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You can easily make creamy and vibrant homemade pistachio paste with just a few steps, and it will save you quite a bit of money.
Pistachio chiffon cake has been on my chiffon cake bake list for a few years now and finally, I made it after making this homemade pistachio paste. I love pistachios and to be able to infuse its flavor into cakes and other bakings just makes me all excited.
What is pistachio paste?
Pistachio paste is made by grinding skinless pistachio kernels. High-quality pistachio paste usually has nothing else added and is unsweetened. Pistachio paste is usually used to make cakes, ice cream, and other desserts.
Is pistachio paste the same as pistachio butter?
No, they are not the same. Pistachio paste is smooth but not oily like pistachio butter. A bit of water is added to help grind the pistachio kernels to make the pistachio paste. The grinding process does not release the oil from the pistachios. Making pistachio butter is similar to making, for example, peanut butter, almond butter, and other nut butter. The nuts are toasted and ground until the oil is released, making the whole thing like “butter” (hence the name).
What kind of pistachio to use?
You want to use raw shelled pistachios to make pistachio paste. If you use roasted pistachio, the color will be much darker and the skin is more difficult to peel off.
How To Make Pistachio Paste
Ingredients
- 150 g raw shelled pistachios
- Water for soaking and blending
- Oil or blending
Instructions
Remove the skin of pistachio kernels:
- If you buy skinless pistachios, then you can definitely skip this step. It's going to cost more, but I guess it saves you this step.
- The pistachios that I bought still have skins. To get a vibrant green pistachio paste, you want to remove the skin. The skin turns the paste brownish- green
- Place pistachios in a heat-proof bowl and pour some really hot boiling water, enough to cover the nuts. Let them soak for 3 minutes
- Discard the soaking liquid and then rinse with fresh cold water. Spread them out on a clean kitchen towel or absorbent paper towel.
- You can rub the skin off. This is probably the most time-consuming part of the whole process.
- But the skin should come off pretty easily after being soaked
Blend into a paste:
- Place the skinless pistachios in a food processor or a blender. Add one tablespoon of neutral-tasting oil. Process or blend them until you get a smooth consistency. It will turn from whole kernels to being chopped up, and then turn into a thick paste. If it's too thick, you can add another tablespoon to get a creamy but still thick consistency. How thick or runny the pistachio paste is, depends on your preference and how much oil you add to get the consistency you like
Storage:
- Transfer the paste to a clean container. Store them in a fridge for about a week. They can be kept frozen for up to two months
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
Did you make this pistachio paste recipe?
I love it when you guys snap a photo and tag it to show me what you’ve made. Simply tag me @WhatToCookToday #WhatToCookToday on Instagram and I’ll be sure to stop by and take a peek for real!
