Dessert

Pistachio vacherin

Velvety pistachio ice-cream sandwiched between rounds of meringue? A perfect way to cap off a meal.
Pistachio vacherin

Pistachio vacherin

John Paul Urizar
10
20M
30M
50M

Velvety pistachio ice-cream sandwiched between rounds of meringue? A perfect way to cap off a meal. Begin this recipe a day ahead to make the ice-cream.

Ingredients

Pistachio ice-cream

Method

Main

1.For pistachio ice-cream, bring milk and vanilla to the boil in a large saucepan. Meanwhile, whisk sugar and yolks in a heatproof bowl until pale and creamy. Add hot milk gradually, whisking to combine, then return to pan and stir continuously over medium heat until mixture thickly coats the spoon (15-20 minutes). Strain through a sieve into a bowl placed over ice, add cream and stir occasionally until chilled (20-30 minutes). Meanwhile, finely grind 2 tbsp pistachios with a mortar and pestle and combine with remaining pistachios. Churn custard in batches in an ice-cream machine, then stir in pistachios and spoon into a 23cm springform tin with the base lined with baking paper and freeze overnight.
2.Preheat oven to 180C and line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Blend almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Place in a bowl, then sieve in icing sugar and stir to combine. Whisk eggwhites in an electric mixer until soft peaks form, then gradually add caster sugar, whisking until smooth, glossy and stiff peaks form. Fold in almond mixture, then transfer to a piping bag with a 2cm nozzle and pipe two 23cm discs (buy baking paper with circle guides) onto prepared trays. Bake, swapping trays halfway through cooking, until meringue is crisp (17-20 minutes). Turn off oven and cool with oven door ajar.
3.Turn ice-cream out of mould. Carefully remove baking paper from base of one meringue and place on the base of prepared ice-cream, then invert ice cream so meringue is on the base. Trim edges with a serrated knife and making a gentle sawing action, then top with remaining meringue, trim evenly and freeze until required. Serve vacherin scattered with raspberries and pistachios and dusted with icing sugar.

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