Kulfi

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Kulfi

Serves 6 as Dessert.

Kulfi is one of the very few frozen desserts we eat in India. Traditionally bought from a street vendor, this dessert is served in disposable earthenware pots.

• 1-1/2 l whole milk
  
• 2 c sugar
  
• 1/4 pt of double cream (Basically we use the thick layer of cream that forms on top of the raw milk we buy in India. Here I substitute it with Devon double cream which seems to work pretty well).
  
• 1 T cornstarch
  
• 1 T semolina
  
• 3 T cold milk
  
• A few strands of saffron
  
• 1/4 c almonds, blanched, peeled and slivered
  
• 1/2 c green pistachios, blanched and sliced thin
  
• 1 tsp green cardamom powder
  

A drop of rose water (optional)

• 
  

1. Soak the pistachios & almonds in warm water for a few hours. It should now be easy to peel the nuts. Sliver the almonds and thinly slice the pistachios and keep aside.

2. Boil the milk on a low to medium flame in a pot with a thick bottom. Keep stirring the milk from time to time. You want to ensure that there is absolutely no scalding since that ruins the smell of the final dish. Keep boiling until the milk is reduced to half its original volume.

3. Dissolve the corn flour & semolina in the cold milk and stir well to avoid any lumps and add the mixture to the boiling milk along with the sugar and cardamom powder.

4. Dissolve the saffron in some hot milk and add this to the boiling milk (I use a mortar pestle to dissolve some saffron in a tsp of hot milk and pour the mixture into the milk. This gives the entire mixture a nice even color and reduces the qty of saffron I end up having to use!

5. Boil the mixture for another 10 minutes till its really thick and is approaching custard-like consistency.

6. Let the mixture cool. Then add most of the almonds & pistachio keeping aside a small quantity for garnish.

7. Whisk the double cream till its thick and fluffy and then fold it into the condensed milk mixture.

8. At this point, one could just pour the mixture into earthen pots or kulfi moulds, garnish and freeze. However, if you have access to an ice-cream maker, then its better to chill the mixture and freeze it in an ice-cream maker since it ensures a much smoother and creamier consistency.

Keywords: Easy, Dessert, Ice Cream, Indian, Ice Cream Maker

( RG1794 )