Description
Creamy pistachio dreams come alive in this high-protein ice cream delight, blending Mediterranean nutty richness with muscle-building protein power. Cool summer indulgence meets nutritional excellence, promising a delectable treat you’ll crave after every workout.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein and Dairy Ingredients:
- 2 cups (473 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (237 ml) whole milk
- 1 cup (150 g) shelled pistachios
Sweeteners and Flavoring:
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) almond extract
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 pinch salt
- A few drops green food coloring
Instructions
- Pulverize pistachios in a food processor until achieving a near-paste consistency with subtle texture fragments, ensuring some small chunks remain for visual and sensory appeal.
- Combine dairy elements and sweetener in a medium saucepan, gently heating to 175°F while continuously stirring to dissolve sugar completely, maintaining careful temperature control to prevent boiling.
- Remove from heat and incorporate ground pistachios, aromatic extracts, and salt, creating a harmonious flavor profile. Optional: Add subtle green food coloring for enhanced visual presentation.
- Allow mixture to cool to ambient temperature, then transfer to refrigerator and chill for minimum 4 hours or preferably overnight to develop deeper flavor complexity.
- Pour thoroughly chilled mixture into ice cream machine, churning approximately 20-25 minutes until reaching soft, creamy texture resembling gelato consistency.
- Transfer freshly churned ice cream into sealed freezer-safe container, smoothing surface for even freezing. Freeze 2-3 hours until firm and scoopable.
- Serve in chilled bowls or crisp waffle cones, garnishing with additional finely chopped pistachio kernels for textural contrast and nutty enhancement.
Notes
- Enhance texture by lightly toasting pistachios before processing to bring out deeper, richer nutty flavors and create a more complex taste profile.
- Swap dairy ingredients with coconut milk and cream for a vegan-friendly version that maintains the creamy consistency and rich pistachio flavor.
- Reduce sugar content by using natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup, which complement the pistachio’s earthy undertones and provide a more nuanced sweetness.
- Create a no-churn alternative by whipping heavy cream until stiff peaks form, then folding in condensed milk and prepared pistachio paste for a simpler frozen dessert method.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 472
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 52 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2.6 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg