Homemade Pistachio Cream

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups pistachios
• 0.75 cups whole milk
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
• 0.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• 0.5 teaspoons almond extract
• 0.25 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add pistachios and boil for just 2 minutes. Drain pistachios, rinse thoroughly with cold water, then drain again.

2. 2

   Pour pistachios onto a clean kitchen towel. Fold towel in half over pistachios and rub vigorously to remove skins. You may want to repeat this rubbing process with another clean towel; this will help dry pistachios a little more, and make them slightly less slippery to hold onto.

3. 3

   Carefully pick through pistachios and separate them from their skins; peel off any skins still stuck to pistachio meats. Discard skins, and place peeled pistachio meats into the cup of a high-powered blender.

4. 4

   In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine 1/4 cup milk, white chocolate chips, and butter. Microwave in 30 second intervals at 50% power (stirring after each 30 second interval), until butter and white chocolate chips are melted and mixture becomes smooth and combined.

5. 5

   Add remaining 1/2 cup milk, powdered sugar, salt, almond extract, and vanilla to the blender cup. Pour in white chocolate mixture.

6. 6

   Starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high, blend pistachio mixture until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping often to scrape down the sides of the blender jar. If mixture is too thick, add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Pause blending if mixture is becoming hot; heat may cause it to separate.

7. 7

   Pour pistachio cream into a glass jar or container, and allow to cool slightly. Pistachio cream is ready to use immediately, or cover and refrigerate. It will keep for 1 to 2 weeks.