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Malai Kulfi

Dense, creamy frozen dessert made by slowly reducing milk with cardamom, pistachios and almonds. It needs no ice cream machine and sets in simple moulds.

Prep 15 minCook 1 hTotal 1 h 15 minServes 6

Ingredients

  • 1.5 l full-cream milk
  • 200 ml fresh cream (or tinned cream), chilled
  • 5 tbsp sugar, or to taste
  • 3 tbsp milk powder
  • 1 tbsp cornflour, mixed with 3 tbsp cold milk taken from the measured milk
  • 5 green cardamom pods, seeds crushed
  • 2 tbsp pistachios, finely chopped, plus extra for serving
  • 2 tbsp almonds, blanched and finely chopped
  • 1 pinch saffron strands, soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk
  • 1 tsp rose water or kewra water (optional)

Instructions

  1. Take 3 tablespoons of cold milk from the measured milk and stir it into the cornflour until smooth. Pour the rest of the milk into a wide, heavy-based pan.
  2. Bring the milk to a boil over medium heat, stirring often and scraping the sides. Lower the heat to medium-low so it simmers steadily.
  3. Simmer for about 35 minutes, stirring every few minutes and mixing in any skin that forms, until the milk has reduced to roughly 800 ml and looks slightly thickened and creamy.
  4. Whisk the milk powder and sugar into the milk, then stir in the cornflour paste. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the milk coats the back of a spoon.
  5. Add the crushed cardamom seeds, the saffron with its milk, and half the chopped nuts. Simmer for 2 minutes, then take off the heat.
  6. Cool the mixture to room temperature, stirring now and then to prevent a skin. Stir in the rose water if using, then fold in the chilled cream.
  7. Taste and add a little more sugar if needed, remembering that freezing dulls sweetness. Stir in the remaining nuts.
  8. Fill the moulds, leaving 1 cm at the top for expansion. Cover with foil or the lids and insert sticks if using.
  9. Freeze for at least 6–8 hours, until completely firm. To release, run the moulds under warm water for 10 seconds and slide the kulfi out.

Tips

  • Use a wide pan so the milk reduces faster and stir the base often so it does not catch.
  • Cool the milk fully before adding cream, or the cream may split and the kulfi will feel greasy.
  • Chop the nuts very finely so they do not sink or make the kulfi hard to bite.
  • Cover the moulds well to keep out ice crystals and freezer smells.
recipenkitchen.com/recipes/malai-kulfi · RecipenKitchen