I wanted to make Pistachio Ice Cream for a long time and finally decided to make it. I needed Pistachio Paste and looked for it, then realised it is very expensive. That’s why I made ‘Pistachio Paste’ by myself. Once you have the Paste, what you have to do is mixing it with Vanilla Ice Cream. I used my ‘Easiest Vanilla Ice Cream’ recipe but I added Rum.

Makes

2 to 4 Servings

Ingredients

Pistachio Paste
50g Pistachio Kernels
Hot Water to soak Pistachio Kernels
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 pinch Salt
2 tablespoons Milk OR Water

Ice Cream
2 Egg Yolks
2 tablespoons Caster Sugar
100ml Milk
1/2 cup Thickened Cream *whipped
2 to 3 tablespoons Caster Sugar
1 teaspoon Rum OR 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract *OR both

Method
  1. To make Pistachio Paste, place Pistachio Kernels in a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 1 hour. Drain Pistachio Kernels and remove brown tough skin. I had about 60g Kernels after skin removed.
  2. Add Salt and Sugar, and use a small food processor OR grinder to process into paste, adding Milk OR Water gradually, until desired texture is achieved.
  3. To make Ice Cream, place Egg Yolks and Sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk until pale and creamy.
  4. Heat Milk in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the hot Milk to the Egg mixture in the bowl, whisking constantly. The heat of the Milk cooks the Egg Yolks. *Note: Return the mixture into the saucepan and heat up, whisking constantly, to cook it properly.
  5. Cool the mixture completely. I recommend to chill it in the fridge.
  6. In a separate bowl, beat Cream and Caster Sugar until soft peaks form. Add the cooled (OR chilled) Egg mixture, Rum (OR/AND Vanilla Extract) and Pistachio Paste, and gently combine.
  7. Pour the mixture into a container and place in the freezer for 2-3 hours or until ready.
  8. *Note: The real ice cream becomes hard when completely frozen. To soften it, transfer the ice cream from the freezer to the fridge 20-30 minutes before serving. Or let it stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
  9. *Note: I added some chopped Pistachio Nuts on top.