Ice cream time!
We made another batch of boozy poached pears and used the leftovers to create a homemade pistachio pear ice cream in celebration of World Pistachio Day. The salty crunch of pistachios pairs beautifully with the sweet, tender flavor of poached pear for a balanced, refreshing dessert.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup poached pears, chopped
- 2 tablespoons poached pear liquid
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 vanilla bean
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
- 1 1/2 poached pears (for additional texture or garnish)
Instructions
Start by pureeing the poached pears in a food processor and set the puree aside.
In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the poached pear liquid with the cornstarch, stirring until the cornstarch dissolves completely.
In a medium saucepan, mix the whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, salt, and the split vanilla bean (scrape in the seeds for maximum flavor). Keep the mixture ready beside the stove.
Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl to chill the ice cream base quickly after cooking.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the milk mixture to a gentle simmer. Once simmering steadily, continue to heat for about 6 minutes, whisking frequently to prevent scorching.
Reduce the heat to low and slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture until fully incorporated.
Return to medium heat and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the base thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
Immediately set the saucepan into the prepared ice bath, continuing to stir to cool the mixture evenly and prevent a skin from forming.
Once the base has cooled, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least one hour to chill thoroughly.
After chilling, pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s directions. While the ice cream churns, add the pear puree, honey, and chopped pistachios so they incorporate evenly.
The churning time will vary by machine; in my experience it took about 20 minutes for the ice cream to set up.
Scoop the finished ice cream into a freezer-safe container, seal with an airtight lid, and freeze overnight to fully set and develop flavor.
Recipe by Anissa Saxton
Photography by Amelia Tatnall
Styling by Brittni Mehlhoff
Do you like pistachios? Think you’ll try this sweet-and-salty ice cream?