The best Sicilian pistachio ice cream doesn't come from the freezer aisle; it comes from just a few pantry staples (and one niche ingredient) and can be made right in your own kitchen! It's creamy and custardy with a rich pistachio cream flavor and a hint of saltiness to round it all out. A few scoops of this refreshing pistachio ice cream is the perfect summertime sweet treat.
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Why you'll love this pistachio ice cream
- Creamy, Custardy Texture: You'll be blown away by how creamy a homemade ice cream recipe can turn out! No churn ice cream recipes usually don't compare to store-bought ice creams, but homemade custard ice cream?! It takes the cake on flavor and creaminess over store-bought every time.
- Rich Pistachio Cream Flavor: The star of the show is this Sicilian pistachio cream! The rich pistachio flavor really shines in this ice cream, plus it gives it a natural light green hue.
- Easy, Overnight Method: Homemade ice cream is so much easier than it sounds! All you need to do is simmer heavy cream and milk, then temper it with an egg yolk-sugar mixture, then let the ice cream maker do all of the work! Let it freeze overnight and enjoy all summer long.
For more ice cream recipes, try my Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream, Easy Homemade Orange Sherbet, and Oreo Ice Cream Cake.
Ingredient Notes
- Pistachio Cream: I used this Sicilian pistachio cream, which is 45% pistachio so it gives this ice cream a rich pistachio flavor and natural green color!
- Dairy: The combination of whole milk and heavy cream creates a rich, velvety ice cream base.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar not only provides sweetness, but also stabilizes the ice cream so it remains smooth and creamy when frozen.
- Egg Yolks: The richness of egg yolks is what gives this ice cream a smooth, custardy texture and flavor!
- Vanilla: A touch of vanilla extract adds beautiful depth of flavor that most store-bought pistachio ice creams lack.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this pistachio ice cream recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Make the custard ice cream base
Bring the heavy cream and whole milk to a simmer. In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt. Temper the egg yolk mixture by slowly pouring in about ⅔ of the milk mixture while vigorously whisking simultaneously. Pour everything back in the saucepan and place over low heat stirring constantly with a rubber spatula until it reaches 180 degrees F.
Mix in pistachio cream, then chill
Pour the ice cream base through a fine mesh sieve into large bowl. Then, whisk in the pistachio paste and vanilla extract. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least two hours or overnight.
Churn
Pour the ice cream mixture into the ice cream maker, and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. At this point, the ice cream will be a soft-serve consistency and can be enjoyed immediately or frozen overnight for a thicker consistency.
Freeze
To freeze overnight, add the ice cream to a freezer safe dish (I used a ceramic loaf pan) and smooth out the top into an even layer. Press plastic wrap up against the top and place in the freezer for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Expert Baking Tips
- Freeze the ice cream maker bowl overnight. Before starting this recipe, be sure to freeze the ice cream maker bowl at least one day ahead of time.
Recipe FAQs
If you do not have an ice cream maker, you can add the ice cream mixture directly to your freezer safe dish and place in freezer. Stir the mixture every 20-30 minutes until mostly frozen.
Store this pistachio ice cream in a freezer safe dish for up to two weeks.
Baking in Grams
All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale.
If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.
But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!
Happy baking! x
Other summer recipes to try
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📖 Recipe
Sicilian Pistachio Ice Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 454 g (2 cups) heavy cream
- 454 g (2 cups) whole milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 140 g (½ cup) pistachio cream
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, bring the heavy cream and whole milk to a simmer, or about 190 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until pale in color and the mixture flows off of the whisk.
- Once the milk mixture has come to a simmer, remove the pan from heat. Temper the egg yolk mixture by slowly pouring in about ⅔ of the milk mixture while vigorously whisking simultaneously.
- Pour everything back in the saucepan and place over low heat stirring constantly with a rubber spatula until it reaches 180 degrees F.
- Pour the ice cream base through a fine mesh sieve into large bowl. Then, whisk in the pistachio paste and vanilla extract.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least two hours or overnight.
- Pour the ice cream mixture into the ice cream maker, and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. At this point, the ice cream will be a soft-serve consistency and can be enjoyed immediately or frozen overnight for a thicker consistency.
- To freeze overnight, add the ice cream to a freezer safe dish (I used a ceramic loaf pan) and smooth out the top into an even layer. Press plastic wrap up against the top and place in the freezer for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Notes
- Freeze the ice cream maker bowl overnight. Before starting this recipe, be sure to freeze the ice cream maker bowl at least one day ahead of time.
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