INDIAN & SRI LANKAN, SWEET TREATS & DESSERTS
ELDERFLOWER & CARDAMOM KULFI
Ice cream always feels like a treat, but Kulfi, the traditional Indian ice cream, feels particularly special.
Whilst western ice cream is usually made using an egg-custard base, kulfi is traditionally made using only milk, simmered and reduced down for hours resulting in a denser, chewier texture. This also gives kulfi a wonderful and very specific nutty, caramelized taste, usually enhanced with chopped nuts and then typically flavoured with rosewater, cardamom or saffron. A wonderfully sweet and exotic treat.
Kulfi often seems particularly associated with the delicate, floral flavours of rosewater – We have chosen to riff on this with a similarly delicate and floral flavour though one considerably less exotic to British palettes – Elderflower.
Ingredients
1 1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder (about 12 pods, ground)
1 can Evaporated Milk (354ml)
295g Heavy Cream
80g Light Brown Sugar
4 Tbsp Elderflower Syrup or cordial
Chopped Pistachios for topping (optional)
METHOD
- In a medium-sized pan, place the evaporated milk, heavy cream, light brown sugar, cardamom powder and elderflower syrup.
- Place the pan over medium-low heat, stirring continuously to prevent it from sticking to the pan until it starts to lightly boil.
- Remove from the heat and set the pan into a large bowl of ice-cold water, stirring the mixture until it cools down.
- Once the mixture is cold, pour through a fine-mesh sieve set over a container with a spout.
- Pour the strained mixture into popsicle moulds. Alternatively, you can pour it into the cups of a muffin tray or individual ramekins.
- Cover with foil and place into the freezer for 4 hours before serving.
OPTIONAL ADDITIONS
- After one hour, or once the surface is a little bit firm, remove the kulfis from the freezer and add the chopped pistachios over the exposed surface. This is entirely optional but will add a lovely taste and texture to your kulfis.
- If you want to serve your kulfis as popsicles, cover each mould with a little square of foil and poke popsicle sticks through the middle of the individual kulfis. The foil should keep the stick upright. Place the kulfis back in the freezer for a remaining 3 hours.
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