desserts · recipes · vegetarian ·Jul 22, 2020

Mrs Balbir Singh's | Pistachio & Almond Kulfi (Ice Cream)

Kulfi is one of the most popular types of ice-cream in India. It is made in many different flavours, with the version below being a big favourite across the country.

It has similarities to ice cream in appearance and taste but is denser and creamier. It is thought to originate from the Mughal Empire in the 16th Century and is vibrantly celebrated to this day. If you are ever in Mumbai, do go to some of the famous vendors on Marine Drive where you will experience some of the widest choices which the sales staff reel off a myriad of types in a speedy patter mentioning everything from Mango to Saffron (or Kesar), and one called Tutti Frutti!

Of course, if you are not heading there anytime soon, you can at least transport your tastebuds to the street vendors of Old Delhi or Mumbai's Marine Drive, by giving this recipe a try this weekend.

Pistachio & Almond Kulfi (Ice Cream)

Category: Kulfi & Other Ice Creams

Recipe: 168

Ingredients

1200ml (2 pints) Jersey Milk
170g (6oz) Sugar
3 to 4 drops of Kewra Essence (Kewra Water) or Pandan Leaf Extract
4 tsp arrowroot or cornflour
85g-115g (3-4oz) Khoa (dried fresh whole milk) + 60ml (2oz) Malai (or Clotted Cream)
15g (½ oz) Shredded Blanched Pistachios
15g (½ oz) Shredded Blanched Almonds

Step 1:

Clean the preferably metal kulfi (or ice-cream/lolly) moulds with soap and boiling water. Bring the milk to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Add arrowroot or cornflour dissolved in a little cooled milk and cook till the mixture is of a thick and creamy pouring sauce consistency. Mix in the sugar and stir until it is thoroughly dissolved.

Step 2:

Remove from heat, cool and add khoa (dried fresh whole milk) and malai (or clotted cream), the finely-shredded almonds and pistachios and the kewra essence (pandan leaf extract/essence).

Fill the kulfi moulds with this mixture, place the tops on carefully and place in the freezer for at least 3-4 hours or until they are set. It is preferable to lie them on their side rather than keeping them upright in the freezer, and they should also not be placed one be placed on top of each other.

Step 3: serve

Before serving, unscrew the top and roll the mould by holding it between your palms, and then running their sides under warm water for a very short time. Then one at a time, hold each one upside down and give a sharp jerk or a tap on the side of the container with a spoon so that the kulfi slips on to a plate. Serve rolled in crushed pistachios.

If the mould didn't have a lolly stick, you can cut the kulfi into round discs and sprinkle with the crushed pistachios. Impress your guests with a sprinkle of edible petals which are available in the baking section of many supermarkets.

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Mrs Balbir Singh
Award-winning godmother of Indian home cooking, and author of Mrs Balbir Singh's Indian Cookery, as featured in "The Best Indian Cookbooks Ever, as Judged by the Experts" - The Telegraph (UK)