The Best EASY Homemade Pistachio Ice Cream
This incredibly creamy homemade pistachio ice cream uses store-bought pistachio paste, making this recipe simple and easy. This recipe uses an ice cream maker for the ultimate creamy, rich ice cream texture.
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ingredient notes
- How to make the pistachio ice cream
- Tips & tricks
- Equipment required
- How to store pistachio ice cream
- FAQ
- Variations
- Related recipes
- Recipe
Why you’ll love this recipe
Uses store-bought pistachio paste for ease – This ice cream recipe uses store-bought pistachio paste, making it easy to prepare and no need for a food processor.
Uses an ice cream maker – This pistachio ice cream makes use of your ice cream maker, resulting in ice cream that is thick, creamy, velvety soft and exactly to your liking.
Strong pistachio flavor – It is perfect for all pistachio lovers, as it has a strong pistachio flavor.
Super creamy and rich – It is extra creamy, thanks to the use of egg yolks, heavy cream, and evaporated milk.
Better than store-bought – It is WAY better than store-bought pistachio ice cream because you can taste the real pistachios and high quality ingredients.
Ingredient notes
Pistachio Paste: Use a high quality store-bought pistachio paste for the best flavor to the ice cream. Alternatively, feel free to use your own homemade paste too.
Egg Yolks: Egg yolks, rather than whole eggs, add a rich creaminess to the pistachio ice cream.
Evaporated Milk: Evaporated milk has more milk solids than regular milk, which will make the ice cream creamier and more rich!
Heavy Cream: The higher fat content is crucial to having soft ice cream.
Pistachio or Almond Extract: You can use either pistachio or almond extract for this recipe! Almond extract is easier to find, but I personally used this pistachio bakery emulsion.
How to make the pistachio ice cream
1.Whip egg yolks and sugar: Add egg yolks and half of sugar to a bowl, then whisk until pale – about 2 minutes of whisking.
2. Heat milks, corn syrup, and sugar: Heat, while stirring, the cream, evaporated milk, corn syrup and remaining sugar until it reaches 180°F.
3. Temper eggs: Ladle in small amounts of the hot liquid into the eggs, while simultaneously whisking. After all of the liquid has been added. Pour back into the pot, then heat, while stirring, until it reaches 170°F.
4. Add pistachio paste: Stir in the pistachio paste and salt, until smooth.
4. Cool custard: Cover the hot custard, then place into the fridge to fully cool.
5. Churn: Turn the ice cream maker on, pour in the cooled custard while it’s churning, then churn according to manufacturer’s directions.
6. Freeze: Transfer churned pistachio ice cream into a container, then cover, then place into the freezer to harden for 6-8 hours.
Tips & tricks
Freeze the ice cream maker bowl: This is so crucial to proper ice cream making! An unfrozen bowl means unfrozen ice cream.
Temper the egg yolks: The eggs yolks need to be tempered with the hot cream, otherwise they could curdle from the heat.
Chill the pistachio ice cream base before adding to the ice cream maker: Adding hot ice cream base to your frozen ice cream maker bowl is a recipe for disaster. It will melt the frozen bowl, leading to ice cream that is not properly churned.
Pour the ice cream into your already running (churning) ice cream maker: If you pour the ice cream base straight into the off ice cream maker, it’ll freeze on contact to the bottom of the ice cream maker.
Freeze after churning: Straight after churning, the ice cream will have a soft texture, a 6-8 hour freeze will help the ice cream firm up to typical ice cream consistency.
Don’t add the extract until after the ice cream base comes off the heat: Cooking or adding the extracts to hot custard will destroy the flavor compounds. Instead, add the extracts after the base has fully cooled.
Don’t add too many mix-ins: If you wish to add mix-ins such as white chocolate chips, raspberries, or additional nuts, don’t add too many, as it will be very hard to scoop later. Keep it to about 1 cup total for mix-ins.
