Pistachio Ice Cream and My First GIVEAWAY!!!

 

A couple weeks ago I was contacted by someone at Oh!Nuts to see if I would like to sample a few kinds of nuts and write about the recipes I came up with.  I was shocked and amazed!  I had read about people who were sent products, but never really thought I would get that lucky.  So I immediately responded with the kinds I would like (Pistachio’s, Hazelnuts, Almond Flour), and they arrived just a couple days later. Stay tuned for recipes involving the rest later.  

I picked Pistachio’s because they are my husband’s absolute favorite nut.  He was eating a couple and said he thought they might be his favorite single ingredient food!  So I had to make something that was really going to highlight the pistachio.  We decided on ice cream, and I am so glad we did.  My husband is too.  He said this might be the all time best ice cream he has ever had (and he has tried quite a few).    I had a hard time finding a recipe, there aren’t that many out there.  After reading a bunch of reviews I finally decided on this one.  

Pistachio Ice Cream

Adapted from BrownEyed Baker

Printable Recipe

1 ¼ cup shelled pistachio nuts

¾ cup sugar

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

6 large egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp almond extract

½ cup pistachios, coarsely chopped

Grind the 1 ¼ cup pistachios in a food processor.  They should be finely ground, but not a paste. 

In a large saucepan heat the milk, sugar, and 1 cup of the cream.  Stir to dissolve the sugar.  Stir in the ground nuts.  Cover, remove from heat, and let sit for at least 30 minutes.  

Strain the warm nuts mixture, pressing the nuts to remove as much liquid as possible. Throw away the nuts.   Put the liquid back in the saucepan.   In a separate bowl pour the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream.  Cover this bowl with a strainer.  Set this aside for later.   In another bowl whisk together the egg yolds.  Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, stirring constantly.  Then pour back into the saucepan. 

Stir constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.  You will want to make sure you scrape the bottom when you are stirring.  Pour the custard through the strainer and into the cream.  Add the vanilla and almond extract.  Stir to combine.  

Refrigerate until cold.  Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the directions.  One finished churning, fold in the ½ cup pistachios.  Store in air tight container in freezer. 

 

Now the Giveaway!!

Oh! Nuts agreed to give 1 lucky reader 2 bags of their own nuts/dried fruit. 

What do you need to do?

Go to Oh! Nuts.  Have a look around, they have lots of great stuff.  Come back here and leave a comment telling me what 2 products you would like to have shipped to you, if you win. 

Additional entries:  (leave a separate comment for each)

1.        Follow my blog (Google Friend Connect, or email)

2.        Like my Facebook Page

3.        Re-post this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, wherever!  Spread the word, tell your friends.    Everytime you repost or retweet, let me know!

The drawing will close on June 28 at midnight (central time).  Random.org will pick a winner.  Please make sure your email address is correct, so I can contact you if you win.  I will then need to know your street address, so the nuts can be shipped.  Opened to U.S Residents only, sorry!

So excited to have my first giveaway!  Good luck!