Pistachio Ice Cream

Instructions

1. Toast the pistachios in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until fragrant and slightly golden, about 3-4 minutes. Let cool, then finely chop and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, whole milk, and the vanilla bean seeds and pod. Heat over medium heat until just simmering, then remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes to infuse the vanilla flavor.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, granulated sugar, fine sea salt until pale and creamy.
4. Remove the vanilla pod from the cream mixture. Gradually pour the warm cream into the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
5. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon, reaching 170-175°F (77-79°C). Do not boil.
6. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits.
7. Stir in the finely chopped toasted pistachios while the custard is still warm.
8. Cool the mixture to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to chill completely.
9. Once chilled, churn the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, usually about 25-30 minutes, until thick and creamy.
10. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up before serving.