Cardamom

Pistachio Cardamom Nutella

January  7, 2013
4.6
5 Ratings
Photo by Mark Weinberg
  • Makes 1 pint
Author Notes

After becoming obsessed with Sanfte-Pistazie, a German brand of pistachio nutella, I was determined to recreate this green little monster of a spread myself. Inspired by both BraveTart and Elizabeth Minchilli's versions, I tried to keep this recipe simple in execution but bold with flavor. The cardamom adds a hint of warmth which I love especially during the holiday time. The nutella keeps well in the fridge for atleast a month, but try to bring it closer to room temperature before spreading it on a hot buttered toast. —Madhuri Sharma

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: Madhuri Sharma is a culinary arts student and media producer living in New York.
WHAT: A sweet, nutty spread perfect for all your edible gifting.
HOW: Grind up toasted pistachios with cardamom, orange zest, honey, and milk powder, then mix it all with melted white chocolate.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Making nutella from scratch is a lot easier than it sounds -- and we're loving Madhuri Sharma's pistachio and white chocolate combo. Scale the recipe up and make it your new holiday gift tradition; your friends and family will be talking about it for months. —The Editors

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Ingredients
  • 6 ounces shelled unsalted pistachios
  • 12 ounces white chocolate
  • 3 ounces pistachio oil
  • 1 1/2 ounces milk powder
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
Directions
  1. Toast the pistachios either in a toaster oven or a dry skillet until shiny and slightly golden then set aside to cool slightly
  2. Using a double boiler, melt the white chocolate in a large mixing bowl and mix in the honey
  3. In a large food processor grind the pistachios until powdered then add the orange zest, cardamom and milk powder and pulse a few times to incorporate
  4. With the processor running slowly drizzle the pistachio oil into the mixture until it resembles a smooth sauce
  5. Pour the pistachio mixture into the white chocolate and mix until fully incorporated
  6. Store in an airtight jar

See what other Food52ers are saying.

16 Reviews

LeBec F. February 14, 2024
this recipe is so smart with multi-dimensios of flavor.i feel stupid asking this question but here goes: i am not a fan of white choc. because it is usually just TOO sweet for me. may i add 72% dark choc. instead?
thx, mindy
Brenda B. June 27, 2019
As much as I love to lick Nutella by the spoonfuls, this spread is so much fancier. Pistachio taste is delightful and the orange and cardamom give it a fresh touch.
Änneken September 18, 2016
I omitted the orange zest since I don't like orange flavor in desserts. Unfortunately, I didn't find any pistachio oil (except online but I was too impatient to make this) so I used hazelnut oil instead. Not sure how far off my nutella is from the recipe above in terms of flavor intensity but it sure tastes divine!!
Andrew March 8, 2015
Mine turned out very, VERY sweet. I think I might just try plain old pistachio butter, instead.
Sandra January 11, 2015
I just made this. Divine! Skipped the honey, because I was afraid of seizing chocolate, used a little more cardamom ( 2 t ) because I'm a little crazy about it and had only buttermilk powder in my pantry. Now how best to ship it??? I have to share it because I'm afraid I might eat everything in one go.
greenjean December 21, 2014
Did anyone have the problem of the chocolate seizing up when they added the honey? Maybe it was the inexpensive 365 brand I used. I also used nonfat milk because it was all I could find (and recipe didn't specify). Whole milk would probably have worked better.
oregon C. March 25, 2014
Can't wait to try this. Any idea how long it keeps? Trying to plan in advance for a weeks' worth of house guests.
ashley S. March 14, 2014
I wonder what this would taste like using milk or even dark chocolate...hm...
Rebecca V. January 7, 2014
I made this two days ago and have already eaten the entire recipe... by myself!
Sini |. December 13, 2013
Is this even real? WOW!
Smriti December 12, 2013
Amazing and creative twist on traditional holiday sweets! Limited ingredients but such bold and memorable flavor. This chef-cum-producer is quite the culinary genius!
Kitchen B. December 12, 2013
Love it. Simple. Tasty. Perfect for the crazy busy days ahead
Melissa C. December 12, 2013
OMG. I swear that my heart started palpitating the moment I read the name of this recipe. I'm headed to the market NOW to get stuff to make it ... I feel like my life may be forever changed. Thank you!
SueD December 11, 2013
Toasting any nut in the microwave: on a ceramic/pottery plate, spread in a single layer. Nuke on high 1 min. stir/toss, nuke another 30 sec. Continue for another stir/nuke (30 sec) round if necessary, depending on the size of the nuts. No burned bits, perfect toasting.
LeBec F. February 14, 2024
wow sue, what a terrific method.never read of it before. thx so much, mindy
fiveandspice December 11, 2013
Ah-mazing! I need this in my life, so much.