Do I need an ice cream machine?

No. Freeze the chilled base in a shallow tin and stir it every 30 minutes for about 2 hours, then freeze until firm. A machine gives a smoother scoop. The no-machine bowl is still worth making.

Yes. It keeps 2 weeks in the freezer. Press parchment on the surface so it does not form an ice skin. Soften a few minutes before you scoop.

How do I make the pistachio stronger?

Add a tablespoon of pistachio butter to the warm base, or grind more of the nuts. Taste the base cold before you churn. Cold dulls the nut flavor, so it should taste a little strong while it is still warm.

How long does it take to make Pistachio Gelato?

About 4 hours 30 minutes in total: 20 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking.

What ingredients do I need for Pistachio Gelato?

The key ingredients include egg yolks, orange zest, milk, heavy cream, sugar and vanilla. The recipe card lists every ingredient with exact amounts.

How should I store leftovers?

Freezer: 2 weeks, covered, with parchment pressed on the surface so it does not ice over.

Pistachio Gelato

Ingredients

Base
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup unsalted pistachios, finely ground
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
Mix-ins
1/3 cup unsalted pistachios, chopped
1 tsp orange zest, to finish

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Instructions

Warm the milk, cream, half the sugar, the ground pistachios, and salt until it steams. Do not boil.
Whisk the yolks with the rest of the sugar. Slowly pour in a cup of the hot milk while whisking, then return it all to the pan.
Cook over low heat, stirring, until it coats a spoon, about 5 minutes. Do not let it simmer.
Strain into a bowl. Stir in the vanilla. Chill until cold, at least 3 hours.
Churn in an ice cream machine. Near the end, add the chopped pistachios. No machine: freeze in a shallow tin and stir every 30 minutes for 2 hours, folding in the nuts at the last stir.
Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Scoop and finish with orange zest and a few extra pistachios.

Notes & Tips

Grind some of the nuts into the base. Pieces alone will not flavor the scoop.
Strain the custard. Ground pistachio skins can make it grainy if you skip this.
Chill the base fully. A warm churn makes ice, not gelato.
Zest at the end. Cooked zest goes bitter and loses the color in the photo.
Nutrition: Per scoop (1 of 8). Estimate.
Nutrition: Net carbohydrates: 17g
Nutrition: WW estimate: 9 points on the current plan (cream, sugar, and pistachios carry the points)
Freezer: 2 weeks, covered, with parchment pressed on the surface so it does not ice over.
Soften 5 minutes before scooping. Gelato sets harder than ice cream.
Nutrition is an estimate from milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks, and pistachios. The no-egg version is similar if you keep the cream.
## The Secret to Pistachio Flavor
Grind a third of the nuts into the warm milk, and leave the rest in pieces. Ground nuts color and flavor the base. Chopped nuts are what you see in the scoop. If you only stir in pieces at the end, the gelato tastes like sweet cream with a pistachio on top, which is not the bowl in the photo.

Variations & serving ideas

No eggs: skip the yolks and the stove. Blend the milk, cream, sugar, ground pistachios, and vanilla, then freeze and stir. It will be icier.
No machine: the stir-every-30-minutes method works. Same flavor, looser texture.
Lighter: use half-and-half for the cream. The scoop will be icier.
No orange: finish with a pinch of flaky salt and extra chopped pistachio.
Stronger pistachio: add 1 Tbsp pistachio butter to the warm base.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving · makes 8 servings

Nutrition facts per serving
Nutrient	Amount per serving
Calories	230 kcal
Total fat	15 g
Sodium	45 mg
Total carbohydrate	18 g
Fibre	1 g
Protein	5 g

Nutrition values are approximate and vary with brands and portion sizes.

Pistachio Gelato

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