Creamy Homemade Dark Chocolate & Pistachio Ice Cream (Stracciatella Style)

1.In a small bowl, whisk the neutral gelling agent thoroughly into the sweetened condensed milk until completely dissolved. Set aside.

2.Place the very cold heavy whipping cream into a stand mixer bowl (pre-chilling the bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes is recommended).

3.Beat the cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form (firm whipped cream consistency). Be careful not to over-whip into butter.

4.With the mixer running on the lowest speed, slowly drizzle the condensed milk mixture into the whipped cream in a thin stream. Stop mixing immediately after it is incorporated.

5.Divide the resulting 'White Base' evenly into two separate containers.

6.For the Pistachio Batch: Gently fold the pure pistachio paste into the first container using a spatula, using upward motions to maintain air volume.

7.Add half of the coarsely chopped toasted pistachios to the pistachio base and gently fold them in. Reserve the other half for topping.

8.For the Stracciatella Batch: Melt the 100g dark chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. Let the melted chocolate cool slightly until lukewarm, ensuring it remains liquid.

9.Pour the lukewarm melted chocolate in a very thin stream over the second, cold base mixture while slowly folding it in with a spatula. The cold base will cause the chocolate to immediately harden and break into crunchy shards (Stracciatella effect).

10.Transfer both flavored mixtures into separate freezer-safe containers.

11.Sprinkle the reserved chopped pistachios over the top of the pistachio ice cream layer before sealing.

12.Cover the containers tightly and freeze for a minimum of 6 hours, or until firm. Allow to temper at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before scooping and serving.