Roasted Pistachio Ice Cream

I got this recipe from my beloved Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home book.  It is a crowd pleaser!  Especially when served with a warm brownie or cookie.  

1/2 cup shelled pistachios
2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 1/2 oz (3 tablespoons) cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spread the 1/2 cup pistachios out on a small baking sheet and toast in oven for 10-12 minutes, until fragrant and just starting to brown.  Remove from the oven and pulverize the pistachios in a food processor unitl the pistachios become a smooth paste.

Mix abut 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry.

Whisk the cream cheese, pistachio paste, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth.

Combine the remaining milk, the cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a 4-quart saucepan, bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 4 minutes.  Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry.  Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.  Remove from the heat.

Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese mixture until smooth.  Pour the mixture into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until absolutely cold all the way through (at least 1 hour).

Pour the mixture into the ice cream maker frozen canister and turn on the machine.  Pour the almond extract into the top of the machine and continue to spin the ice cream until thick and creamy.  Pack the ice cream into a storage container and keep in the freezer.