Pistachio Croissants

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare pastry cream. Heat milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat just until warm. Whisk together egg yolks, egg, cornstarch, and sugar. Slowly pour warm milk into eggs, whisking constantly to prevent eggs from scrambling. Pour mixture back into saucepan and slowly bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly. Continue to cook until thick, about 4-5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla extract. Transfer to clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface. Let cool.

Prepare pistachio filling. Process 1 cup pistachios with powdered sugar and cornstarch in a food processor until mixture resembles fine sand. Mix pistachio mixture with 2 tablespoons softened butter, egg, and pastry cream. Transfer filling to a pastry bag or large Ziploc bag with one corner cut to make an opening.

Cut croissants in half and pipe filling inside. Spread remaining filling on top, using a spatula to evenly spread the filling. Sprinkle chopped pistachios on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top and serve warm or at room temperature.