I always start by boiling the shelled pistachios for 3 minutes to soften them. Then drain them and set them on a clean tea towel to dry.

Then use the tea towel to rub the pistachios to loosen the skins. You want to separate the pistachios from the skins. This step does take a little time but I promise it’s worth it. If you don’t remove the skins your pistachio cream won’t be lovely and vibrant green and will taste slightly more bitter, not in a bad way, it’s still good! But this way is really really good. Once you’re done, pop the pistachios into a food processor and discard the skins. 

Add the icing sugar and just a splash of milk. Blend for around 5 minutes until the pistachios turn into a smooth pistachio paste, scraping down the sides every minute or so. Be patient – to begin with, it will resemble breadcrumbs but eventually, it will turn into a paste – this is important.

Meanwhile, pop the butter, white chocolate and the rest of the milk into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Allow to melt slowly, stirring every now and then. Once melted, remove from the heat.

Scoop the pistachio paste into a blender and then pour in the melted white chocolate mixture. Blend until extra creamy and silky smooth.

Pour into a piping bag (or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off) and set aside.

For the French Toast: cut a slit into the bottom of each 5cm thick slice of brioche to create a pocket inside - go as far as you can, although not all the way through to the other side. Pipe in a generous amount of the pistachio cream. You want about 2 tbsp in each slice. Use a knife (and gravity) to gently encourage the pistachio cream to evenly distribute inside the brioche - you don’t want it all bunched in one place. Set aside.

In a baking dish, whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla extract until combined. Dip the filled brioche slices into the egg mixture, turning to coat on all sides. Take care, it will absorb the egg mixture very quickly so don’t leave them to soak too long or they will go soggy.

Place a medium-sized non-stick pan over a low-medium heat. Add a knob of butter and swirl to coat the base of the pan, making sure it is all covered with a layer of melted butter. Once the butter is foaming, add a slice of eggy brioche. Cook gently for about 3-4 minutes - or until golden brown. Don’t be tempted to increase the heat or else the outside will overcook before the inside is ready. Use a spatula or large palette knife to carefully flip over and continue to cook on the other side until equally golden. Repeat with the remaining slices.

Meanwhile, gently warm the blackcurrant jam in a small saucepan or in small bursts in the microwave.

To serve: pop a slice of Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast onto a plate. Top with a dollop of gently whipped cream and a spoonful of warm blackcurrant jam. Dust generously with sieved icing sugar and enjoy!