Gelato

Pistachio Gelato (Gelato al Pistacchio)

A classic Sicilian-style pistachio gelato: dense, elastic, and intensely nutty, with very little air and a creamy body from milk thickened gently with egg yolks.

Prep

20 min

Cook

20 min

Total

40 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 ml (2 cups + 2 tbsp) whole milk, full-fat, not UHT if possible
• •120 ml (½ cup) double cream, heavy cream; keeps gelato scoopable
• •120 g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) caster sugar
• •4 whole egg yolks, large, from refrigerated eggs
• •120 g (¾ cup) unsweetened pistachio paste, 100% pistachio, or grind 120g shelled pistachios with 30g sugar and 30ml milk
• •1 pinch fine sea salt
• •5 ml (1 tsp) neutral oil, e.g. grapeseed, to prevent ice crystals

Steps

1. 1 Warm the milk and cream with the salt in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until you see the first bubbles at the edge (about 80 °C / 175 °F). Do not let it boil.
2. 2 Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a heatproof bowl until the mixture is pale, thick, and ribbons fall from the whisk (about 3 minutes).
3. 3 Temper the yolks: slowly pour about one-third of the hot milk into the yolks while whisking constantly, then return the yolk mixture to the saucepan.
4. 4 Cook the custard over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it reaches at least 82 °C / 180 °F on an instant-read thermometer and coats the back of the spoon (a finger drawn through leaves a clean line). Hold it there for 15 seconds, stirring, then take it off the heat at once. That temperature is what fully pasteurises the yolks. Do not let it simmer or it will curdle.
5. 5 If using pasteurised egg yolks from a carton instead, you can stop at 78-80 °C / 172-176 °F, but keep the 82 °C / 180 °F target for ordinary fresh eggs.
6. 6 Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl, then whisk in the pistachio paste until completely smooth.
7. 7 Cover and chill rapidly (over an ice bath is fastest), then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, until the base is no warmer than 4 °C / 39 °F. Cold base = denser gelato.
8. 8 Stir the cold base briefly, then churn in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer's instructions, until it is the texture of soft-serve (about 20-30 minutes).
9. 9 Stir in the neutral oil at the end of churning to help keep the gelato scoopable once frozen.
10. 10 Transfer to a lidded container, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and 'riposare' (rest) in the freezer for at least 2 hours to let the structure firm up.
11. 11 Serve at about -10 to -12 °C / 14-10 °F: take the gelato out of the freezer 10-15 minutes before scooping so it melts cleanly on the tongue.