Use corn-syrup: Corn-syrup is a high-viscosity sweetened that is neutral in flavor. The corn syrup in this recipe helps stabilize the ice cream, binds better to the liquid, and slightly lowers the freezing point of the ice cream. What does this mean? Well, it keeps the ice cream softer, more resilient to melting and easier to scoop. If you really hate corn syrup, you can substitute honey. Read more on how corn syrup benefits ice cream here.
Equipment required
Ice cream maker like this one or a KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment. Ensure the bowls of either of these are fully frozen before using.
Kitchen Thermometer: You’ll need a kitchen thermometer to ensure that eggs in the ice cream custard have been properly cooked.
How to store pistachio ice cream
Freezer: It can be stored in the freezer, in a covered container, for about 3-4 weeks. After 4 weeks, the ice cream may begin to form ice crystals.
FAQ
Pistachio ice cream tastes subtly nutty (like pistachios and almonds) and sweet, which is complemented by a rich creamy ice cream base.
You can use whole milk, or 2% milk (although it will be slightly less creamy).
It won’t be as airy or creamy, but yes, you can. Pour the cooled ice cream custard base into a cold loaf pan and place into the freezer. Stir the ice cream every 30 minutes for 3 hours, to incorporate air, then allow the ice cream to fully freeze overnight.
Yes, definitely! Simply grind up 1 cup of raw, unsalted pistachios with ¼ cup of white sugar in a food processor, until a paste is formed.
It really depends on the size of your ice cream maker. This recipe makes about a 1.5 qt size batch, so you’ll need to find your ice cream makers capacity before doubling.
You can substitute equal parts honey.
Variations
White Chocolate: White chocolate pairs beautifully with pistachios. After the ice cream is fully churned, stir in white chocolate chips.
Rose Water: Rose and pistachio go so well together. To make a persian inspired pistachio rose ice cream, add in 2 tsp of rosewater to the ice cream custard base when it has been fully cooled in the fridge.
Fruit: What fruit goes well with pistachio ice cream? Raspberries, of course! Fold in the raspberries after the ice cream is fully churned.
Related recipes
Pistachio Cake with Honey Buttercream
Recipe
Get the Recipe: Easy Homemade Pistachio Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 6 Large Egg Yolks
- 1/2 cup (50g) White Sugar,, divided
- 3 cups (700g) Heavy Cream,, divided
- 1 ½ cup (360g) Evaporate Milk
- 1/4 cup (85g) Corn Syrup
- 3/4 cup (135g) Pistachio Paste
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tbsp Vanilla
- 1 tsp Pistachio or Almond Extract
- 1/3 cup (50g) Shelled Unsalted Pistachios,, chopped (Optional)
Equipment
- Ice cream maker
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and half of the white sugar for 1-2 minutes, or until very smooth and fluffy. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, add 2 cups heavy cream, evaporated milk, corn syrup and remaining sugar. Heat over medium, while continuously stirring, until the mixture reaches 180°F. Remove from the heat.
- To temper the eggs, use a ladle to add small ladles of the hot liquid to the beaten egg mixture while continuously whisking. After all of the hot liquid has been mixed with the eggs, pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan. Turn to medium heat, then heat again while stirring until the mixture reaches 170°F.
- Immediately remove from the heat, stir in the salt, pistachio paste, and remaining heavy cream, then pour over a sieve and into a heat proof container or dish. Cover the surface with plastic wrap, then place into the fridge to cool for 6-8 hours.
- Once fully chilled, prepare the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If adding chopped pistachios, add them in during the final minute of churning.
- Finally, transfer ice cream from ice cream maker into a ice cream container or loaf pan, cover, and then place into the freezer to firm up for 6-8 hours.
Currently making this recipe, but it never says when to add the divided 1 Cup of heavy cream? So far the recipe is good I’m just confused.
Hi! Thanks for letting me know about this error! I fixed it now – the 1 cup cream goes in with the pistachio paste and salt, before chilling.