The pedestrian street where St. Michael's Church overlooks downtown Budapest is dotted with countless quaint cafes. The sound of bells and the aromas of the cafes make this area charming, especially after Sunday Mass. Yesterday, my husband and I enjoyed coffee and chimney cake (a traditional Hungarian pastry) there with our kids.
I ordered the pistachio cream one and everyone loved the taste and texture. It's not common in the US but is a sweet staple here.
I thought I would share it for the novelty sake. Pistachio cream in particular has many uses in the kitchen: you can spread it on bread, use it to decorate desserts, cakes, biscuits, and my favorite is adding it to homemade ice cream.
Of course, we shouldn't fool ourselves about our sugar overdose, but pistachios have amazing health benefits that can help us reduce our sugar overdose.
Improves mood and fights stress. Good for longevity. Protects eyesight. Helps bone and teeth health. Fights high blood pressure thanks to its potassium content. Prevents type 2 diabetes. High phosphorus content keeps blood sugar levels in check and breaks down amino acids. Lowers bad cholesterol. Anti-cancer properties thanks to beta-carotene and helps prevent tumors. Good for anemia thanks to its high copper content. Fights infections and strengthens the immune system. Mineral salts such as zinc, selenium, lutein and vitamin H are good for beauty. Finally, it contains omega 3 and omega 6, which are ideal for the correct development of the fetus' nervous system during pregnancy.
With these simple ingredients you can make authentic pistachio Nutella, which is much healthier and better for you than the supermarket version (check the ingredients on the label).
material
- 200g pistachios (unroasted, unsalted)
- 150g good quality white chocolate
Instructions
- Fill a saucepan with 1 to 2 inches of water and bring to a boil.
- Add 200 grams of pistachios and boil for up to 8-10 minutes, during which time the outer purple skin will peel off from the kernels.
- Drain the pistachios and place them on a clean, soft, lint-free cloth, preferably cotton, to dry.
- Place the pistachios in the center of the fabric and seal the ends to form a bag. Then, using the handles, shake the bag to remove all the purple cuticles from the fabric. Remove the remaining purple coating with your hands. Dry the pistachios thoroughly and they are ready to use.
- Once dry, crush the pistachios in a blender until finely ground.
- Melt 150g of white chocolate in a saucepan.
- Add 30g butter and 80ml milk. Beat gently until creamy.
- Once the chocolate has reached the right consistency, add the chopped pistachios and 100 grams of brown sugar. Mix everything together until you get a creamy mousse.
- If while working, the mixture seems too thick, just add a bit more milk.
- Pour the pistachio cream into a glass container (previously sterilized with boiling water) and allow to cool naturally.
- Store in the refrigerator.
