for 2 hours or until firm. , Spread with whipped topping; sprinkle with crushed candy bars. Cover and freeze for 1 hour or until firm.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY, PISTACHIO, AND RASPBERRY ICE CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Boil dried tart cherries and orange juice in heavy small saucepan until all liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat; cool completely.
• Line 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan with foil, extending over sides of pan. Finely grind cookies and almonds in processor; add butter and process until moist crumbs form. Press crumbs onto bottom of foil-lined pan. Place in freezer.
• Mix chocolate ice cream, chopped chocolate, and cherry mixture in medium bowl. Spoon over crust; smooth top. Freeze 30 minutes. Top with raspberry sorbet; smooth top. Freeze 30 minutes. Mix pistachio ice cream and orange peel in another medium bowl. Spoon over sorbet; smooth top (ice cream will come all the way up to top of pan). Cover and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Using foil as aid, lift ice cream cake from pan; peel off foil. Use spatula dipped into hot water to smooth sides of cake. Transfer cake to platter. Garnish top of cake with chocolate curls or amaretti cookies dipped halfway into room-temperature Hot Fudge Sauce. Cut cake into squares. Serve with Hot Fudge Sauce.
• Test-kitchen tip:
• Soften the ice cream and sorbet in the microwave on high in two to three 10-second intervals until just soft enough to spread. *Light, airy Italian almond macaroons that are available at some supermarkets and Italian markets.

PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Finely grind 1 cup of the pistachios and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a food processor, being careful not to turn the mixture into butter. Bring the milk and cream to a boil in heavy large saucepan. Remove from heat.
• Combine the egg yolks and remaining 1/2-cup sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk to blend. Gradually whisk 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the eggs. Gradually add the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream into the hot cream in the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 6 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and strain into a large bowl. Add pistachio mixture and almond extract. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to keep a skin from forming, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• Remove from the refrigerator and pour into the bowl of an ice cream machine. Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. After the ice cream is made, transfer to an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.
• Garnish with whipped cream and toasted pistachios.

EASY PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Mix sweetened condensed milk, milk, and pudding mix together in a bowl; transfer to an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturers' instructions.

BASTANI (PERSIAN ROSE WATER, SAFFRON AND PISTACHIO ICE CREAM)

Steps:

• In a medium thick-bottomed bot, slowly heat the milk to boiling while stirring. Add the vanilla extract and saffron. Continue to cook on low heat, stirring occasionally while doing the next step.
• Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until smooth and foamy. Very carefully and slowly, pour the egg/sugar mixture into the milk. Make sure to stir it rapidly with a fork or use a whisk while pouring (or you will end up with scrambled eggs in the ice cream!).
• Continue heating the mixture on low heat while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until thickened (it should be foamy and coat the spoon).
• Pour the custard mixture into a bowl, and refrigerate until well chilled.
• Once cold, stir in the cream, rose water or extract, and chopped pistachios.
• Churn in an ice cream maker until finished (or, stick in the freezer and vigorously stir every 30 minutes or so to break up the ice crystals, until it is homogenous and frozen).

RASPBERRY-PISTACHIO ICE CREAM PIE WITH ALMOND PRALINE

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Mix cookie crumbs and melted butter in medium bowl until evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of prepared dish. Bake until crust is firm and crisp to touch, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
• Make praline:
• Line baking sheet with foil; oil lightly. Stir sugar in heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat until sugar begins to melt, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until sugar turns into deep golden syrup, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Stir in almonds. Immediately pour praline onto foil-lined baking sheet; spread with wooden spoon. Let stand until praline is cool and firm, about 30 minutes. Cut praline into 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer half of praline pieces to processor; grind until powder forms. Reserve remaining praline pieces for topping.
• Spread 1 pint pistachio ice cream gently and evenly in cooled crust (crust is fragile). Sprinkle 1/4 cup praline powder over. Spread raspberry gelato evenly over. Sprinkle remaining praline powder over. Leaving 1 inch border of raspberry gelato showing, spread remaining pistachio ice cream over top of pie, mounding slightly in center. Sprinkle reserved praline pieces over top. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Cover tightly; keep frozen.)
• Let pie soften slightly at room temperature, about 5 minutes. Serve pie with Raspberry Sauce, if desired.
• *Available at Italian markets and some supermarkets.

