You don’t need to use pistachios and other nuts can be swapped out, including lightly toasted chopped almonds or hazelnuts. Some chopped chocolate can be mixed in to the just-churned ice cream as well, and some might like to add a few drops of orange flower water or a splash of orange liqueur to the base, prior to churning. Or you can leave it as is; it’s great served with
cherry compote or fresh berries.
I’d mentioned that originally I’d made a pine nut brittle for the ice cream, but since the price of pine nuts is very high right now, I thought I’d offer an alternative. If you want to make the brittle and use that, instead of the pistachios, caramelize 1/2 cup (100g) of sugar, and mix in an equal amount of lightly toasted pine nuts.
(Avoid Chinese pine nuts). Stir them together, then spread the mixture on a lightly oiled baking sheet or marble counter. When cool, break the brittle into little pieces with a chef’s knife or food processor and fold into just-churned ice cream along with the candied fruit.