Kulfi is a frozen dessert from India and West Asia, traditionally flavored with saffron, pistachio, mango, rose, and cardamom. It is thicker than regular ice cream and can be made without an ice cream maker. Kulfi is often sold by street vendors and can be high in calories, but low-fat versions are available. It is easy to make and can be flavored with a variety of ingredients.
Kulfi is an Indian and West Asian frozen dessert. It comes in many flavors and is often shaped into conical shapes. It’s relatively easy to make and deliciously refreshing on hot days.
Unlike Western-style ice creams, kulfi doesn’t have to be churned out in an ice cream maker. Instead, the liquid components are often boiled as a custard before freezing or simply frozen solid. As such, it is much thicker than regular ice cream, as churning adds air into the milk mixes. It is normally classified as a frozen custard instead of ice cream.
Traditionally, custard is flavored with saffron, giving it a subtle flavor and golden-orange color. Other typical flavors are pistachio, mango, rose and cardamom. As the dessert grows in popularity, the list of flavors expands. The new flavors are quite adventurous and include peanuts, apples and avocados.
To make a basic recipe, combine sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, and evaporated milk. Some recipes recommend boiling and reducing the mixture, but many variations simply add flavoring agents and pour the mixture into popsicle molds or kulfi. Freezing time should generally be at least eight hours, many recipes recommend making the batter in the evening and freezing overnight. Kulfi is often garnished with edible gold or silver leaves, almonds or pistachios.
For an interesting dessert combined with culture, try filling cannoli shells with homemade kulfi, sprinkled with pistachios or almonds and drizzled with chocolate. An ice cream sandwich served with cookies is a delicious treat, but be sure to let the frozen custard soften in the fridge before attempting to spread it. Kulfi’s shakes are incredibly thick and delicious, and a small serving can be enough to satisfy an ice cream craving.
In India, kulfi is a street vendor food. Vendors keep the frozen treat cold in a special pot filled with ice and salt called a matka. Although the usual way to serve it is with a simple nut side dish, some vendors also serve sweetened vermicelli rice noodles with ice cream.
Due to the high cream content, regular versions of this dessert are not for dieters. Some recipes contain up to 1400 calories per serving. Low-fat versions of the dish are available and generally substitute nonfat condensed milk and regular milk instead of cream. Vegetarians should also be careful, as some recipes call for gelatin, which many vegetarians find objectionable.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker or don’t want to use one, Kulfi makes a fantastic homemade frozen custard. Most recipes can easily be blended in ten minutes or less and can easily be taught to children learning to cook. The base flavor choices leave plenty of room for experimentation with your favorite flavors or additions.
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