Kulfi

Kulfi (Indian Saffron & Pistachio Ice Cream)

A traditional Indian frozen dessert made by patiently reducing whole milk until it's thick, caramelised and intensely milky, then flavoured with cardamom, saffron and pistachio and frozen in cones or moulds. It is denser, less airy and more slowly melting than ice cream.

Prep

10 min

Cook

90 min

Total

100 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1.5 L (6¼ cups) full-cream whole milk, must be full-fat, ideally with a high milk-fat percentage; do not substitute skim
• •120 g (½ cup plus 1 tbsp) caster sugar, adjust to taste; jaggery or khandsari can be used in place of sugar
• •6 green cardamom pods (6 pods) cardamom, seeds only, crushed; about ½ tsp ground
• •20 strands saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
• •40 g (⅓ cup) shelled pistachios, roughly chopped, plus extra for garnish
• •15 g (2 tbsp) chopped blanched almonds, optional, traditional in some recipes
• •60 ml (¼ cup) khoya / mawa (reduced milk solids), optional, for a richer body; can be omitted if unavailable
• •1 pinch salt

Steps

1. 1 Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed, wide pan (a wide pan evaporates milk faster). Add the crushed cardamom seeds and the pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to medium-low.
2. 2 Simmer the milk uncovered, stirring frequently with a flat-bottomed wooden spatula, scraping the sides so a skin does not form on its own and stick. Continue for about 60–80 minutes until the milk reduces by roughly two-thirds to about 500 ml (2 cups) and turns a pale cream, slightly nutty colour. Watch the heat carefully once it thickens: milk solids scorch quickly at the bottom.
3. 3 Stir in the sugar, the saffron (with its soaking milk) and the khoya, if using. Continue to cook on low for a further 5–10 minutes until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (it should leave a clear trail when you run a finger through it).
4. 4 Take off the heat and stir in most of the chopped pistachios and almonds, reserving some for garnish. Cool the mixture to room temperature, then cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or up to overnight); it should thicken further as it cools.
5. 5 Pour the chilled base into kulfi moulds, small terracotta pots, or individual disposable cups. If using cups, cover each with a small piece of foil, poke a skewer through the centre and freeze upright so the skewer becomes the stick handle.
6. 6 Freeze for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, until completely solid and very firm. Kulfi is traditionally served very hard straight from the freezer; let it sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes to soften just enough to release from the mould.
7. 7 To unmould, briefly dip the outside of the mould or cup in warm water, then pull on the skewer or flex the cup. Garnish with the reserved chopped pistachios and a few saffron strands, and serve immediately on a small plate or leaf.