Pistachio Cream Croissants: Irresistible Dubai-Style Treat
Pistachio cream croissants that taste like a bakery treat but don't need any dough skills. Store-bought croissants are brushed with vanilla syrup, then filled with Nutella and a silky homemade pistachio cream made with white chocolate. They're topped with more cream and chopped pistachios and baked until golden and crisp at the edges. A dusting of confectioners' sugar and a drizzle of milk chocolate finish them off.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Small pan
- Colander
- Clean kitchen towel
- Food processor
- Blender
- Piping bag
- Pastry brush
- Serrated knife
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
For the Pistachio Cream
- 5.25 oz shelled, unsalted raw pistachios
- 6 fl oz whole milk divided; 3 1/3 fl oz (100 ml) for the paste, the rest for the saucepan
- 1 oz salted butter about 2 tbsp
- 3.5 oz white chocolate
- 1 tbsp confectioners' sugar icing sugar or powdered sugar
For the Croissants
- 6 croissants store-bought, slightly stale is ideal
- 1 handful shelled pistachios chopped, for topping
- 1 jar Nutella
- confectioners' sugar for decoration
- milk chocolate melted, for drizzling (or extra Nutella)
For the Syrup
- 3.5 oz sugar about 1/2 cup
- 3.3 fl oz water about scant 1/2 cup
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Instructions
Boil and Peel the Pistachios
- Boil the shelled pistachios for 3 minutes to soften them. Drain and tip them onto a clean towel to dry.
- Rub the pistachios with the towel to loosen the skins. Separate the nuts from the skins and throw the skins away.
Make the Pistachio Cream
- Put the peeled pistachios in a food processor with 3 1/3 fl oz (100 ml) of the milk and 1 tablespoon of confectioners' sugar. Blitz for about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides every minute or so, until it forms a thick paste.
- Pour the rest of the milk into a saucepan with the butter and white chocolate. Heat gently over low heat until melted and smooth.
- Scoop the pistachio paste into a blender, pour in the melted white chocolate mixture, and blitz until extra smooth and creamy. Spoon it into a piping bag and set aside.
Make the Vanilla Syrup
- Add the sugar, water, and vanilla bean paste to a pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 1 minute, then take it off the heat.
Assemble and Bake
- Heat the oven to 392°F (200°C/180°C fan). Slice the croissants in half, brush both sides lightly with the syrup, and place them on a baking sheet.
- Spread Nutella on the bottom halves and pipe a generous swirl of pistachio cream on top. Put the tops back on, pipe more pistachio cream over them, and scatter with the chopped pistachios.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until toasty and golden.
Finish
- Dust with confectioners' sugar, drizzle with melted milk chocolate or a little more Nutella, and serve warm.
Notes
Don't rush the paste: Blitz for the full 5 minutes and scrape down the sides often, or the cream will turn out gritty.
Brush, don't drench: A light coat of syrup on slightly stale croissants keeps them soft but not soggy. If the pistachios on top brown too fast, tent the tray loosely with foil.
Make ahead: The pistachio cream keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days and the syrup for up to 1 week.
Storage: They're best eaten the same day. Otherwise, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 2 days and reheat at 300°F (150°C) for 5 to 8 minutes. Avoid the microwave.