Pistachio Crunch Ice Cream Recipe

How to make it

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• Using a food processor, pulverize 1/2 cup of pistachios until they are close to the consistency of gravel-like cornmeal. It does not need to be like flour, but there shouldn’t be any large pieces.
• Time to make a double boiler if you don’t have one. Fill a medium-sized pot or saucepan with about an inch of water. Find a metal or glass bowl (something heat resistant) that sits on the pot high enough so that it doesn’t touch the water. This is a double boiler. This recipe can be done without a double boiler, but this set up prevents the eggs from cooking.
• Once the double boiler is set up, pour the cream into the bowl, add the salt and pulverized pistachios, and heat over medium high heat. Whisk the mixture regularly to prevent a skin from forming.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and the egg yolks. It will come together as a thick paste. This step is important because you are going to add hot cream to this later and the sugar minimizes the chance of curdling the eggs.
• Time to temper. Tempering also prevents the eggs from cooking by slowly raising the temperature of the eggs. This is done by ladling part of the hot mixture to the eggs while whisking, and then adding the warmed egg mixture to the remainder of the hot mixture.
• Now that you know how to temper, try it here: Once the cream reaches about 140F, remove the bowl from the double boiler. Next, begin to ladle about 1/2 cup of cream at a time into the eggs while whisking. Continue until you’ve moved about half of the hot mixture to the eggs. Now, add the egg mixture to the hot cream and return to the double boiler. You’ve now tempered.
• Continue to whisk and heat the mixture until it thickens or reaches 160F, whichever comes LAST. This is import because 160F will ensure there is no salmonella, etc., in the mixture. The thickness of the mixture should be enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Place the cream into a container and cover. Place in the refrigerator overnight or in the freezer for 2 to 2 1/2 hrs (check at 90 min as your freezer may be colder than mine). It is better overnight, but the goal is to get the cream as cold as possible before churning. This will enhance texture.
• Once the temperature of the mixture is cold (below 40F), add it to your ice cream machine along with 1/2 cup of crushed or chopped pistachios. Churn the mixture until it is at least soft serve consistency. Once done, place in freezer for at least an hour to firm up. Serve. Enjoy!