This popular dessert takes me back to my childhood in Mumbai, reminiscent of the kulfiwala who made his appearance especially after we had our dinner and ready for bed. With a matka (earthenware pot) on his head, he would scream "kulfi". On certain days, my mother treated us to this creamy delight. The kulfiwala would remove a metal cone from his pot which was frozen in a mixture of ice and rock salt. To unmould the kulfi, he would rub the cone between his palms to generate some heat that released the kulfi. He served it on a leaf, cut into pieces. Creamy, cold and comforting, it always left us craving for more.
Kulfi is traditionally made from milk that is simmered, stirred and thickened. Tedious and time-consuming, the modern version is by far quicker and easy. There are many shortcuts and flavours prevalent today in the preparation of this classic dessert. My variation is very simple, fast and use of high calorie ingredients. Hence, indulge in this dessert rarely and in moderation.
Kulfi is traditionally made from milk that is simmered, stirred and thickened. Tedious and time-consuming, the modern version is by far quicker and easy. There are many shortcuts and flavours prevalent today in the preparation of this classic dessert. My variation is very simple, fast and use of high calorie ingredients. Hence, indulge in this dessert rarely and in moderation.
Kulfi
(Yields 1 litre, serves 18)
Ingredients:
300 ml sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup full-fat milk
4 green cardamoms (lightly pounded)
Method:
In a saucepan, add condensed milk, whipping cream, full-fat milk and cardamoms. Stir well and simmer on low heat until well-combined. Do not boil. Strain to remove cardamoms, cool and then, pour the creamy liquid into moulds. Freeze to set.
To serve, dip each moulds in hot water for 5 to 10 seconds to loosen the kulfi. Alternatively, hold the mould under a tap of running hot water for 5 to 10 seconds. Ensure not to wet the lid of the mould.
Note:
(Yields 1 litre, serves 18)
Ingredients:
300 ml sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup full-fat milk
4 green cardamoms (lightly pounded)
Method:
In a saucepan, add condensed milk, whipping cream, full-fat milk and cardamoms. Stir well and simmer on low heat until well-combined. Do not boil. Strain to remove cardamoms, cool and then, pour the creamy liquid into moulds. Freeze to set.
To serve, dip each moulds in hot water for 5 to 10 seconds to loosen the kulfi. Alternatively, hold the mould under a tap of running hot water for 5 to 10 seconds. Ensure not to wet the lid of the mould.
Note:
- I usually don't add pistachios in the kulfi but did so for this post to show how the nuts sink to the bottom or rise to the top (as seen in the picture). To distribute them evenly, the creamy liquid should be first thickened in an ice-cream maker with the nuts incorporated at the end. The mixture then transferred in moulds and frozen.
- To blanch pistachios, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add 1/2 cup of pistachios and blanch for a couple of minutes. Drain out the water, pat dry and remove the outer skin. Cut into slivers or chop coarsely in a food processor.
- Moulds used are from Ikea. You will need 18 moulds for the indicated list of ingredients, which can be halved to accommodate 9 moulds.
- For green coloured kulfi, add few drops of edible food colour.
- A pinch of saffron can be included while simmering for kesar flavoured kulfi.
- Cardamom powder too settles at the bottom of the mould hence, it is best to heat lightly pounded whole pods and then strain them out.
- Heavy cream used is whipping cream that has 35% fat content.
