Featured Recipe

Pistachio White Cream

Name: Pistachio White Cream
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 31 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup raw pistachios shelled; 1 cup blanched almonds shelled; 1/3 cup heavy cream divided; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1/2 cup white chocolate chips; 3 tablespoons powdered sugar; 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt; 1 small fresh basil leaf minced (optional)

By Kate

Created on 28 January 2026

Pistachio nuts blanched briefly to strip skins, then blended with a touch of cream to coax out nutty oils. White chocolate slowly melted into butter and cream, merging with powdered sugar and salt for balance. Pulsed together with the nut paste. Chilled for a rich, creamy texture. Swapped 1 cup pistachios to 1 cup blanched almonds for nutty depth plus a fresh basil leaf for subtle herbaceousness. Reduced cream slightly, increased butter for silkiness. Steps reordered to streamline workflow and prevent over-processing. Pulse don’t puree harshly. Skins stripped to avoid bitter flecks and dull color. Timing adjusted to catch sound and aroma cues for doneness. Serves about a dozen spoonfuls.

Prep: 25 min

Cook: 6 min

Total: 31 min

Serves: 12 servings

pistachio cream sauce dessert chocolate nut-based

Introduction

Skinning nuts is crucial. They hold bitter tannins that dull otherwise bright pistachio flavor and turn your creamy sauce grayish-green. Boil just long enough to crack skins loose; too long and nuts hydrate, losing texture. Almonds add depth here—blend of two nuts makes sauce richer. White chocolate vs. traditional cream thickener means extra fat, glossy mouthfeel but watch melting closely. Butter boosts silkiness. Basil leaf? Herby punch undercuts sweetness, a surprising twist. Chill to let fats crystallize and flavors marry. Short pulses in blender keep paste rustic—avoid blender heat which kills nut oils and dulls aroma. This ain’t baby food; leave texture. Salt and powdered sugar handle flavor balance. No over-sweet or flat sauce. Sauce pairs well with light cakes, fruit compotes, or dolloped onto frozen treats. Use any nut combinations but stick to blanching. Brown skins ruin look, hint of bitterness sneaks in.

Ingredients

1 cup raw pistachios shelled

1 cup blanched almonds shelled

1/3 cup heavy cream divided

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt

1 small fresh basil leaf minced (optional)

About the ingredients

Pistachios are ideal but almonds blend for better consistency. Shell nuts fresh; old nuts develop rancid off-notes. Heavy cream split into two parts—first for nut paste to loosen oils without thinning too much, second melted with butter to emulsify chocolate. Butter quantity increased here for silk-lustrous finish but can substitute with coconut oil for dairy-free, expect flavor shift. White chocolate is key for creamy body but if unavailable, good quality milk chocolate works—cut sugar accordingly. Powdered sugar instead of granulated dissolves completely, avoids graininess. Sea salt flakes provide bursts of salt not achieved with fine salt. Optional basil leaf finely minced adds herbal brightness cutting richness, experiment as desired.

Method

Fill medium saucepan halfway with water; bring to gentle boil. Throw in pistachios and almonds. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes until skins loosen. Listen for faint crackles and water movement changing from aggressive boil to gentler bubble.

Drain nuts quickly in colander. Spread out on towel; cover with another towel and roll nuts between them, pressing firmly. Skins should break free easily. Remove as much papery skin as possible. Bits left behind alter texture; nutty oils become dull if skipped.

Into high-speed blender, toss skinned nuts with half the cream (about 1/6 cup). Pulse short bursts until coarse paste. Avoid over-blending or paste becomes gluey. Stop when you see clumps start binding but texture still grainy.

Melt butter and remaining cream (about 1/6 cup) in small saucepan over low heat. Heat till steam forms and sides shimmer. Add white chocolate chips off direct heat. Stir gently till glossy and melted. No lumps, no overheating – chocolate burns fast and smells bitter.

Add melted chocolate mixture, powdered sugar, salt, and basil leaf into blender with nut paste. Blend for about 60 seconds. Stop often and scrape sides with silicone spatula to avoid uneven mixing. Goal: creamy texture with visible flecks, not pureed.

Transfer to airtight container. Chill minimum 1 hour to let flavors meld and body firm up. Skip chilling and sauce stays loose, less rich mouthfeel. Serve cold or just off-cold for a soft, luscious coating on desserts.

If nut skins prove stubborn, briefly soak in warm water before blanching again. Substitute salted butter for unsalted but omit salt later. White chocolate can be swapped for milk chocolate for a caramel tone; reduce sugar by 1 tablespoon then.

Stray bits of skins or browned nuts create speckles visible on pale cream. Not a flaw but affects presentation. Grind to medium-fine, never powder. Work fast to prevent nut oils from overheating and turning bitter.

Keep blender cool by pulsing in short bursts, using a damp towel to hold base if needed. Overworking heats ingredients resulting in graininess or separation.

Technique Tips

Boil nuts gently; rolling in towels to loosen skins works better than peeling by hand, saves time and prevents nut damage. Pulse nuts to coarse paste not fine powder, maintaining bits of texture to avoid gluey results. Heat cream and butter low, watch for shimmering surface not boiling; bust chocolate if overheated. Add chocolate off heat, stir till melted glossy. Blend all together with sugar and salt until homogeneous but still slightly textured. Scraping blender edges prevents uneven chocolate lumps. Chill minimum 1 hour cold sets sauce properly—skip chilling and you end with runny, loose consistency. Use short pulses in blender, keep pace to avoid overheating from blender friction. If nuts too dry, add splash cream; if too wet, blend more dry nuts sparingly. Aim for creamy spreadability, thick enough to coat spoon but not stiff like buttercream.

Chef's Notes

💡 Careful with nut skins—bitter notes ruin flavor; boil to loosen. Listen for crackling, gentle bubbles. Blanch but don’t hydrate; texture matters.
💡 When blending—short bursts, pulse not puree; avoid gluey paste. Aim for coarse, thick. Stop before too smooth. Texture impacts final cream.
💡 Melt chocolate cautiously—steam forms, shimmers; avoid lumps, mix off heat. Overheating burns chocolate, changes flavor. Stir till glossy. Be patient.
💡 Chilling is key for cream body; flavors meld. Minimum one hour. Skip chilling, end up with a runny sauce. Texture alters dramatically.
💡 If nuts dry out, splash cream; if too wet, blend in more nuts. Balance is a game. Adjust till creamy enough to coat spoon without stiffness.