To make ice cream, we prefer to start with raw pistachios and toast them very lightly in the oven. We want to enhance and intensify their flavor without losing the delicate, almost fruity quality of the raw nuts. It can be difficult to find raw pistachios, especially ones that are
already shelled. If you can’t get any, buy the toasted kind and skip the
toasting step.
As for the Cherry Almond Ice cream, the type of strainer you use will have a significant impact on the texture of the ice cream. A chinois
will yield a very smooth ice cream, while a regular fine-mesh strainer will give you a more rustic result.
TECHNIQUE: Ice cream
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Ice cream machine
INFUSING AND CHILLING TIME: 2 hours or overnight
SHELF LIFE: 1 week
INGREDIENTS:
- ¾ cup raw shelled pistachios
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 ¼ cups 1% or 2% milk
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 large egg yolks
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spread the pistachios on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the nuts are just starting to brown and smell nutty, 5 to 6 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Combine the cooled nuts and the sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until very finely ground (about the consistency of sand). Do not overprocess or the mixture will become oily and pasty.
To Infuse the Milk/Cream: 4. Transfer the pistachio mixture to a heavy nonreactive saucepan and stir in the cream, milk, and salt.
- Put the pan over medium-high heat. When the mixture just begins to bubble around the edges, remove from the heat and cover the pan. Let steep for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a distinct pistachio flavor has infused into the mixture. (Taste it to monitor the progress.)
To Make the Base: 6. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks just to break them up. Set aside.
- Uncover the cream mixture and put the pan over medium-high heat. When the mixture approaches a bare simmer, reduce the heat to medium.
- Carefully scoop out about ½ cup of the hot cream mixture and, whisking the eggs constantly, add the cream to the bowl with the egg yolks. Repeat, adding another ½ cup of the hot cream to the bowl with the yolks. Using a heatproof rubber spatula, stir the cream in the saucepan as you slowly pour the egg-and-cream mixture from the bowl into the pan.
- Cook the mixture carefully over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is thickened, coats the back of a spatula, and holds a clear path when you run your finger across the spatula, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
- Strain the base through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container. Set the container into an ice-water bath, wash your spatula, and use it to stir the base occasionally until it is cool. Remove the container from the ice-water bath, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate the base for at least 2 hours or overnight.
To Freeze the Ice Cream: 11. Freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. While the ice cream is churning, put the container you’ll use to store the ice cream into the freezer. Enjoy right away or, for a firmer ice cream, transfer to the chilled container and freeze for at least 4 hours.
ADDITIONAL TIPS:
- To make ice cream, it is preferable to start with raw pistachios and toast them very lightly in the oven to enhance and intensify their flavor without losing the delicate, almost fruity quality of the raw nuts.
- If you cannot find raw pistachios, buy the toasted kind and skip the toasting step.
- The type of strainer you use will have a significant impact on the texture of the ice cream. A chinois will yield a very smooth ice cream, while a regular fine-mesh strainer will give you a more rustic result.
- Shelf life of the ice cream is 1 week.
- You can use almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, walnuts, or cashews in place of the pistachios.
