Pistachio & Honey Ice Cream

Pistachio & Honey Ice Cream 

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream (cold)

• 1 cup whole milk

• ¾ cup honey (preferably raw or floral)

• ¾ cup shelled pistachios (unsalted, lightly toasted)

• 4 egg yolks

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ½ tsp orange blossom water or rose water (optional, Mediterranean touch)

• Pinch of salt

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Instructions

1. Infuse the Pistachios

• Finely chop or pulse pistachios (do not turn into paste).

• In a saucepan, heat milk + half of the cream + pistachios until steaming (not boiling).

• Remove from heat, cover, and let steep 20–30 minutes for flavor.

2. Make the Custard Base

• In a bowl, whisk egg yolks + honey + salt until smooth.

• Reheat the pistachio milk gently.

• Slowly pour the warm mixture into the yolks while whisking (tempering).

3. Cook the Custard

• Return mixture to saucepan.

• Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 75–80°C / 167–176°F).

• Do not boil.

4. Strain & Flavor

• Strain to remove pistachio bits (optional — keep them for texture if desired).

• Stir in remaining cold cream, vanilla, and orange blossom/rose water.

5. Chill

• Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight for best texture.

6. Churn

• Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions (about 20–25 minutes).

7. Freeze

• Transfer to a container and freeze 2–4 hours until firm.

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No-Churn Option (Without Ice Cream Maker) 

• Whip 2 cups cold cream to soft peaks.

• Fold into the chilled custard base.

• Freeze, stirring every 30–45 minutes for the first 2 hours to reduce ice crystals.

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Q&A

Q1: Can I make it without eggs?
Yes. Skip the custard step and use a no-churn base (whipped cream + sweetened condensed milk + honey).

Q2: Which honey works best?
Floral honeys like wildflower, orange blossom, or acacia give the most authentic Mediterranean flavor 

Q3: Can I add whole pistachio pieces?
Absolutely — fold in chopped pistachios during the last minutes of churning for crunch.

Q4: How long does it keep?
Up to 2 weeks in the freezer in an airtight container.

Q5: How do I get a softer scoop?
Let it sit at room temperature 5–10 minutes before serving.