Pistachio Cream: What It Is and How to Use It at Home

Pistachio in a jar goes by several names, and they are not interchangeable. A paste is mostly ground nut, thick and usually unsweetened, the professional ingredient behind gelato and pastry fillings. Pistachio butter is the same idea sold for spreading, like peanut butter. A cream is the nut sweetened and loosened so it spreads on bread straight from the jar. For breakfast and dessert at home, the cream is the one you want.

How much pistachio a cream contains varies widely between brands, and the label tells you. Check the first ingredient, and look for a percentage printed beside the word pistachio. How cheap imitations give themselves away by color and smell is a longer story, which we tell in real pistachio versus fake.

1. On toast. Hot bread, a thin layer, nothing else. The heat softens the cream into the crumb.
2. Inside a croissant. Split a plain one and spread the inside. If you would rather leave the filling to us, buy a Croissant al Pistacchio at the counter.
3. In espresso. A small spoonful at the bottom of the cup, coffee on top, then stir. It is a home take on our Espresso Pistacchio.
4. Over gelato. Stir a spoonful with a few drops of hot milk until it pours, then drizzle it over vanilla or fior di latte.
5. With fruit. Strawberries or slices of pear, dipped straight into the jar.
6. In a milkshake. A heaped spoonful blended with cold milk and a frozen banana gives you a pistachio shake with no syrup in it.

The jar carries our logo; ask for one at the counter when you order your coffee. It makes an easy gift for anyone who loves pistachio, and a sensible souvenir if you are visiting Miami and want to take a taste of the bakery home.

For the ingredients and the size of the jar, the label is the final word; the team at the counter can show you one before you buy, or you can call us at (786) 536-7165.