If you love ice cream and Indian flavors, then this post is for you. Kulfi is a frozen Indian dessert made from slowly evaporating and thickening sweetened milk. The milk is flavored by a variety of ingredients like saffron (kesar), cardamom (elaichi), nuts, fruits (usually mango), and even rose-water.
Kulfi is almost like ice cream, but it can hold its own in terms of flavor and texture. In olden days, it was typically set and served in small clay pots called matkas. Nowadays special kulfi molds are available, just like popsicle molds. I used a couple of small steel glasses, stuck a popsicle in each and came up with kulfi pops. What better way to entice your kid! Not that Boy needs any enticing when anything sweet, cold and mango-ey is involved!
There are a lot of kulfi recipes, each slightly different from the other. Traditionally, thick and fatty milk alone is reduced till it is semi-condensed. Modern recipes call for short-cut ingredients like evaporated milk, condensed milk, milk powder and cornflour to speed things up. If you are using any kind of slurry (cornflour, rice flour or plain custard powder paste), make sure to properly cook it so that the ‘floury’ taste does not linger in the end.
I made kulfi using whole milk, sugar and milk powder. I added a sprinkling of fresh cardamom powder, some cashew nut paste and lots of pulpy mangoes. All these combine to make delicious and creamy kulfi. I don’t think there could be anything better to welcome the arrival of warmer climes than luscious, sweet mangoes.
You will need:
- Whole milk – 3 cups
- Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
- Saffron – a pinch (optional, I didn’t have it)
- Sugar – 1/4 – 1/2 cup (depends on the sweetness of the mangoes used)
- Milk powder (full fat) – 3/4 cup
- Condensed milk – 1/4 cup
- Cashew nut paste – 3 tbsp (made from around 20 cashew nuts)
- Mango pulp/puree – 1 1/2 – 2 cups (add less for a mild mango taste and more for a rich mango flavor)
How to:
- Take the milk in a large, thick-bottomed pan and start heating it. Add cardamom powder and saffron to the milk. Do not let it boil now.
- Add sugar, milk powder and condensed milk to the slightly hot milk. Stir well and let it come to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and let the milk reduce. Keep stirring every now and then, scraping down the creamy bits that gather at the sides of the pan.
- Meanwhile, prepare the cashew nut paste by soaking it in warm water for 5 minutes and coarsely grinding it by adding a little bit of water or milk. When the milk has reduced and thickened considerably (it will take around 20 minutes), turn off the stove. Add the cashew nut paste and mix well.
- Allow the milk mixture to cool completely. Stir in the mango pulp (the kulfi mixture will thicken further.). I used tinned pulp, you can puree fresh mangoes and strain it to remove the fibers.
- Fill in kulfi molds, popsicle molds, small glasses or ramekins. Cover tightly and freeze till solid (at least 8 hours).
- To remove the frozen kulfi, dip the mold/ramekin in warm water for a minute and invert onto a plate.
I was pleasantly surprised at how creamy and delicious this kulfi was. After all, it was my very first time! I couldn’t believe my eyes nor my taste buds. Seriously! I had no patience to photograph them and even considered the possibility of hiding eating all of the kulfi before the guys returned!
Use the best ingredients you can get your hands on, do not skimp on the nuts and mangoes, and you will end up with a little slice of heaven!
Have you had or made kulfi? Which is your favorite flavor?
On a different note, let me wish all the awesome moms out there a wonderful Mother’s Day!
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What a delicious dessert. Thanks for sahring recipe.
Yummmy! ~Tammy
🙂
These look so awesome! I’ll be sharing them on my FB page! Thanks for linking it up at Monday FUnday!
Thank you, Katie. Appreciate it!
Nice looking kulfis. I love mangoes & am experimenting with making them into popsicles. I’ll try this sometime soon to go with an Indian-theme dinner party. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you, Vasun! I hope you try this. Your guests will surely love it!!
Oh my! This look s really really really yummy! I can just about taste it over here….. 🙂
“hugs” Crystelle
Crystelle Boutique<
Thank you, Crystelle!
Omg! This looks awesome. I am reminded of Aamras which we used to gobble up in India during summers… sigh 🙂
Thank you, Vaish. Don’t we all love mangoes!
I really do love ice cream and indian flavors. Oh my! This kulfi looks soo mouthwateringly, amazingly, delicious. Lovely color and the photographs are mind blowing. 🙂
Thanks Sadia. You are so sweet 🙂
Looks great Anjana!
Thank you, Sarah!
I love mango, I love any kind of food contains mango… I’ve marked this recipe, I really would like to try…. thanks for sharing!
Please do try this. I am sure you’ll love it!
This looks amazingly refreshing, Anjana. Perfect for a hot summer’s day. 🙂
Thank you, Patty. Hope you try it!
Sluuurrrrrrrrp! The mango kulfi looks delish!!
Thank you!
kulfi looks delicious. It must be pretty difficult photographing something frozen… but you have outdone yourself. Truly tempting pictures. I am yet to try clicking ice creams!
Thank you, Namrata! I always struggle photographing beverages, this one was tough too. Now when I see the pics, I feel I could have done better. Photographing ice cream in summer is a race against time… haha!!
Happy Mother’s Day to you.
My husband would adore this! I will make it for him soon…Thanks for sharing!
Please do, Dimple! The guys over here are the same!!
Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Will do!
Oh my gosh! Seriously, I’ve tried making kulfi a few times, some with real simple recipes, and it didn’t look so good…. this is the bomb! If I’m going to indulge, I might as well do it the proper way! Wow! Where did you get your molds from? Beautifully presented, your elephants add a nice touch too 🙂
You must try this recipe then. It was a great hit at our house.
I used little steel tumblers (from India) and stuck popsicle sticks in them. You can use regular popsicle molds too.
Anjana I love my frozen desserts and I have pistachio kulfi sitting on my freezer, but now seeing your recipe for this classic and irresistible. Combination has set my cravings off x
Ooh… pista kulfi is super yum too !
yum yum yum!
Exactly!
What and interesting and delightful dessert…I can almost taste it! Thanks for sharing a wonderful recipe!
Thank you. It is a very beautiful combination!
I’m very intrigued by this! Thanks for sharing! I love learning about new foods!
Please try this, Lori! It is the Indian version of ice cream.
I will bookmark it….definitely intrigued!!