Where to find pistachio paste

marie-claire · Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 2

Really, really want to make Clotilde's Chocolate PIstachio Surprise Cake but can't find pistachio paste in the U.S. in a small quantity. Suggestions?

Rainey · Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2005 5:46 pm Post subject:

Man! I'd be surprised to find it in Los Angeles, a major city. I don't know where you are or how available things are there. So, I'd try a couple things. One would be to call King Arthur. I know I've brought their name and products up several times. I promise I'm not affiliated in any way -- they just have a lot of useful cooking ingredients and equipment. They also have a telephone help line that is a tremendous resource. 800/827-6836

Another thing I'd do is call the best bakery in your area and ask if they have a supplier or if they'd sell you a bit. If you have a Persian or Middle Eastern grocer locally, they might be a good bet too.

But I'd also be prepared to have to make my own. Here's a link to a recipe for marzipan: http://www.pastrywiz.com/season/marzipan.htm I don't know why you couldn't substitute pistachios for almonds.

To grind the nuts you can pulse them in your food processor. Just be sure to do short bursts of power and pause a significant time between pulses to let the nuts stay cool and to ensure that you get uniformly small grind before you move on to create paste.

Good luck! Please tell us how it works out for you.

clotilde · Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2005 11:32 pm Post subject:

Just two small suggestions if you can't find it in small quantities (it seems to be only marketed to professionals and sold in big cans, at least here): maybe you have friends/neighbors/coworkers with whom to share the amount you are forced to by? If not, the lady at G.Detou told me that it could be frozen (rolled in small balls) for later use. So glad the recipe appeals to you!

chika · Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Posts: 1 Location: hawaii

Hi marie-claire,

I bought an 8-oz jar of pistachio "cream" at $15 at Whole Foods store in Boulder, Co. (I've got a picture of it in my blog, here:
http://shewhoeats.blogspot.com/2004/12/macarons-rediscovered-beauty-in-my.html

It is called "cream" but it is made of raw pistachio and sugar only, so it should work I guess. I wonder if other Whole Foods stores carry it. I also know a couple of resources in Japan, but I don't think you are in Japan Shocked

I have also seen pistachio paste sold at Dean & Deluca [http://dd.stores.yahoo.com/400450.html]. It isn't cheap, but it is still not SO bad, specially if you would want almond paste as well.

Good luck!

Rainey · Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 1:47 am Post subject:

I'm gathering that marie-claire est une française so, malheureusement, this may not be helpful, but for folks in North America, 15 oz. of pistachio paste is available from King Arthur Flour for $12 + shipping. Not so very much for an occasional extravagance. And clotilde's pistachio pastry with the apple filling (Tarte Pomme Pistache) looked so inventive and intriguing that I might have to get some next time I order from KA.

wasabi · Joined: 29 Nov 2004 Posts: 32 Location: Salt Lake City, UT

[quote="chika"]

I bought an 8-oz jar of pistachio "cream" at $15 at Whole Foods store in Boulder, Co. (I've got a picture of it in my blog, here:
http://shewhoeats.blogspot.com/2004/12/macarons-rediscovered-beauty-in-my.htmlquote]

chika, i love that recipe...great way to use the pistachio cream in the buttercream...should've figured that out before hurting my fingers peeling all those pistachios (for some reason my mediterranean market were out of them..maybe everyone is making pistachio macaroons.) I have the tricky situation of baking at a high altitude so i had to make this recipe a couple of times so that the meringues' interiors collapse under the perfect shell. but even then, a visiting pastry chef called them "sexy and lacy like lingerie" so I got out a giggle out of it Smile

the sicilian variety is actually the best cream out of the ones that i've used. but the consistency is like any nut butter. for folks looking for more sturdy versions to work into a crust recipe, pistachio paste from American Almond could be a good bet as well. (one of the perks of the last job...got free samples of stuff to take home and play with)

here's a link to their site...
http://www.americanalmond.com/Products/proddescrips.htm

pistachio love to all,
wasabi

Rainey · Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 4:06 am Post subject:

Same product and same price from the distributor or a retailer. And the distributor (American Almond Products) will ship internationally too! How about that?!

Are you a pastry chef, wasabi?

wasabi · Joined: 29 Nov 2004 Posts: 32 Location: Salt Lake City, UT

marie-claire · Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 2

Thank you to everyone who suggested King Arthur Flour's website. I am going to order it from them.
Marie-Claire