ROSE PETAL PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Rinse the rose petals in cold water, and pat dry. Place 2/3 cup of rose petals in a saucepan with the heavy cream, half-and-half cream, and 1/3 cup of sugar. Place over medium heat, and bring the mixture to a bare simmer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and let the cream and rose petals steep for about 30 minutes. If you prefer, strain out the used rose petals. Set the remaining 1/3 cup of uncooked rose petals aside for later.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread pistachio nuts out onto a baking sheet, and bake until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
• Prepare an ice water bath for rapidly chilling the ice cream mix: set a large bowl in the sink, and fill with ice cubes and enough water to let the cubes begin to melt. Place a strainer over a 2-quart bowl and set it in the ice bath. Have the ice water bath and bowl ready while you make the custard.
• Place the egg yolks and 1/3 cup of sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk the yolks and sugar until thick and pale yellow.
• Place the saucepan with the rose-scented cream back over medium-low heat, and bring almost to a simmer, stirring constantly. Gradually pour about a cup of the hot rose cream into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Repeat with the remaining hot cream. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth, thickened, and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 more minutes. When mixture is just thickened, remove it from the heat.
• Pour the hot custard through the strainer into the chilled bowl in the ice bath.
• Stir the ice cream mix for about 2 minutes to prevent lumping, and mix in the rose water. Start with 1 teaspoon of the flavoring, and add more to taste, up to 2 or more tablespoons. Stir in food coloring, if desired. Place a sheet of plastic wrap against the surface of the ice cream mix, squeezing out any air pockets. Chill the ice cream mix for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Place the chilled ice cream mix into an ice cream freezer, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. When the ice cream is soft-frozen, scoop into a lidded container, and stir in the remaining rose petals and the pistachios to combine. Freeze, covered, for several hours to firm up before serving.

PISTACHIO ROSE WATER ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Spray a 9 by 4 1/2 by 2 3/4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line with plastic wrap, overlapping edges; set aside. Coarsely chop 2 cups pistachio nuts; combine with milk in a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil. Remove from heat, and steep for 1 hour.
• Combine egg yolks and sugar in bowl of electric mixer. Using whip attachment, beat at medium-high speed until very thick and pale yellow, 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile, strain milk; discard nuts. Bring milk back to a simmer.
• Whisk half of the hot milk into the sugar mixture, and return to saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until thick enough to coat a wooden spoon, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Stir in cream; pass through a fine strainer. Pour into a medium bowl; chill over ice bath. Stir in rose water.
• Pour half of mixture into an ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Before removing ice cream, add 1/2 cup whole pistachio nuts, churning until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Spoon ice cream into prepared pan, and transfer to freezer. Freeze remaining mixture in ice-cream maker, adding remaining pistachio nuts at end. Remove pan from freezer; add second layer of ice cream. Cover with overlapping plastic wrap; freeze.
• To serve, invert loaf pan onto serving plate. Cover bottom and sides of pan with cold wet towel; rub for about 1 minute. Pull plastic wrap down; ice cream will slide from pan. Remove plastic wrap, slice, and serve.

WARM CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES WITH PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter eight 3/4-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups. Melt chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth. Transfer to large bowl; cool.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar; beat until stiff but not dry.
• Whisk yolks, flour and vanilla into melted chocolate mixture. Fold in 1/3 of egg whites to lighten. Fold in remaining whites. Divide soufflé mixture evenly among soufflé dishes. Transfer to baking sheet. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
• Bake soufflés until edges are set but tester inserted into center comes out with wet batter attached, about 15 minutes if baked immediately or 20 minutes if refrigerated overnight. Serve immediately with Pistachio Ice Cream.

