Homemade Pistachio Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Stracciatella
To celebrate National Ice Cream Day on July 19th, we teamed up with ice cream influencer Adam Rozen of @adameatsicecream and one of consumers’ favorite small kitchen appliance makers, Hamilton Beach, to create this no-cook pistachio ice cream. It’s made with homemade pistachio paste and finished with dark chocolate stracciatella, flaky sea salt, and freshly ground pistachios for topping. You can customize the ice cream with other toppings such as chocolate covered pretzels or freshly grated chocolate.
Yield: 1 3/4 quarts of ice cream
Ingredients
Ice Cream Base
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- 1½ cups whole milk
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp coarse salt (Ground in a FinaMill Everyday Pod)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups pistachio paste (see below)
Pistachio Paste + Finish
- 2 cups of shelled unsalted pistachios
Stracciatella
- 3–4 oz dark chocolate (70-75%), chopped
- 1 tsp neutral oil (optional)
Finish
- Reserved toasted pistachios (from above, Grated in a FinaMill Grater Pod)
- Flaky sea salt (optional, e.g. Maldon Salt)
Directions
Toast pistachios
- Preheat oven to 300°F (convection).
- Spread pistachios in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Toast for 8–10 minutes, until fragrant but not browned.
- Cool for 5–10 minutes.
- Reserve ¼ cup toasted pistachios in a covered container for finishing.
Make pistachio paste
- Add remaining pistachios (~1¾ cups) to a high-speed blender. I used the Hamilton Beach Professional 1500-Watt Quiet Blender.
- Blend until a smooth, thick paste forms, scraping sides as needed.
Make ice cream base
Add the following directly to the blender. to make the pistachio paste:
- heavy cream
- whole milk
- sugar
- salt
- vanilla
- Blend until completely smooth.
- Chill thoroughly (for best results, ideally chill overnight).
Churn
- Churn according to ice cream maker instructions (about 10–20 minutes). I used the Hamilton Beach 1.5 Quart Ice Cream maker.
Stracciatella
- Melt chocolate with optional oil.
- During the final minute of churning, slowly drizzle melted chocolate into the machine to form thin shards.
Freeze
- Transfer to container and freeze until scoopable (at least 4 hours).
Finish + serve
- Grate reserved toasted pistachios over scoops using the FinaMill Grater Pod.
- Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt if desired.
Chef's Tips
Be patient when making the pistachio paste. It can look like nothing is happening at first, but after a few minutes it will begin to come together into a smooth paste.
For the best pistachio flavor, chill the ice cream base overnight before churning. This gives the flavors time to develop and results in a smoother texture
If your ice cream firms up before you've finished adding the chocolate, don't worry. Simply layer the ice cream into your storage container, drizzle the melted chocolate between the layers, and gently fold it together with a spatula.
About Adam Rozen
Adam Rozen is the ice cream lover behind @adameatsicecream, an Instagram account devoted to all things ice cream. Whether he’s tracking down the best scoop shops or churning up new flavors at home, he brings his deep love for ice cream to every post. Through his feed, he shares that passion with the hope of inspiring others to become their own ice cream reporters—and to always get the scoop.
About Hamilton Beach
Hamilton Beach has been a trusted small appliance brand for over 100 years. From the iconic drink mixer to coffee makers, air fryers and breakfast sandwich makers, their products are designed to make life easier and more flavorful. With a focus on practical innovation, Hamilton Beach’s range of small kitchen appliances helps home cooks save time, enjoy the process and feel more confident and creative in the kitchen. Follow them @hamiltonbeach on Instagram or Facebook.
