We’re obsessed with pistachios and it might be turning into a problem. We top cakes with them, we add them to salads and more salads, to toffee and even baked brie. Years ago we had to break open the bedroom wall because mice were playing with pistachio shells from a stash they’d stolen from the kitchen. (This is 100% true.) In short, we’re nuts about them.
But it wasn’t until just a few weeks ago that we tried Italian Pistachio Cream (or crema al pistacchio or pistacchiosa) which is quite simply having its moment in the sun. Check in with the social zeitgeist and you’ll find people adding it to milkshakes, oatmeal, ice cream, and even coffee. In short — okay, yes, you’re way ahead of us.
But while pistachio cream is incredibly delicious, it’s also expensive. Especially the imported brands, shipped over from Sicily. Artisanal is all very well, but we all have bills to pay, y’know? We were able to snag a little jar of pistachio cream on Amazon, and you may be able to find affordable versions in your local Walmart or Costco.
Now, you know us and our culinary hedonism. Do you think a small jar of pistachio cream will sate our nutty desires? No, sir and madam. It will not. We decided that, in order to get our fill of it as well as have a roof over our heads, we needed to make our own. And, best of all, not only is our homemade version more affordable, it allows us to customize it exactly how we like it (not too sweet, and just a tiny bit salty).
what is pistachio cream?
Crema al Pistacchio is a popular Italian spread that’s sweet, creamy, decadent, and bright green. You can use it the same way you’d use Nutella. Pistachio cream is blended using white chocolate and pistachios, instead of milk chocolate and hazelnuts, so the two spreads aren’t a mile apart.
Since they’re made by a variety of small companies, you’ll find that no two brands of store-bought pistachio creams are alike. Some might contain pistachios along with sugar and milk powder, while others might add almond extract to bump up the flavor, or olive oil to smooth out the texture.
Note too that pistachio cream is different than pistachio butter, since a nut butter is (usually) unsweetened. You might also find a product called pistachio paste, which is usually sweetened, but thicker than pistachio cream. Check the descriptions carefully if you’re looking for the sweet cream variety.
whICH pistachios to use
Ideally, you want to use raw, unsalted pistachios. The most affordable variety (for those of us in the US) are domestic pistachios, mostly grown in California, Arizona and New Mexico. They are delicious, but tend to not be as bright green as other varieties. Turkish pistachios are also a good option. They’re known for their bright green skin and rosy outer layer. Sicilian pistachios are often considered the best, but they are by far the most expensive and harder to source.
You can find many varieties online, but if you want to stay local, many natural food stores, as well as Indian or Mediterranean markets carry them.
NOTE: We have made Pistachio Cream using salted and roasted nuts and while the color and flavor was a little muted compared to raw, it was still delicious. If you use salted nuts, the boiling process will remove most of the salt, but check the flavor before you add any additional salt to the cream.
Why peel the pistachios?
Regardless of what kind you use, you will need to remove the dark, papery skin from the pistachios. If you leave them on, the cream will have dark flecks that will be gritty on the tongue. The easiest way to do this is to boil the shelled nuts for a few minutes, then strain the nuts, place them in a clean kitchen towel, gather or fold the fabric over itself and rub until the skins fall off. It may take few minutes to pick out the nuts from the skins but it’s definitely worth the effort. Once the pistachios are peeled, add them to the blender.
melt that chocolate
Next you need to melt the butter and white chocolate. The easiest way to do this is to add the butter and 1/4 of the cup of milk to a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat it in 20 second bursts, just until the butter is melted and the milk is hot. Add the white chocolate and stir until it melts. If it doesn’t quite melt enough, pop the bowl in for another 10-15 seconds and stir. You can also do this on the stovetop if you prefer.
Then we throw everything into the blender: the pistachios, the remaining 1/2 cup milk, the powdered sugar and salt. Scrape in the melted white chocolate/butter mixture. Pulse it all on medium speed until the pistachios turn into a paste. You might need to stop the blender a few times to scrape down the sides. Blend on high power for 30 seconds to a minute, until the texture turns smooth and creamy. Once the mixture is ready, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it until ready to use. The pistachio cream will keep well in the fridge for 2 weeks.
NOTE: Some recipes recommend grinding the nuts to a paste first in a food processor, then transferring the paste to a blender with the liquids to make it super smooth. We personally don’t like using (and cleaning) two machines so we do it all in the blender. If you don’t have a blender, or your blender struggles with the paste, you can use a food processor first. If you only use the processor, the cream will not be quite as smooth, but it will still taste great.
Hop on over to the Ruffled Phyllo Pistachio Cream Pie recipe to see what we did with it!
Italian-style Pistachio Cream
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups raw, unsalted pistachios shelled (125g)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 30g
- 3/4 cup whole milk or cream 190ml, divided
- 4 oz good white chocolate chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
Instructions
- Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil and add the shelled pistachios. Let them boil for 3 minutes, then drain and place on a clean kitchen towel.
- Fold the towel over to cover, and rub pistachios in the towel to loosen the skins. Separate the pistachios and discard the skins. Add the pistachios to the blender.
- Add the butter and 1/4 cup milk to a small microwave safe bowl. Heat in 20 second bursts, just until butter is melted and milk is hot. Add white chocolate and stir until melted. If it needs more melting, heat for another 10-15 seconds and stir (you can also do this on the stovetop in a small saucepan on low heat).
- To the blender with the pistachios, add the remaining 1/2 cup milk, powdered sugar and salt. Scrape in the melted white chocolate/butter mixture. Pulse on medium speed until the pistachios turn into a paste. You’ll need to stop the blender 3-4 times to scrape down the sides. Blend on high power for 30 seconds to a minute, until texture turns smooth and creamy. Once the mixture is ready, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. The pistachio cream will keep well in the fridge for 2 weeks