PISTACHIO PUDDING ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Put pudding mix in a small bowl, whisk in 2 cups of cold milk.
• Pre chill your ice cream machine for about 5 min (if pre chilling is required by manufacture).
• Pour pudding mixture into machine and follow manufacturers directions.
• If using the nuts, add them to the mixture when it is about half done, and finish processing; OR, follow the manufacturers directions for adding chopped candy bars to ice cream, and add the chopped nuts following those directions.
• Store any leftover ice cream in the freezer in a tightly covered container.
• Press a piece of plastic wrap into the surface of the ice cream before covering the container, to prevent ice crystals from forming.

MILK CHOCOLATE DOME WITH CARAMEL CREAM, FLEUR DE SEL AND PISTACHIO CRUNCH ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Mousse:
• Whip the 16 ounces heavy cream to soft peaks. Bring the milk and remaining 4 1/2 ounces of cream to a boil. Beat the sugar and egg yolks until smooth. While whisking egg yolk mixture, add a small ladle of the hot cream and whisk well to temper. Add the yolk mixture to the cream mixture and cook over low heat, while whisking, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat. Strain and pour over the chocolate. Mix to incorporate. Gently fold in the whipped cream.
• Caramel Cream:
• Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture comes to a boil. Once mixture boils, don't stir anymore. Boil until the mixture turns a dark caramel color. Once a dark caramel color is achieved, remove from the heat and carefully add half quart cream and the vanilla bean. Be careful as the mixture may sputter a bit when you add the cream. Bring back to a boil and cook until a uniform consistency is achieved. Strain and let cool overnight. Whip the remaining half quart of cream to soft peaks. Fold in the caramel.
• Assembly:
• While the ice cream is still soft stir in 1 cup of pistachio nougatine. Place in freezer until ready to serve.
• Pipe the mousse into 4-ounce dome molds and gently spoon up the sides to create a shell. Place in the freezer until set. Pipe in about 2 tablespoons of the caramel cream into each dome mold. Top with a chocolate disk and a round of chocolate biscuit. Place in the freezer until set and then unmold and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• Warm the chocolate glaze. Place a sable round on a plate. Glaze the dome and place it on top of the cookie. Top with a dot of gold leaf. Serve with the pistachio ice cream and chocolate garnishes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the egg whites in a mixer and whisk until frothy. While whisking, slowly add the 1 cup and 1 tablespoon of sugar and whisk to soft peaks. Meanwhile whisk together the yolks, oil and water until frothy. Stir in the remaining 2 cups sugar. Sift the remaining dry ingredients and whisk into the yolk mixture.
• Gently fold in the meringue. Spread between 3 full sheet pans lined with parchment and bake until the cake springs back in the center, about 10 minutes. Let cool. Cut with a round cutter to fit directly at the base of the dome mold.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and yolk, 1 at a time, just to combine.
• Sift all dry ingredients and add a little at a time until just mixed together. Roll out very thin, about 1/8-inch. Cut out with a 1 1/2-inch round cutter. Sprinkle disks with sugar and bake off until dry to the touch, about 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool.
• Bring the water, sugar, cream and corn syrup to a boil. Pour over the chocolates and mix together. Let cool.
• Preheat oven to 325 degree F.
• In a large pot, melt the butter and corn syrup. Stir in the confectioners' sugar and pectin and cook, stirring until you have reached a full boil. Continue to cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the pistachios. Spread onto parchment lined sheet pan and bake in the oven until golden brown. Let cool. Grind in a food processor into small chunks.
• Bring the milk, cream, vanilla beans and half the sugar to a boil. Whisk together the remaining sugar and yolks. While whisking, add a ladle of the hot cream mixture to the yolks. Stir the yolk mixture into the cream mixture and cook over low heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and strain. Let cool and process in an ice cream machine.
• Temper chocolate and spread a thin layer out onto parchment. Sprinkle lightly with fleur de sel before it sets. Cut out with a 3/4-inch circle cutter.

