The beauty of this ice cream is its rich and mellow pistachio flavor and color, which is a natural deep ivory rather than the artificially bright green we’re used to seeing in pistachio ice cream. Creamy and
satisfying, this ice cream is delicious right after it is made, when still in the “soft serve” state, or several hours later, when it has had a chance to harden a bit.
Makes 1 quart (1 liter)
Ingredients:
4 ounces (110 g) raw shelled pistachio nuts
Tiny pinch of salt
1¼ cups (250 g) sugar
1 quart (1 liter) half-and-half
6 large egg yolks
Note: I ask you to strain the custard before you turn it in the ice cream maker so that the crushed nuts don’t stop the ice cream maker from working. This nugget of wisdom comes from experience —the paddles on my very efficient little ice cream maker simply won’t turn beyond any chunks or bumps, and I assume your machine is the same. I suggest you stir the nuts back into the ice cream so they can add not only their flavor but also their texture. In all the tests of this ice cream that I have done, it’s the version with the nuts that wins the flavor prize!
Directions:
1. Crush the pistachios to a paste using a mortar and pestle with the salt and ¼ cup (50 g) of the sugar.
2. Place the pistachio mixture in a heavy saucepan with the half-and half and whisk them together. Place the saucepan over medium heat and scald the half-and-half. Remove from the heat, cover, and let infuse
for 1 hour.
3. Set a large bowl near the burner where you are making the custard.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining 1 cup (200 g) of sugar until they are thick and pale yellow. Slowly whisk the warm half-and-half and pistachios into the egg yolk and sugar mixture, then transfer that mixture to a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stirring constantly in a figure-eight pattern, cook the custard until it thickens and allows the utensil you are using to glide easily across the bottom of the pan. If this takes longer than 10 minutes, increase the heat slightly, but be sure not to boil the mixture or it will curdle.
5. When the custard is thick, immediately pour it into the large bowl. Let the custard cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until it is chilled.
6. To make the ice cream, first strain the custard so the crushed nuts don’t inhibit the action of the ice cream maker, then follow the ice cream manufacturer’s instructions for turning ice cream. If you want the texture of the crushed nuts in the ice cream, simply stir them back into the ice cream once it is solid.
