Ingredients:

  • 2 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour (270g)
  • 1 ¼ cups Granulated Sugar (250g)
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Powder (8g)
  • ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt (3g)
  • 3 Large Eggs (room temperature)
  • ½ cup Whole Milk (120ml, room temperature)
  • ½ cup Unsalted Butter (113g), melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (5ml)
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Zest (approx. 3 lemons)
  • ¼ cup Fresh Lemon Juice (60ml)
  • 1 cup Shelled Pistachios (120g), roughly chopped (reserve ¼ cup for topping)
  • 1 ½ cups Powdered Sugar (180g), sifted
  • 3–4 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice (for glaze)
  • A tiny pinch of Salt (for glaze)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a standard 9x5 inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper ensuring an overhang.
  2. Briefly toast the majority of the pistachios in a dry pan until fragrant (about 3-4 minutes). Cool slightly, then chop them coarsely, reserving about 1/4 cup for sprinkling on top later.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt (Dry Ingredients).
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs until slightly frothy. Gently whisk in the milk, cooled melted butter, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice until just combined (Wet Ingredients).
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture together until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as no streaks of dry flour remain; a few small lumps are acceptable. Do not overmix.
  6. Gently fold in the bulk of the chopped pistachios.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the reserved pistachios evenly over the batter surface.
  8. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. If the top browns too quickly before the center is done, loosely tent the loaf with aluminum foil.
  9. Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the loaf from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
  10. To prepare the glaze, whisk the sifted powdered sugar, 3–4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, and a tiny pinch of salt until smooth and thick but pourable. Adjust the liquid for consistency.
  11. Once the bread is fully cool, drizzle the glaze evenly over the top. Allow the glaze to set for about 20 minutes before slicing and serving.