PISTACHIO MERINGUES WITH MANGO & MANDARIN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• You can make the ice cream up to a month ahead. First, cut the skin from the mango with a sharp knife, cut the flesh from the stone and chop very finely. Whisk the cream, Cointreau, icing sugar, mandarin zest and juice together until it holds its shape. Fold in the mango. Tip the mixture into a rigid container and freeze for 3 hours until softly frozen, stirring once after 1½ hours.
• Meanwhile make the meringues. Preheat the oven to 120C/gas ½/fan 100C. Line 2 large baking sheets with baking parchment and draw 16 x 6cm circles, spaced well apart, on the sheets. (Use a jar lid measuring 6 cm across as a template.)
• Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Add half the caster sugar and whisk until glossy. Add the remaining sugar a tablespoon at a time while whisking. Fold in the nuts with a large metal spoon.
• Spoon the meringue on to the paper circles and spread to make even rounds. Bake for 1 hour, switching the trays round after 30 minutes. The meringues are ready when firm and sound hollow if tapped. Cool on the trays then peel off the paper.
• When the meringues are cool and the ice cream is softly frozen, sandwich the meringues together in pairs using the ice cream. Put them into a container in a single layer and freeze, along with the leftover ice cream.
• To serve, remove from the freezer and scatter with the extra chopped nuts. Serve on plates and eat with forks.

APRICOT-PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Quarter the apricots, then warm them with the wine in a small saucepan.
• Simmer five minutes, then cover, remove from the heat and let stand for one hour.
• Coarsely chop the pistachios.
• Puree the apricots, wine, sugar, half and half, and lemon juice in a blender.
• Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator -- this will take at least 3 hours -- then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Add the psitachio nuts in the last five minutes of churning.

VANILLA ICE CREAM FOR LEMON CURD-PISTACHIO SUNDAES

Steps:

• Combine cream, milk, and salt in a saucepan. Add 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar. Add vanilla bean seeds and pod. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring, about 4 minutes.
• Whisk together egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar. Whisk half the hot milk mixture into yolks, 1 ladle at a time. Pour mixture into pan, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes.
• Pour custard through a fine sieve into a bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water; discard vanilla pod. Let cool, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate custard until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
• Chill a loaf pan in freezer. Freeze custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Transfer to pan. Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until hardened, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. (If ice cream is in freezer longer than 2 hours, let soften at room temperature 10 minutes before scooping.)

PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Reserve a quarter of the pistachios and finely grind the remainder in a food processor. Tip into a pan with the milk and sugar, and bring gently to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, leave to cool, then chill.
• Finely chop the reserved pistachios. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold in the custard, almond extract and then the nut milk until evenly mixed. Churn in an ice cream machine or put the bowl in the freezer until the mixture is set 5cm in from the edges. Remove and whisk to break down the large ice crystals. Freeze and whisk again, then transfer to a rigid container and scatter with the chopped pistachios. Freeze completely until firm.
• Half an hour before serving, transfer the ice cream to the fridge to soften.

SUGAR FREE PISTACHIO ICE CREAM - FREEZER MADE

Steps:

• Put half and half and pudding mix in a medium size bowl and beat with a whisk for 2 minutes.
• Stir in pistachios.
• Pour into a metal cake pan and freeze at least 2 hours, until firm.
• Every 30 minutes, while freezing, stir frozen edges towards the center with a rubber spatula.
• Serve sprinkled with chopped pistachios.

DRIED APRICOT-PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, warm the apricot pieces in the wine. Simmer for 5 minutes, cover, remove from the heat, and let stand for 1 hour. Coarsely chop the pistachio nuts.
• Purée the apricots with the wine in a blender with the sugar, half-and-half, and lemon juice until smooth.
• Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the chopped pistachio nuts.
• Perfect Pairing
• You can make Apricot-Pistachio Crêpes (pictured) by warming Crêpes (page 233) and serving them, folded, on plates, topped with scoops of Dried Apricot-Pistachio Ice Cream, a drizzling of acacia honey, and a scattering of chopped pistachios.