Pistachio White Hot Chocolate
Blog: www.nextinlime.com
Servings: 2 small cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup (60 g) pistachios - shelled, raw, unsalted and unflavored (Note A)
- 1.5 cups (355 ml) whole milk
- ¼ cup (50 g) white chocolate chips
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- pinch of ground cinnamon
- sugar - to taste, optional (Note B)
- whipped cream - optional, for topping
Instructions
- Soften pistachios by pouring boiling hot water over them. Leave for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water.
- Place them on a clean tea towel or cloth. Fold the towel over the pistachios and gently rub to remove the peels. Continue until all peels come off.
- Crush 4 to 5 peeled pistachios using pestle and mortar or rolling pin. Set aside to use as topping.
- Transfer the remaining pistachios to a food processor or blender. Add 3 tablespoons milk and blend to a coarse mixture.
- Then add the remaining milk and blend until smooth. If it looks grainy, strain it before proceeding.
- Transfer this milk into a saucepan and heat on medium-low, stirring until it gets hot (not boiling).
- Add in white chocolate chips, vanilla extract, salt and ground cinnamon. Stir continuously until the chocolate gets melted and the mixture looks smooth.
- Taste for sugar (be cautious, it'll be hot), and add some if needed.
- If the consistency looks too thick, add some milk and stir. Allow to simmer for a few seconds. Keep stirring.
- Remove from heat and pour into a cup. Top with some whipped cream and a sprinkle of the reserved crushed pistachios. Enjoy!
Notes
Note A: Pistachios – Use shelled, raw, unsalted and unflavored pistachios. Roasted ones will work too if they aren't seasoned or salted. Middle Eastern and Indian stores usually have these.
Note B: Sugar – I find that white chocolate usually adds enough sweetness, but feel free to add sugar if using unsweetened chocolate or if you prefer a sweeter taste.